Honouring our ANZACs

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old;
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.
- Laurence Binyon

To honour the ANZAC legacy, the State Library of Western Australia’s Data and Discovery team have curated a special Top 10 list of photos from our collection especially for ANZAC Day. By preserving and treasuring the social and documentary history of the ANZACs we ensure that they will never be forgotten.

1. Returning soldiers.

2. c1914 – C. Longmore and his brother H. Longmore, killed in action at Gallipoli.

3. H. Phil Fry mounted on horse in front of the Sphinx in Egypt, 10th Light Horse, 1915.

4. 16th Battalion AIF, originals left after Gallipoli, 1915.

5. ANZAC Day, Perth, 2007.

6. Gordon Reid laying a wreath at Anzac Day ceremony , 1957.

7. Bunbury War Memorial, Anzac Day, 1956.

8. Ex-servicemen marching in the 1930 ANZAC Day Parade, Perth.

9. Hugo Throssell, James Woods and Thomas (Jack) Axford, VC winners at the 1928 ANZAC Day ceremony .

10. Elevated view of crowd in the Esplanade Perth. Swan river and South Perth in the background, 1928.

$5000 prize on offer for library excellence

In 2012 the City of Fremantle won the Library Board of WA’s Award for Excellence with its Outdoor Reading Room.

Do you work within, or in support of Western Australian libraries?

Did you make an impact on library services in 2012 with an innovative service, event, program, piece of research or partnership?

Individuals, libraries and organisations are encouraged to nominate their project for the 2013 Library Board of Western Australia Award for Excellence.

The $5000 prize will recognise a project which made a significant contribution to the Western Australia library industry and library services in 2012.

The Award is not restricted to libraries and librarians – nominations are encouraged from all areas of the library industry and related sectors.

Previous winners of the Award are the City of Wanneroo for a project which provided resources to book clubs in remote areas, and the City of Fremantle for a temporary outdoor reading room which transformed Kings Square into an active social hub.

“The Award is linked to the Board’s leadership role in guiding and encouraging the provision of all library services throughout the State”, said Professor Margaret Nowak, Chairman of the Library Board of Western Australia.

Nominations close at 5.00pm on Tuesday 2 April 2013 and the Award will be presented during Library and Information Week in May.

Further information, including selection criteria and an entry form, is available from the State Library website: http://slwa.wa.gov.au/about_us/library_board/award_for_excellence

For further information about the Award please contact: Adrian Bowen on (08) 9427 3341.

Isn’t life on earth amazing!?

Wade Davis is a National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence and one of the world’s most respected advocates for life’s diversity in all its forms. We are excited to announce that we will be presenting an evening featuring Dr Davis on Tuesday 4 December 2012! Join us for a fascinating evening of weird and wonderful tales from his many experiences travelling and living with Indigenous tribes in some of the world’s most challenging environments. Don’t miss out, purchase your tickets online now!

Inspired by Wade Davis’ upcoming visit, we invited State Library staff to share photographs showing the diversity of life on earth. We are really excited to share some of these photographs with you below. If you enjoy this post, please leave a comment below.

Photograph by Urszula Wiejowski. ”Here comes the King of the Brotherhood of the Rooster with his entourage, proudly carrying a silver rooster. This Polish shooting society was founded in 13th century for the representatives of all guilds to help defending the country against numerous invaders. Members of the Brotherhood wear traditional Polish costumes to this day and add flair to major historical and religious events”.

Photograph by Urszula Wiejowski. ”I didn’t travel far to take this photo. King’s Park this spring was full of colour and amazing plants. This is a close-up and all of the sudden an ordinarily looking plant displays all its beauty”.

Photograph by Frances Hammond. “King Penguins and me, Sandy Bay, Macquarie Island, Australia Day 1997″.

Photograph by Gemma Lyon. “This picture was taken in the Ngaanyatjarra Lands, just a little way out of Wingellina where the WA border meets the South Australian and Northern Territory borders”.

Photograph by David Kilroy. This pic was taken at the Rainbow Serpent Festival in Victoria in 2011. I’ve been lucky to have access to all areas as a Stage Manager and this allows me to get some great photos. Dance Culture is about fun and being involved. There is often spontaneous performance art which just adds to the party atmosphere.  I can’t remember who these guys are, but I just loved their outfits.

Photograph by Jocelyne Gaudet. “This photo was taken on my University trip to Thailand. As part of the tour we got to visit many schools and teach the local children (which was really interesting, given the language barrier). We also visited a local orphanage near Pataya (if memory serves). It was amazing to see children so excited and happy to see visitors despite their personal hardships”.

Photograph by Damien Webb. ” The Incredible Hulk Crocodile @ Wyndham. Hulkodile? Crocodulk?”

Photograph by Alanna Kusin. “This image was taken in Viterbo, Italy. It was so interesting seeing the streets of this usually bustling town completely silent as a lot of businesses had closed their doors for siesta. This was the only person we saw during siesta time there was this man”.

