ALIA Local Studies Group (VIC)

Meeting minutes

Tuesday 10 August 2004, held at the Living Museum of the West

Present

• Marnie Weinrich - Yarra Melbourne
• Anne Burrows - State Library of Victoria
• Christine Worthington - Prahran Mechanics Institute
• Tanya Lewis - Moreland City Libraries
• David Tuck - Prahran Archives (Stonnington)
• Di Foster - Prahran Archives (Malvern)
• Kay Rowan - Port Phillip Library
• Kathy Smalley - Eastern Regional Libraries
• Robyn Luczynski - Moonee Valley Library
• Michael Smith - Moonee Valley Library

Apologies

• Elaine Craig - Whitehorse Manningham
• Mary Pritisanak - Moreland City Libraries
• Judy Bell - Boroondara
• Tim Hogan - State Library of Victoria
• Paul Michel - Darebin

Tour

Peter Haffenden, director of the Living Museum of the West, gave us an informative tour of the premises, which included the grounds, various buildings, the Maribyrnong River and the archives centre.

Other business

ALIA e-list

This has now been set up so it is important for people to make sure they have subscribed.

Conference

General discussion took place regarding a future conference on local history/genealogy, possibly to be held in the second half of 2006. Decided to contact ALIA for advice. Anne Burrows offered to check out conference facilities at the state library. Advice to be sought from the RHSV on how to organise a history conference. It was suggested that a sub-committee (numbers to be decided), which would meet more regularly than the local studies group, needed to be formed to organise conference. Christine, Anne, Kathy and Kay all expressed interest in being on sub-committee. Suggested that people bring ideas about conference format/content to next meeting in November.

Australian national place names survey

Kathy Smalley reported on the Australian national place names survey, Chris Richards will be covering Gippsland. Survey to be more in-depth covering history of place names of Australia.

Around the table

Kathy Smalley - Eastern Regional Libraries

• Launch of local history databases (ie. Boronia, Knox, Ringwood) which are linked to the library catalogue and other historical societies including the RHSV.
• Staff training on family history has taken place and a talk on European family history sites.
• Purchase of the Queensland Federation Index.
• Open day at Wantirna organised by the AIGS - Kathy lamented the lack of library representation. Four microfiche readers (not printers) are available.
• Ann Dixon did a 'bygone days' talk.

Marnie Weinrich - Yarra Melbourne

• Local history databases (i.e. Richmond, North Melbourne, Fitzroy) have been combined into one.
• Re-development of Richmond Public Library will start in September with offices to move upstairs.

Anne Burrows - State Library

• The libraries 150-year birthday celebrations are continuing. There was an Open Day on 3 July with 5000 to 6000 people attending - the genealogy centre proving popular.
• Events:
  
  • 4 September: Shauna Hicks talk/tour of the public record office at 2:00pm.
  • 16 October: there will be a family history feast at the State Library.
  • 14 November: Monash University seminar at State Library theatrette about course in genealogy for 2005, from 10:00am to 5:00pm.
  • Darragh index (German records mainly from the German Sick and Relief Society covering 1861-1924) is available for purchase for $20.00 but will also be available online.

Christine Worthington - Prahran Mechanics Institute

• International conference of mechanics institute's, with speakers from the U.K., will be held at Swinburne on 2 to 4 September.
• Received grant for the Victorian history publication project to assist in the publication of local history, Victorian focus.
• Writer's workshop's and public readings continuing to be very popular.

Tanya Lewis - Moreland Public Library

• Nothing much to report
• Historical talks on the area conducted once a month through the Moreland reading project. Next one 11 August at the Brosnan Centre.

David Tuck Prahran Archives - Stonnington

• Betty Malone's 16 essays on Prahran No. 7 published.
• Microfilming newspaper 1960s onwards.
• Transcribing the first rate book of Prahran for the year 1856 nearly completed.
• Municipal history on the web.
• Seminars - how to use rate books held at the South Yarra Library in the evenings for one hour.

Di Foster - Malvern Archives (Stonnington)

• Commissioned history which includes amalgamation process till 1994 nearly ready for publication later this year.
• Malvern library being re-developed.
• The database has 30 000 records on the web.

Kay Rowan - Port Phillip Library

• Kay has given two talks on the history of Port Phillip to U3A groups.
• Co-ordinating five volunteers with the indexing of the St Kilda rate books 1857-1961 and indexing of the Port Melbourne newspapers.

Robyn Luczynski and Michael Smith - Moonee Valley Library Service

• The Moonee Valley Library Service will be having a table at the forthcoming West Bourke Local and Family History Fair, Saturday 23 October, 2004 fair to include displays, talks and help from historical societies, genealogical societies and specialist groups.
• New publications Heritage Gaps Study, Ferguson Plarre Bakehouses and 100 years of Monday Nights (Anglers Club)
• Donation of boards of works maps c.1900 from Melbourne University.
• New system up and running, staff involved with training and have re-commenced genealogy training and internet training for the public.
• Genie list proving to be a good source of networking approximately 50-50 subscribers.

Next meeting

9 November at the City Library to be confirmed. Marnie Weinrich to follow up.