Memory Victoria
Statewide Public Library Development Project
Expression of Interest for
Victorian Public Library Local History Collection Program
♦Assessment
♦ Conservation
♦Preservation
Background
The Memory Victoria project (formerly Travelling Treasures) is a Statewide Public Library
Development Project that sits inside the larger Collections and Access program. It will be
funded by the Library Board of Victoria for the three years 2005/06, 2006/07 and 2007/08. The
Memory Victoria project is managed by the State Library’s Public Libraries Unit in collaboration
with the Library’s Storage, Preservation and Conservation area and Public Programs Division,
and the project Workgroup.
The objectives of Memory Victoria project are:
1. Assessment, conservation and preservation of Victorian public libraries local history
collections.
2. To conduct a statewide tour showcasing items of historical significance from public library
collections.
This call for Expressions of Interest pertains to the first objective only. It is being distributed to
gauge the level of interest from Victorian public libraries in participating in the Victorian Public
Library Local History Collection Program component of Memory Victoria. Expressions of
Interest for participation in activity related to the second objective will be called separately for
the second and third years of the Memory Victoria project.
In 2001 a Directory of Local History Collections in Victorian Public Libraries was compiled as
part of the Statewide Public Library Development Project that ultimately led to PictureVictoria
(www.pictures.libraries.vic.gov.au). The Directory indicates that nearly all Victorian public
library services are custodians of local history collections, or house collections belonging to a
local historical society, and that these collections vary greatly in size, content, condition and the
degree to which they have been organised. It is anticipated that the Victorian Public Library
Local History Collection Program will assist public libraries to better manage these collections.
What is the Victorian Public Library Local History Collection Program?
The program has three components.
Step 1: Significance Assessments
A Significance Assessment is a study of the historic, aesthetic, scientific, research or technical,
social and spiritual values of your Local History Collection. It may also compare an item or
collection with others in terms of provenance, representativeness, rarity, condition,
completeness or intactness and integrity, and interpretative potential. Each Significance
Assessment will be conducted over two to three days in a library service between March and
June 2006, and the service will receive a formal report.
Significance Assessments form part of a coordinated national approach to assessing the
significance of the estimated 41 million objects in Australia’s museums, galleries and historical
collections – Australia’s movable cultural heritage.
Further information about Significance Assessments can be found in the Heritage Collections
Council publication A Guide to Assessing the Significance of Cultural Heritage Objects and
Collections, available online from the Collections Australian Network (formerly Australian
Museums and Galleries Online) website:
http://sector.amol.org.au/publications_archive/collections_management/significance
*Please note the Significance Assessment MUST be completed before a library service can participate in
the Conservation Assessment.
Step 2: Conservation Workshops
Conservation workshops help determine what is damaging your collection and what actions
you can take to prevent or minimise the damage. This one day workshop is designed to
improve the knowledge and skills of staff and volunteers working with your local history
collections. The workshop will cover such topics as:
 Main cause of deterioration
 Assessing the problems
 Effective strategies for addressing any problem areas
The Memory Victoria Workgroup wishes to acknowledge the support of Museums
Australia (Vic) for giving its permission to conduct their successful one-day workshop
Caring for Your Collection.
Step 3: Conservation Assessment
A Conservation Assessment is a way of determing how a collection might best be preserved. It
describes the current conditions of the collection and makes a prioritised list of
recommendations for improving the conditions, and the survey report provides a sound basis
from which to seek future grants.
Who will conduct the Program?
Step 1: Significance Assessments
The Significance Assessments will be undertaken by a qualified historian member of the
Professional Historian Association (Vic) Inc.
Step 2: Conservation Workshops
The Conservation Workshops will be conducted by a qualified conservator.
Step 3: Conservation Assessments
The Conservation Assessment of the library’s local history collection will be undertaken by a
qualified conservator.
2
Why would my library service want to participate in this program?
There are several reasons why your library service would want to participate in the Local
History Collection Program.
1. The program offers an excellent opportunity for libraries to obtain expert assessment,
advice and training otherwise unaffordable and difficult to coordinate by Victorian public
libraries.
