Queensland Local Studies Group Minutes State Library of Queensland 20 February 2020 at 10:00am – 3:30pm Present Rutian Mi – Queensland Business Leaders Hall of Fame 2019 – Guest speaker Julanne Neal – Reference Archivist, Queensland State Archives Jane Harding – Heritage Librarian, Noosa Library Service Lara Clarke, Heritage Collection Supervisor, Mackay Regional Council Katrina Dunbar, Mackay Regional Council Kyla Stephan – Local Studies Librarian, Southport and Local Studies Library, City of Gold Coast Cheryl Aubrey, Southport and Local studies Library, City of Gold Coast Lisa Ryan – Librarian, Gympie Regional Council Rochelle Bull, Local History Officer, Gympie Regional Raylene Jensen – Local Studies Librarian, Scenic Rim Regional Council Annabel Lloyd, Brisbane City Council Archives Maggie Barron – Brisbane City Council Archives Cheryl Rickard - Local and Family History Officer, Rockhampton Regional Library Kelly Ashford – Local Studies, Moreton Bay Region Melanie Rush – Digital Archivist, City of Ipswich Jayne Royal – Local Studies, Toowoomba Regional Libraries Karen Harper – Heritage Library, Sunshine Coast Carol Hawley – Heritage Library, Sunshine Coast Hilda Maclean – Logan Heritage Specialist, Logan City Council Niles Elvery – Senior Archivist, Queensland State Archives Kate Harbison, Queensland University Technology, formerly of Brisbane City Counil, Wynnum branch Angela Puata – Redland City Gillian McNeill, Redland City Katy Roberts, State Library Queensland Stephanie Ryan, State Library Queensland Christina Ealing-Godbold, Senior Research Librarian, State Library of Queensland Olivia Robinson, State Library of Queensland Anne Scheu, State Library of Queensland Apology Sasha Mackay – Oral History Queensland Welcome / Morning Tea – Gavin Bannerman, Director, Queensland Memory, State Library of Queensland State Library of Queensland - Actions in 2020 • Queensland Memory Awards - Fellowships and encouraging communities to submit projects Chrissi Theodosiou, Coordinator Research Hub • Collections at State Library of Queensland - update on SLQ collecting priorities Robyn Hamilton, Lead, Collection Building | Queensland Memory • Digital stories, images in One Search – Rosetta and Digitool Serena Coates, Lead Preservation Services • Transcript functionality in Vimeo viewer - Latest initiative making content accessible Rachel Merrick, Coordinator, Digital Library Initiatives Preserving Indigenous Languages – State Library experience and beyond Primary content State Library of Queensland - https://www.slq.qld.gov.au/discover/aboriginal-and-torres- strait-islander-cultures-and-stories/language How did State Library of Queensland contribute to International Year of Indigenous Languages in 2019; Christina Canendo, Lead kuril dhagun, State Library of Queensland Presentation 1 Indigenous Knowledge Centres – language and community Louise Hunter Lead, Indigenous Services – Cairns office, SLQ; Lesley Acres, Program Officer, State Library of Queensland Presentation 2 The United Nations decision to extend recognition for First Nation languages 2022 – 2032. Public Libraries can connect with elders in your regional community. Contact: Lesley Acres – [email protected]; Louise Hunter – [email protected] More resources: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages and toolkits Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Language Websites Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Language ideas for Public Libraries Meet me at the Paragon exhibition Chrissi Theodosiou, Co-curator Philip Bacon Heritage Gallery, Level 4 https://www.slq.qld.gov.au/whats-on/meet-me-paragon Blogs stories Queensland’s Greek Cafes - http://blogs.slq.qld.gov.au/jol/?s=greek+cafes History of Chinese business in Queensland 1840 – 1940 – Research project Queensland Business Leaders Hall of Fame 2019 Fellow – Rutian Mi Presentation 3 – with Notes Q- album - Queensland State Archives https://qalbum.archives.qld.gov.au/ Project Lead Julanne Neal, Reference Archivist, Access Services Queensland Local Studies Group retrospective In 2001 the QLSG formally met at State Library of Queensland. In the 20 years since the group has conducted 4 meetings per year as a network. Looking forward in 2020, members were invited to discuss commitment for the future. Local Studies Group – Looking forward – Discussion and feedback • Business as usual? Does the offer look the same? • Regional networks and relationships – level of responsibility? • Supporting wider Council programs – expectation v demand • Queensland wide initiatives eg. #widerlocalstudies; 1lib1ref; • Priorities – are they the same or do they look different going forward • Aspirations and achievements v budget and outcomes • Challenges for Local Studies? If so, what are they… • State Library