–Magazine for members Summer 2013–14 SL Message Transforming an icon The State Library of NSW, and especially the much-loved ontents Mitchell Library, is an icon. Not only are the steps and Summer 2013–14 portico of the Mitchell a landmark of Sydney, but the Library’s collections are a landmark of scholarship: 4 Christmas 27 PROVENANCE telling of our history, they are used by students and in the colony World of silver scholars to shape our future. From the great legacies of David Scott Mitchell, 6 NEWS 28 FEATURE Sir William Dixson and a host of other benefactors — Vox pop Trout fishing whose generosity continues today — to collecting today’s born Hidden gems at Kosciuszko digital culture, this Library is truly the home of Australiana. History awards That heritage is becoming much more accessible through 32 NEW ACQUISITIONS Macquarie’s medicine the Library’s leading edge Digital Excellence program. Speaking in pictures In 2012–13, we scanned 2.4 million newspaper pages to put Interrobang Getting physical on the National Library ’s Trove website, and we are starting SL This sporting life to digitise the David Scott Mitchell books and our intensely C 8 ON THIS DAY THE MAGAZINE FOR STATE LIBRARY OF NSW FOUNDATION MEMBERS, moving collection of World War I diaries. MACQUARIE STREET FRIENDS AND VOLUNTEERS SPECIAL NEWS 36 POSTCARD SYDNEY NSW 2000 10 A similar transformation is under way in our buildings. IS PUBLISHED QUARTERLY BY THE LIBRARY COUNCIL PHONE (02) 9273 1414 Renew ing The other Mitchell The bright and airy refurbishment of the Macquarie Wing OF NSW. FAX (02) 9273 1255 the Mitchell reading room in 2011 was followed by the opening up of the SUMMER 2013–14 [email protected] BUILDING A STRONG VOL. 6 NO. 4 38 bookshop and cafe in 2012. Turning to the Mitchell Wing, ISSN 1835-9787 WWW.SL.NSW.GOV.AU 14 WWI CENTENARY FOUNDATION Amaze: The Michael Crouch Gallery, the first new gallery P&D-4200-11/2013 OPENING HOURS War stories, our Australian PRINT RUN 3500 MONDAY TO THURSDAY since 1929, opened in 2013 to exhibit historically important 9 AM TO 8 PM stories, your stories Jewish culture and curious items from the Library ’s extraordinary and FRIDAY 9 AM TO 5 PM EDITOR Frederick Rose WEEKENDS 10 AM TO 5 PM EXHIBITION expansive collections. Early exhibits have included the CATHY PERKINS 16 archival collection [email protected] EXHIBITION GALLERIES journals of Blaxland, Lawson and Wentworth in this OPEN TO 5 PM, TUESDAYS Born to concrete TO 8 PM DURING EXHIBITIONS bicentenary of the European crossing of the Blue Mountains, DESIGN & PRODUCTION 40 VOLUNTEERS ROSIE HANDLEY THE MITCHELL LIBRARY 18 FEATURE the James Cook ditty-box with a lock of his hair, and an READING ROOM IS CLOSED The bell ringer PHOTOGRAPHY ON SUNDAYS. Speaking from array of artists’ sketchbooks. UNLESS OTHERWISE STATED COVER the flood plain We are now moving to restore the grandeur of the historic ALL PHOTOGRAPHIC WORK 42 FOR OUR FRIENDS IS BY DIGITISATION AND FRONT: NED NOLAN KELLY (DETAIL), 1983, RICHARD TIPPING, Mitchell Wing with more galleries and public spaces, better IMAGING SERVICES, HIGHLIGHT STATE LIBRARY OF NSW. FROM THE SYDNEY MORNING, 22 44 RECENT HIGHLIGHTS study space, improved facilities for our friends and WORD WORKS 1979–1992, Breaking news SUSTAINABILITY STATE LIBRARY OF NSW volunteers, and the return of scholars and fellows to © RICHARD TIPPING, FROM THE Q&A PRINTED IN AUSTRALIA 47 the original Mitchell Reading Room. Those ambitions — BY LINDSAY YATES GROUP EXHIBITION BORN TO CONCRETE 24 FEATURE Michael Robotham PAPER: BJ BALL’S ECOSTAR BACK: US SERVICEMAN AND Brueghel’s cockatoo and how supporters, clients and staff can help realise them 120GSM. THIS PAPER IS GIRLS, PXE 858/18, FROM THE CARBON NEUTRAL AND EXHIBITION KINGS CROSS 1970 — are summarised in this issue. 100% RECYCLED FROM TO 1971: PHOTOGRAPHS BY POST CONSUMER WASTE. RENNIE ELLIS COVER: MONZA SATIN ART ALEX BYRNE 350GSM. THIS PAPER HAS RECYCLED CONTENT, IS NSW State Librarian & Chief Executive ELEMENTAL CHLORINE FREE AND IS FROM SUSTAINABLY MANAGED FORESTS. WITH THIS ISSUE THE STATE LIBRARY OF NSW We enclose our Highlights of the Year and thank IS A STATUTORY AUTHORITY OF, SL magazine readers for supporting the Library this year. AND PRINCIPALLY FUNDED BY, THE NSW STATE GOVERNMENT C H R I S TM A S in the colony At the first Christmas in Sydney Cove with old traditions. Cartoons and in 1788, Governor Arthur Phillip Christmas cards in the Library’s presided over a traditional Christmas collection depict scenes of kangaroos meal with his officers and their families pulling Santa’s sleigh while Australian ending with a loyal toast to King newspapers show scenes of Christmas OPPOSITE FAR LEFT: George III.