SLWA celebrates Making Music. Being Well week

Come and join us at the State Library to celebrate Making Music. Being Well Week, a national initiative promoting the links between making music and feeling good. We have Professor Jane Davidson talking to us about The Power of Music on Thursday May 19th at 12.30pm. It’s a free talk but bookings are recommended on 9427 3111. There are other ways you can celebrate with us. Come in and borrow some sheet music - take home a bunch of your favourite tunes and sing and play to your heart’s content. Come and book an hour in our Music Studio and try out that Beethoven piano sonata you’ve been meaning to have a go at. View our exhibition Images Composed which highlights music inspired by artworks. Listen to the program for the next WASO concert; Read about how to use your computer to create your own music or how to make your own musical instruments. Endless possibilities! Everyone has music in their lives in some form…enjoy it!!!

U3A and SLWA lecture – Sunday 15 May

Come and listen to Professor Philip Mead, the inagural Chair of Australian Literature at UWA, talk about “Australian Literature: beyond the National” at 2pm next Sunday 15 May in the State Library theatre. It’s free!

U3A lecture

Frederick Flood Photographic Images

State Library of Western Australia has recently acquired a large collection of photographic images and watercolour paintings by Frederick Flood.

Frederick Flood moved to Western Australia from England in 1912. In 1919 he was employed by West Australian Newspapers mainly preparing artwork for advertisements but his talent was recognised and he became a full-time photographer for the newspaper.

For the next 40 years he painted, drew and photographed people, buildings and rural scenes in Western Australia and recorded a unique insight into the lives of West Australians.

State Library of Western Australia will preserve the images and watercolours for future generations and make them available for viewing at the State Library and electronically via our catalogue at Photographs and water colours by Frederick Flood : scenes of Perth and rural Western Australia . Other works by Flood, or about him, can be found by searching our catalogue using Frederick Flood in a keyword search.

A book about Flood and his work is available at the State Library and in public libraries Embellishing the Landscape: The Images of Amy Heap and Fred Flood 1920-1940.

State Library will continue to add to the images available online so please visit again as we add images.

Help us improve our website

We have a 5 minute survey online at any webpage below home page on our regular site. Just visit a page like our Family History Subject Guide and click on Yes, have my say.

Mapping Memory exhibition and events

Mapping Memory: an exhibition of family history has several related events scheduled, including some movie matinees. This beautiful exhibition is lovely and informative.

 Come along to a session on Tuesday 24 May from 5.30 – 7.30pm on how to preserve your family photos, and discover what they can tell you about your family history. The session is free but bookings are required. Call 9427 3111 to book your place.

 And follow the journey of discovery with Battye Fellow Jane Davis on Wednesday 25 May from 5.30 – 6.30pm, in her talk about settlement in the Swan River Colony and “doing history”, her journey through archives, databases and personal papers. Again, the session is free but bookings are required. Call 9427 3111 to book your place.

See the flyer for more detailed information.

Mapping Memory events flyer A4-web

Ethnic Communities Council of WA (ECCWA) Book Fair on Saturday May 7 2011

There are only two days to go until the Ethnic Communities Council of WA (ECCWA) book fair on Saturday 7th May!

The fair will be at 20 View St North Perth, from 10.00 am to 4.00 pm.

There are almost 4000 books as well as magazines, DVDs, CDs, videos, cassette tapes and jigsaws available.

Entry is by gold coin donation and all books and other materials are free. All donations go towards the ECCWA Literacy and Reading Program.

I’d like to thank everyone who has donated books and other materials to this event. This support proves that people are concerned about those less fortunate than ourselves and are willing to do somthing about it.

I’m looking forward to seeing you on Saturday. Please contact me on 9227 5322 if you have any queries.

Regards,

Ananda Barton (Mr)

Coordinator – Literacy and Reading Program

ananda@eccwa.org.au

http://www.eccwa.org.au

Findmypast is back

Great news!
The State Library now has a subscription to both Findmypast UK and Findmypast Australasia following a trial earlier this year.

Please see my previous post for a reminder of some of the highlights of these family history subscription sites which are available within the State Library.

So head into the Library for free access to Findmypast as well as Ancestry and a range of other family history databases.

Royal visits to Western Australia

1954 Royal Ball program

The British Royal family have been in the media recently due to the marriage of Prince William to Kate Middleton. Previous generations of the Royal family have made several visits to Western Australia over the years. The State Library of W.A. has a collection of programs, tickets, passes and itineraries in its ephemera collection produced for these visits.

The earliest item relates to a visit by the Duke of Edinburgh in 1869.

In 1954 a Royal Ball was held at the University of W.A. in honour of H.R.H. Queen Elizabeth ll as part of her Australian tour. She returned in 1962 to open the British Empire and Commonwealth Games in Perth.

Perhaps in the future Prince William and his new wife will visit W.A.

The complete history of Western music

To complement standard music history texts such as Grout’s History of Western Music, SLWA has purchased an abridged version….VERY abridged. For the time-poor amongst us, this choral arrangement for 4 voices encompasses over 6 centuries of music in just four minutes. Beethoven, Rossini, Haydn, Brahms and others feature in this fun addition to any choir’s repertoire. Be the first to borrow it and select other popular choral music from our extensive collection.

Western Australian company labels

Swan Brewery Company Ltd

 

The State Library of W.A. has digitised a lovely set of old food and drink labels from Western Australian companies.

You can look at them online if you search the library catalogue under the subject heading Labels — Western Australia.

There are bottle labels from the Swan Brewery, D. & J. Fowler Ltd, E.B. (Bert) Elliott’s  pharmacy in Kalgoorlie, Golden Mile Aerated Water Company,  Felton Grimwade & Bickford drink and vinegar labels and many more.

Happy fossicking!