of Queensland – advocacy, actions, standards review • MORE… Feedback 20/02/2020 Valuing Queensland Local Studies Group (QLSG) • Is it vital that we still have a local studies group going forward? Yes – it is! • The number of people attending the meeting is evidence of its value • The group’s coordination by SLQ lends vital gravitas important to Local Government and advocacy for Local Studies • The group reserves the right to make the Queensland Local Studies Group what we need it to be • For some libraries, including those outside of South East Queensland, attendance at the Queensland Local Studies Group Meeting is identified as professional development and is acknowledged as being invaluable. • organise a visit to any of the other locations along with the people from our council who have the power to green light a new project, so that they can see the benefits for themselves … because however valuable we in LH think it is, it is very hard to up-sell. (additional note) • Add an hour before the formal meeting for networking (or after). (additional note) Meetings • Use of tools/products encouraging more flexible online participation would be welcome • Including direct URLs in minutes is a helpful and straight forward low-tech approach to sharing information • More inclusive agendas (including things requested by participants like ‘Deed of Gift’). (Kyla’s additional note. Should items requested by participants have priority in agendas?) • The Queensland Local Studies Group doesn’t have the type of meetings where every detail can be reflected in minutes or captured in a recording • Attending in person for networking and exchanging of information is invaluable, not easily shared via email • Conversations occur outside of the e-list (Kyla’s additional note. The e-list is a great tool to share relevant information to the group, but it’s not necessarily where ongoing conversations take place. I know that I’ll respond directly to an individual rather than the list. The e-list is a little like an iceberg, it only shows part of the overall structure) • The thing that makes this group work is the informality and knowledge sharing. (Kyla’s additional note. Should the round table be at the beginning of the meeting? After we’ve already started chatting over cups of tea? Those that travel the furthest are usually those who need to leave early and we hear/see less of at other times) • How do we empower colleagues, and educate their councils, so that more local studies staff are able to attend? • Don’t wish meetings to be too prescriptive or rigid • Maintaining participation outside of the 200km radius of Brisbane may be eased by offering a two- day local studies workshop at SLQ once a year. Eg. ‘a meeting on steroids’ • Two meetings a year would probably be enough, with some information shared by email to compensate for the fewer meetings, and to keep the 2 meetings dynamic. (additional note) General feedback • Staff in local studies libraries are always looking at engagement. It’s necessary. There are more players in the cultural sector, it’s more competitive and more complex • History is popular now, but how we all deliver that or meet that need is different • Historic images are very popular on social media and have the highest engagement • QM e-news is the most read newsletter at SLQ, outperforming all others. This reflects interest in history and heritage. It is also the only communication tool QM/SLQ uses • Local Studies needs points of difference from other providers of resources etc operating in the same space • A measured approach is needed Challenges and aspirations • Are there things of mutual benefit that can be done collectively? Sharing platforms? A platform containing resources of interest. Response: It was noted that this approach requires capacity to create and manage • Is it possible to distribute the SLQ collecting priorities to the group so we’re not duplicating effort and are informed of what SLQ needs which likely align with regional needs? • Are we repeating things serendipitously across the state? • Local Government always require an outcome/delivery • Is it possible to track outcomes or growth centrally? • There are different ways to measure growth and outcomes • Being ‘out there on your own is hard’ • There are limited resources in local studies • More needs to be done about advocacy, information sharing and joint projects • Consider undertaking joint group projects in the future • Many members of the group already contribute formally and informally to the SLQ projects and exhibitions Round Table Logan City Library • Local Studies volunteers have been helping to retrospectively compile the Logan Registry District burial index which was established in 1872. The next stage will be to cross reference this index