* The convicts were given with snow and reminiscences of the FATHER CHRISTMAS IN AUSTRALIA, their usual simple rations. One convict, ‘old country’. THE ILLUSTRATED SYDNEY NEWS, 23 DEC 1882, TN 115 Michael Dennison, enjoyed a Christmas * Sourced from David Collins, An Account OPPOSITE TOP RIGHT: bonus after stealing a pound of flour. of the English colony in New South Wales ... SANTA CLAUS WITH KANGAROOS, THE TOWN He was sentenced to 200 lashes but, London: T Caddell & W Davis, 1798–1902 & COUNTRY JOURNAL, as it was Christmas, received only 150. 22 DEC 1883, TN 83 OTHER ITEMS ARE From this first Christmas the colonists FROM ‘COLLECTION OF began to combine Australian imagery AUSTRALIAN CHRISTMAS CARDS AND POSTCARDS’, ML 745.59412/5 4 / SL MAGAZINE Summer 2013–14 State Library of New South Wales SL MAGAZINE Summer 2013–14 State Library of New South Wales / 5 Vox pop Thank you to readers who responded to the survey we sent out with the spring issues of SL magazine and What’s On. More than 100 people completed each survey, with 98% rating the quality of the magazine very good or excellent (97% for What’s On). Readers said they found SL ‘A splendid magazine — never boring!’ and a ‘Great journal, well presented, interesting. NEWS Great reminder of what’s on at the Library and what it has to offer’. In response to our question about accessing the magazine in print or online, 96% preferred the print format with one respondent advising, ‘Don’t dare think of not printing this wonderful magazine that brings the collection to the reader.’ Readers M Barnes and C Plim each won a $100 Library Shop voucher for completing the surveys. Macquarie’s Hidden gems medicine Interrobang At the time of European settlement A travelling medicine chest that of jalap and essence of peppermint. The following is one of approximately in Australia in 1788 there were some 250 belonged to the family of Governor It was bequeathed by Lachlan 350 questions answered each month known Indigenous languages, but now Lachlan and Elizabeth Macquarie Macquarie junior to his close friend by the Library’s ‘Ask a Librarian’ service. only about 20 are spoken comprehensively. was recently purchased by the William Henry Drummond, later ? When did the waratah plant first With strong support from Rio Tinto, the Library. Dated in the 1820s, the chest the 9th Viscount Strathallan, and become protected in NSW? State Library of NSW’s Rediscovering is made of mahogany and lined with has remained at Strathallan Castle Indigenous Languages project set out ! On 18 June 1927 the Sydney blue crushed velvet. It holds 15 glass in Scotland since the 1840s. to identify as many word lists as possible Morning Herald reported that the bottles and came with an inventory, The Macquarie medicine chest among the Library’s colonial manuscripts History awards Governor had issued a proclamation dated 28 February 1848, which lists is on display in the Amaze Gallery. The 2013 NSW Premier’s History Awards under the Wild Flowers and Native and make them available to Indigenous substances such as Butcher’s pure MACQUARIE FAMILY TRAVELLING MEDICINE CHEST communities. Researcher and linguist were announced by Minister for the Arts, Plants Protection Act 1927 to protect epsom salts, Indian rhubarb, powder 1820–, R 2129 Dr Michael Walsh has spent the past two the Hon. George Souris, in the Mitchell a limited number of species, years sifting through hundreds of letters Library Reading Room on 12 September including the waratah, for one year and diaries and boxes of personal with $75,000 in prize money awarded across the state of NSW. This was documents, and shared his findings at across five categories. The Multimedia to come into effect on 1 July 1927. the recent Hidden Gems symposium held History Award went to Martin Butler and Digitising the Mitchell books The article goes on to say that the at the Library in August. Dr Walsh has Bentley Dean for First Footprints: Super limited protection was necessary unearthed 200 original papers significantly Nomads (Episode 1), and Jackie French Through the Digital Excellence program funded by ‘owing to the vandalism practiced by documenting 100 Aboriginal languages, received the Young People’s History Prize the NSW Government, the Library is fast-tracking certain individuals’ and would afford many thought to be lost. The project now for Pennies for Hitler. Patti Miller’s the digitisation of the David Scott Mitchell the waratah and other named will focus on engaging communities with The Mind of a Thief won the NSW collection. Mitchell bequeathed his collection of species a chance to recover. The idea the rediscovered material. Community and Regional History Prize, nearly 40,000 books, paintings and watercolours, was to name different species each and the General History Prize was coins and manuscripts to the Library in 1907, as year to give them an opportunity INDIGENOUS WORD LISTS FROM THE LIBRARY’S COLLECTION awarded to Saliha Belmessous for well as an endowment of £70,000.