Photograph by Catherine Mulroney. “I was privileged to visit the Maldives in 2010, it was definitely a lesson in the diversity of life. As I was heading back to our boat after an incredible snorkeling trip on the edge of our atoll I was joined by this giant sea turtle. It was definitely one of the most incredible experiences of my life”.

Photograph by Cathy Kelso. “This is a photo from my trip to Iceland in March this year. We’d just been up looking at Solheimajokull (a glacier) and were trundling back to the tour bus with our guide when I saw this little plant growing in the ash and gravel. Such a surprising sight in all the ice”.

Photograph by Shelli Johnston. “Ubud: January 2011. A lady sweeping. This was outdoors at a monkey forest. I may have taken a lot of photos of sweeping and straw brooms. It fascinated me”.

Photograph by Sandra Papenfus. “Jasper in Canada”.

Photograph by Molly Tebo. “Dinner buddies. This lorikeet wanted to share the red panda’s dinner. I got this shot at Sydney’s Taronga Zoo some years ago”.

Photograph by Molly Tebo. “Stromatolites, formed by cyanobacteria, are one of the oldest records of life on earth. We are lucky to have some excellent examples at Hamelin pool, Shark bay. Learn more about them here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stromatolite“.

Photograph by Pam Phelan. “This is the kelp farmer’s dog – King Island Bass Strait “.

Photograph by Karen de San Miguel. “Here’s a pic I took in Singapore a few years ago. I remember being amazing by the vivid colours I saw in Little India; incredible fabrics, saris, shop-fronts. Inspired me to cut loose with colour a bit more in my own life”.

Photograph by Liz Birkett. “This cheeky chap is a candle banksia (banksia attenuate). Candle banksias love the sandy coastal bushland around Perth. Noongar people made a sweet drink by soaking the flower spikes in water”.

Photograph by Mary Doyle. “Mrs Violet Hartnett, b1912″.

Photograph by Mary Doyle. “Tail end of a grasshopper”.

Photograph by Kate Akerman. “The temple was built in 1070 and was the Vietnam’s first university, (and probably library!) where scholars studied to pass exams to become administrators. The serene atmosphere of the temple and its gardens is a sharp contrast to the bustle of Hanoi’s street life. This was a favourite retreat of my father’s when he was living in Hanoi (1994 -2000) and was a (slightly surreal) dream come true to see his grandaughters walking the same pathways in 2012. The girls ready adaption to, and enjoyment of, the very different culture of Vietnam was a highlight of our journey”.

Photograph by John Geisjman. “A jellyfish at the Monterey Bay Aquarium”.

Photograph by John Geijsman. “A very odd looking Sea Lion at Pier 39 in San Francisco. Crazy party trick!”

“There is, indeed, a fire burning over the earth, taking with it plants and animals, cultures, languages, ancient skills and visionary wisdom. Quelling this flame, and re-inventing the poetry of diversity is perhaps the most important challenge of our times.” – Wade Davis

Teddy Bear Sleepover for The Reading Hour

The Reading Hour was a special nation-wide event on Saturday 25 August 2012 for the National Year of Reading 2012.

The aim for the Reading Hour was to encourage families to share a book with their child for 10 minutes a day, one hour a week.

We encouraged parents to host their own Teddy Bear Sleepover at home and to enjoy sharing a book with their child (and their teddies!) for ten minutes between 6 and 7pm.

We hosted our own Teddy Bear Sleepover at the library on the day. Teddies and soft toys explored the library and took part in a special story time.

Here is their journey:

Arriving at the State Library of Western Australia for the Teddy Bear Sleepover!

Meeting some new friends at the library. It was so fun to meet a tiny robot and a baby manatee, but the dalek scared us a little!

Hanging out in the State Library Shop.

Checking out Better Beginning‘s “Baby Ways” board book.

Who is this here in the mirror!?

The staff at the State Library are so helpful!

Riding up the lift to explore the library. Wheeee!

Meeting the State Library’s “Books Moove Me Cow!“. She was painted by Western Australian children’s book illustrators!

Meeting another State Library staff member. What a funny man.

Accessing e-books from the State Library for free!

Checking out the view from the 2nd floor of the State Library.
Look, there’s the BankWest Tower! Can you spot any other Perth landmarks?

Enjoying afternoon tea in The Place. What’s your favourite afternoon treat?

Having fun at a very special Reading Hour story time!

All tucked in after our bed-time story. Goodnight everybody!

There are lots of fun and creative ways to share books with your children. If you can manage 10 minutes most nights, your child will have the best chance of becoming a good reader, with all the social and educational benefits that brings.