2. The reports will be useful planning tools and will assist public libraries with funding
applications and other advocacy processes.
3. The Significance Assessments will complement the Victorian public library collections audit
that is being undertaken during January – April 2006, to give the clearest possible picture
of the State’s collections.
What will it cost my library service?
There is no direct cost to your library service as the entire program is subsidised by the
Memory Victoria Project.
When and where will the program be conducted?
The Victorian Public Library Local History Collection Program will be delivered over the next
three years in phases, and will be conducted in Victorian public libraries in metropolitan and
regional areas.
Program Schedule
TASK
TIMELINE
Expression of Interest submissions due
24th February 2006
Schedule announced for Significance Assessments
10th March 2006
Step 1: Significance Assessments conducted
March – June 2006
Schedule announced for Conservation Workshops
30 June 2006
Step 2: Conservation Workshops conducted
1st July 2006 – 30th June 2007
Schedule announcement for Conservation Assessment
30 June 2007
Step 3: Conservation Assessment Conducted
1st July 2007 – 30th June 2008
Program concludes
30th June 2008
How many Significance Assessments can my library service apply for?
Each library service may request one Significance Assessment, which will be conducted during
the first half of 2006. It is understood that some library services may hold more than one
discrete local history collection. This should be flagged and, if funding permits, consideration
will be given to additional assessments.
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How does my library service register for the program?
To register your interest for the Victorian Public Library Local History Collection Program
please complete the attached Expression of Interest and return it by Friday 24th February
2006.
Who will organise the program?
The program will be organised collaboratively between the Project Officer within the State
Library’s Public Libraries Unit and the library service.
The Project Officer is responsible for:



Successful delivery of the program
Sourcing qualified historians and conservators
Managing the overall administration of the program
The library service is responsible for providing:




Relevant documentation
Ready access to their collections
A suitable staff member to support the assessor
A venue for the workshops
Non Eligibility for this program
A library service which has previously received for similar work a Community Heritage Grant or
any other related grants is not eligible to participate in this program.
Expression of Interest for
Victorian Public Library Local History Collection Program
♦Assessment
♦ Conservation
♦Preservation
Library Information (Please print)
Name of library service
Address of library service
Suburb
Postcode
Name of library service manager
Library service manager’s signature
Name of Contact Person
Position of Contact Person
Telephone Number of Contact Person
Fax Number of Contact Person
Email of Contact Person
Has your library service previously undertaken a Significance Assessment? (Please tick)
□ No
□ Yes, (please indicate type of grant)
□ Community Heritage Grant
□ Other Grants ___________________________________________________
(Name of Grant)
Please select preference for scheduling your library service’s Local History Collection
Significance Assessment. (Please tick)
□ March 2006
□ April 2006
□ May 2006
□ June 2006
Please select preference for scheduling your library service’s Conservation Workshop.
(Please tick)
2006
□ July
□ August
□ October
□ November
□ December
2007
□ January □ February □ March
□ April
□ May
□ June
Please select preference for scheduling your library service’s Local History
Conservation Assessment. (Please tick)
2007
□ July
□ August
□ October
□ November
□ December
2008
□ January □ February □ March
□ April
□ May
□ June
Please select preferred day. (Please tick)
□ Monday □ Tuesday □ Wednesday □ Thursday □ Friday □ Any day
List the branch/branches where your local history collection(s) is/are held.
Name of Branch
Name of Collection(s)
1
2
3
4
6
Please provide a list of potential venues to conduct Conservation Workshops
Name of Venue
Address
Contact Number
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Please forward completed Expression of Interest by Friday 24th February 2006:
By Mail:
Beata Wacek
Project Officer
Public Libraries Unit, Vicnet
State Library of Victoria
328 Swanston Street
Melbourne VIC 3000
DX 210089
By Fax:
(03) 9639 2175
By Email:
bwacek@slv.vic.gov.au (followed by signed copy in the mail)
For enquiries please phone (03) 8664 7046
THANK YOU FOR EXPRESSING YOUR INTEREST