Sydney Morning Herald online archive

The State Library has recently purchased the online newspaper archive for the Sydney Morning Herald 1955-1995. The database includes articles, captions, advertisements and birth, marriage and death notices.

Earlier issues of the Sydney Morning Herald are available on the Historic Australian Newspapers website, together with other historic newspapers from around Australia.

The database can be accessed via our website  at How Do I Find – Electronic Resources – e-Newspapers. Please note that access is limited to those searching within the State Library building.

 

The Triffids and Diesel: WA iconic rock

There is wide-spread popular opinion that there’s something special in the Western Australian water supply. WA produces an extraordinary number of talented musicians in all genres of music, and many take out the top awards in classical, rock, country and folk music. Our new display on the 2nd floor is Born in WA. Here we highlight just two iconic rock acts, 80s rock band The Triffids and Aria award winner Diesel who moved to Australia with his family at an early age.  Both acts put down firm musical roots in Perth before launching extremely successful national and international careers. If you have any Triffidiana or Dieseliana, we would love to add it to our collection.

 

The Western Australian Premier’s Book Awards

The call for entries for the 2008 and 2009 published books will commence on 15th February 2010. Guidelines and Entry Form will be posted on the main State Library site shortly.

For more information see Literary review strengthens Western Australian Premier’s Book Awards media release from the Department of Culture and the Arts.

 

Three new databases at the State Library of WA

If you are visiting the State Library soon you may wish to try our newest electronic resources (only available within the State Library building) :

MaquarieNet – Australia’s Online Reference Library:

For students, teachers and general users. Its broad and diverse collection of resources includes interactive maps,a range of Macquarie dictionaries,daily ABC news feeds, images and interactive Learning Trails

Art & Architecture Complete

 Covering a wide variety of pertinent subjects, including antiques, art and art history, interior and landscape design, and much more,  Art and Achitecture provides full-text coverage of more than 250 periodicals and 150 books

Naxos Jazz Music Library

One of the the most comprehensive collection of Jazz music available online offering close to 22,600 tracks of jazz from over 2,300 albums.
*Headphones are required to use this database and are available to purchase from the bookshop on the ground floor of the library.

Remember – these databases are only be available within the  library – you need to register with the library to access and book library computers.  Access the databases from our Electronic Resources pages.

 

“The West Australian” digital archive now available at for searching in the State Library

Newspaper House, home of The West Australian, 1957

Interested in searching through back issues of The West Australian?   The West Australian Archive Digital Editions is now available for searching in the State Library.  This database covers all issues of the newspaper from July 2004 until yesterday.  It contains the same content, editorial and photographic material including the classifieds for birth, death and marriage notices, you’ll find in the printed version with the exception of The West Magazine and commercial inserts which are not included.  It can be searched using keywords and articles can be printed.

This database is only be available within the  library – you need to register with the library to access and book library computers.  Access the database from our Electronic Resources e-Newspapers page.

Interested in earlier issues?  You can search digitised issues of The West Australian from late 1879 to early 1900 on the Australian Newspapers website. 

The Australian Newspapers service [developed by the National library] allows access to historic Australian newspapers digitised as part of the Australian Newspapers Digitisation Program. For further information about the Australian Newspapers Digitisation Program (ANDP), view the public website at: http://www.nla.gov.au/ndp

About Australian Newspapers

If you need information from The West between those dates contact the State Library’s information services.

 

 

Free one year subscription to LostCousins if you register before January 10th

LostCousins allows you to identify known family on the 1881 census so that you can connect with distant relatives researching the same ancestors.

LostCousins is also offering free access between Christmas Day and January 4th – all members old and new will have subscriber privileges for those 11 days.

Also, any new member who joins between now and January 10th 2010 quoting the offer code PROJECT1881 in the offer codes box at the bottom of the registration form will get a complimentary subscription that lasts until December 31st, 2010. There is only one catch – the new member must have at least one British ancestor who was recorded on the 1881 Census.

Follow the link: http://www.lostcousins.com or click on the image above left to visit the LostCousins site.

The more relatives you enter on your My Ancestors page the more cousins you may find because each is a potential link to a new cousin.

 

Can you help identify this church?

The State Library of W.A. has photographs of the interior of a church but the location of the church in Western Australia is not known. We have 4 glass negatives taken by commercial photographer Illustrations Limited, about 1929-1930. The church has brick walls and a sloping roof, with beautiful timber features in the interior.  

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Interior of church [013572PD

Please post a  reply to this blog message if you know where this church is located. The catalogue record is in the SLWA catalogue. 

 

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Side wing of church [013574PD

 

Pilot Digitisation Project for Early Passenger Lists in N.S.W.

State Records New South Wales have commenced a pilot project to digitise early passenger lists. This is part of a plan to digitise the microfilm copies of the Persons on bounty ships, 1838-96;  Persons on bounty ships arriving at Port Phillip, 1839-51 and Germans on bounty ships, 1849-52.  For further information or to browse those passenger lists already online go to: http://www.records.nsw.gov.au/state-archives/guides-and-finding-aids/nrs-lists/nrs-5316   If you find your ancestors, don’t forget to check the rest of the list to see who may have been travelling with them.

 

Creativity, newspapers, recycling and recognition – all in one package!

What do dresses, baskets, animals, hats, shoes, purses and helicopters all have in common? Want some ideas for creative activities to do when you are bored? Wonder what to do with all your old newspapers? If you’re stumped for answers come to the State Library to find out.

On Sunday December 13^th at 2:00pm the State Library will formally recognize the winners of the Make it with Newspaper Contest 2009. The winning artists are all primary and secondary students throughout WA. Come in and meet with them to learn their tips and “do’s and don’ts” on how to create your own sculptures with newspaper.

Their winning sculptures will be on display in The Place on the Mezzanine level in the SLWA from Sunday 13^th December to Sunday 31^st January 2010. For ideas to beat summer boredom come to the State Library to get inspiration for your holiday activities.

Don’t waste your old newspapers – recycle them, creatively!

Where: State Library

Location: 25 Francis St, Perth, 6000

The Place, Mezzanine Level

Winners Awards Ceremony: Sunday December 13^th, 2:00pm – 3:00pm

Exhibition: Sunday December 13^th until Sunday January 31^st

Hours:

Mon – Thu        9.00am – 8.00pm

Fri                      9.00am – 5.30pm

Sat – Sun         10.00am – 5.30pm

Cost: FREE

 

Kim Beazley Talks about “Father of the House” and other anecdotes on life and the universe

Join us at the State Library of Western Australia to hear Kim Beazley talk of his challenging role recording the audio version of the book titled “Father of the House: the memoirs of Kim E Beazley”. The book was written by his father and is an inside story of one of Australia’s longest serving and most influential Ministers in Federal Parliament.

In addition to his many accomplishments in the political arena, Kim Beazley spent nine weeks with a member of the Association for the Blind of WA Audio Production team recording and finalising the audio for the novel.

The State Library of WA is pleased to host Kim Beazley in our Theatre as he shares with us his fascinating experiences recording the book, read pages from the book, tell some anecdotes of his relationship with his father and maybe reveal some of his future plans in Washington.

Please join us to also congratulate Kim and wish him safe travels on his journey across the pond to Washington, D.C..

Where: State Library of Western Australia

Address: 25 Francis St, Perth Cultural Centre, Perth

Location: State Library Theatre on the ground floor

When: Friday January 8^th, 2010

Time: 12:30pm start

Cost: FREE

RSVP  Recommended: Phone: 9427 3151, or, events@slwa.wa.gov.au