AARL

Why Prime Ministerial Libraries?

This question has two answers. Why university libraries should develop these libraries is argued forthrightly by the contributions from Lesley Carman-Brown, Kandy-Jane Henderson and Lesley Wallace (the John Curtin Prime Ministerial Library), Alan Bundy (Bob Hawke), Sue McKnight (Alfred Deakin) and Liz Curach (Gough Whitlam). An alternative approach is suggested by Sandra Mackenzie (Sir Robert Menzies). But, as Graeme Powell details, many of the prime ministerial papers have long been held by the National Library, now complemented by the National Archives and its Australia's Prime Minsters portal website, outlined by Maggie Shapley. Finally, as Michael Piggott points out in his 'comments and reflections', there are still as yet unresolved issues and challenges for these libraries.

The other way in which this question might be read is, why should Australian Academic and Research Libraries devote a whole issue to this somewhat esoteric topic? In fact, in this grain of sand one can see the world of Australian research librarianship: concerns about collection building, heritage preservation, access, and promotion are prominent, as are the international comparisons - especially to the US Presidential libraries. No less obvious are the politics and inter-institutional rivalries associated with these prime ministerial collections. Everyone who has worked on this issue has commented that the contributions are themselves are also intrinsically interesting and well written.

An issue such as this involves the contribution of many colleagues. Imogen Garner suggested the concept and Kandy-Jane Henderson many of the people who might be contacted, but my chief thanks must go to Michael Piggott who, necessarily, read every contribution in draft and then prepared his own thoughtful analysis in a very short space of time.

Peter Clayton, editor