Take3 author talks at the State Library – Wednesday 23 May

The State Library of Western Australian invites you to join us for this National Year of Reading event in celebration of Western Australian writing…

Fans and supporters of the Western Australian writing community are invited to hear insights and stories from children’s author/illustrator James Foley, fiction writer Natasha Lester and travel writer Stephen Scourfield.

James Foley recently won the prestigious Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators’ 2012 Crystal Kite Award (along with author Norman Jorgensen) for their wonderful children’s book The Last Viking; a fun picture book about a boy who outwits local bullies by channelling his inner Viking.

Natasha Lester, who courageously left her career as Brand Manager for Maybelline Cosmetics to become an author, was rewarded for her efforts with the acclaimed TAG Hungerford Award for Fiction for her moving novel What is Left Over, After.

Stephen Scourfield, author and Travel Editor for The West Australian, has impressed readers with his new work, Unaccountable Hours, which evokes landscapes of Cottesloe and theSwanRiver,Perth;Cremona,Italy; and the Little Sandy Desert, Western Australia.

Books by each author will be available for purchase and signing on the night.

This celebratory event complements the State Library’s current exhibition; Write On!, which features profiles of WA authors and illustrators as well as original manuscripts, illustrations and research material of selected works. Write On! is on display in the ground floor gallery space adjacent to the Theatre, so can be viewed on the evening.

This National Year of Reading event is a fantastic opportunity to celebrate and get inspired by the diversity of Western Australian writing.

• WHEN: Wednesday 23 May 2012. 6:00pm for wine and cheese, event begins at 6:30pm
• WHERE: State Library Theatre, State Library ofWestern Australia
• COST: FREE
• RSVP: Please note that as capacity is limited, reservations are essential. Please call 9427 3111 to reserve your place.

New music e-resource on trial

We are currently trialling Music Online, delivering all of the music content you need, from the world’s best record labels and music publishers, together in one place. The trial is available to SLWA members until 31 March. Have a look, have a read, have a listen, have a play and let us know what you think by filling out the short survey.

Did you know?

Last month at the State Library…

There were 98,747 visitors to the Alexander Library Building
There were 192,055 visits to our websites
We welcomed 451 new members to the State Library community
Our clients performed 83,114 searches on electronic resources provided from the Alexander Library Building
Our Preservation & Maintenance teams preserved 1372 digital images

There are currently 233 public libraries in Western Australia.
Find, contact or join your local library using the Australian Libraries Gateway or our Guide to Public Libraries in Western Australia – and get reading!

Volunteer Accomplishments

The State Library has approximately 90 wonderful people who volunteer for us. They partner with us in all sorts of ways, with all sorts of skills and are vital to the work of the State Library. Over the last year they have had many achievements and without them there is much that would not have been done.

In Collection Services, volunteers in the Liaison, Acquisition and Description teams processed and housed archival material, cleared 27 metres of ephemera, identified photos, created contents lists for Oral Histories, checked catalogues against items to be donated and assisted to make our collections more accessible to clients.

In Preservation and Maintenance volunteers cleaned and re-housed slides, made boxes for preserving materials, cross checked and matched scanned negatives and researched the history of photographs.

Volunteers in Community, Learning and Development were in The Place during story-time and school holidays, set up activities, keeping the noise to a soft roar and entertaining children.

Volunteers in Better Beginnings packed over 5000 packs for the birth to three years program as well as additional packs for the kindergarten pre-primary program. We could not have rolled out the program to libraries without their efforts. They also assisted with the packing of read aloud book sets and discovery backpacks for the Kindergarten pre-primary program.

Volunteers in Research and Discovery numbered and listed performance sets in score order, processed new donations and entered information onto spreadsheets.

Volunteers handed out information, were ushers and promoted future events at:
• WAAPA Concerts
• The Seniors’ Week Concert
• Wednesday Matinees, and
• The WA Week Concert

The Western Australian Genealogical Society volunteers have staffed the WAGS desk on the 1st floor and taken approximately 3 500 enquiries. They also provide invaluable support during Family History Week.

The State Library Foundation volunteer was integral part of their Heritage Mapping Project, widening its scope and making it a more valuable resource.

In Client Services volunteers have given administrative support, assisted the Library in the Discarded Book Sales and shelved a staggering 65 000 discard items in the Shop, assisted with events and helped research speeches.

Many, many thanks to our wonderful volunteers who are worth their weight in gold.

Help Promote Reading @ Love2Read Cafe

46% of Australia can’t read newspapers, follow a recipe, make sense of timetables, or understand the instructions on a medicine bottle.

On Saturday January 21st the Love2Read Cafe opens at the State Library of WA. For five weeks there will be an outdoor reading room with  free events and activities including giant scrabble, music gigs, yoga classes, chalk art, word games, baby rhymetime, family storytime, school holiday activities, author talks, book signings and more.

To help promote literacy and be part of this fun event volunteer at the Love2Read Cafe.

For more information, leave a response here or contact volunteers@slwa.wa.gov.au

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.