News from Access Services at Public Record Office Victoria
June 2004– Number 5

rEsearch is a bi-monthly update on public access news at Public Record Office Victoria (PROV). Current and past editions of rEsearch are available online here and are also emailed to subscribers. Email a request to ask.prov@dpc.vic.gov.au if you want to be included on our subscriber list.

Contents
1. Local History Grants Program – Fourth Round
2. VAC Reading Room Opening
3. Treasures of the Keeper Exhibition at VAC
4. What Has Been Indexed at PROV
5. Feedback from the Reading Room
6. Provenance: A Call for Papers
7. PROV User Survey 2003 Feedback
8. Indigenous Records Information Day
9. Student Work Placements at PROV
10. Volunteers News
11. Ballarat Archives Centre News
12. PROV Seminar Series July – November Program Now Available
13. Archival Support Program July – November Program Now Available
14. PROactive - Subscribe Now!
15. Saturday openings June – August 2004
16. PROV Calendar June - August 2004
17. Feedback
18. About this publication

1. Local History Grants Program – Fourth Round
The aim of the Local History Grants Program is to encourage and foster community projects that preserve, record and share the local and community history of Victoria.

The grants will fund projects that build the capacity of community groups to do project work, and enable them to better support their wider community through collecting and maintaining memories.

The current round of funding for the Local History Grants Program will distribute $250,000 worth of grants to community groups throughout Victoria. Applications for grants of up to $12,000 will be considered. Applications close 16 August 2004.

Further information, including guidelines and application forms, are available at the Department for Victorian Communities grants website www.dvc.vic.gov.au/grants and at the Local History Grants Program website www.prov.vic.gov.au/lhgp/.
If you wish to discuss your proposal with a program officer, call the DVC grants information line 1300 366 356.

2. VAC Reading Room Opening
After much anticipation, PROV researchers and staff have welcomed the completion of the Harry Nunn Reading Room at the Victorian Archives Centre in North Melbourne.

The new Reading Room opened to the public on 13 April with an official opening on 29 April by Hon. John Thwaites, Deputy Premier and Minister for Victorian Communities.

Researchers also welcome the provision of enhanced services such as the increase from two to three record collection times per day. The enhanced collection times are at 11.30am (for orders made by 9.30am), 2.00pm (for orders made by 11.30am) and 3.30pm (for orders made by 2.00pm) from Monday to Friday. Orders of up to 20 items can be made in advance, but it is best to allow two full days for them to be available for collection in the Reading Room.

The Reading Room continues to be a joint facility with the National Archives of Australia. This arrangement provides the benefits of access to both state and federal government records in one location.

3. Treasures of the Keeper Exhibition at VAC
The official opening of the Harry Nunn Reading Room also signalled the opening of the Treasures of the Keeper exhibition in the Victorian Archives Centre exhibition area. Original records featured include the 1839 census of the Worworung and Boonewrung peoples (VPRS 10/P0 Registered Inward Correspondence to the Superintendent of Port Phillip District relating to Aboriginal Affairs, unit 1, file 1839/242), the ‘Meeting on Bakery Hill’ poster connected to the events of the Eureka Stockade in 1854 (VPRS 5527/P0 Eureka Stockade Historical Collection, unit 4, item 1 ‘Meeting on Bakery Hill’) and architectural drawings of the facade of Parliament House Melbourne (VPRS 3686/P1 Pre-metric Building Plans, unit 418, plan PHM 1.119 Houses of Parliament Melbourne façade).

In addition to these rarely seen treasures a supporting exhibition – keepers of public records – features images and descriptions of PROV staff’s favourite records. PROV staff members have chosen the records that have fascinated and intrigued them as they’ve gone about their work at the state archives. The word ‘archives’ can conjure up images of a rather dull and dusty place, but working every day with the recorded history of this state can be a powerful and moving experience as some of our staff have testified.

Tours and seminars inviting a closer look at the Victorian Archives Centre and the PROV collection are currently being planned for the second half of 2004. Watch for more details in the next issue of rEsearch.

Treasures of the Keeper will be on display at VAC until the end of October 2004.

4. What Has Been Indexed at PROV
We are compiling a list of series and items held at PROV that have been indexed. Some of these have been done by staff, individuals or groups. Some have been commercially published and are still for sale or perhaps are now out of print. Some are available in PROV reading rooms and some are not.

To avoid duplication of indexing projects, we would like to know of any index to a PROV series / item for inclusion in our master list. This can be for current or completed projects.

Please send details to Shauna Hicks, Manager Access Services at shauna.hicks@dvc.vic.gov.au or contact Shauna on 03 9348 5608.

5. Feedback from the Reading Room
A Suggestion Box is available outside the VAC Reading Room for researcher’s feedback. Researchers are able to lodge feedback anonymously to identify themselves. All forms that include contact details are acknowledged in either writing or email.

To date we have received 24 feedback forms through this forum, with eight of these being congratulatory in relation to the facility and staff. The rest have included suggestions for improvements to the Reading Room or services. All suggestions for improvements are considered and we have already responded to a number of these.

We have now:
· Installed clocks in the Reading Room
· Placed waste paper bins in both the locker room and the foyer
· Ordered a public telephone for installation in the foyer. We are currently waiting for Telstra to install this.
· Positioned a sign near the car park entrance advising researchers of how to locate the Reading Room
· Reproduced, and made available, a number of record location signs in a folder. This is easier to read than the signs mounted on the walls in the Reading Room.
A number of other suggestions have been investigated and steps are being taken to implement the changes.

6. Provenance: A Call for Papers
In 2003, Public Record Office Victoria's (PROV) 30th anniversary year, we produced two print issues of our new journal called Provenance. PROV intends to continue publication of Provenance as an online journal, the first issue in that format to be produced later this year. One of the main aims of the publication is to encourage, improve or facilitate access to the holdings of PROV.

We are seeking articles from people whose primary research sources are PROV records and whose research illuminates the history of Victoria; its people, places, communities, infrastructure and administration of Victorian government. Similarly, the audience is anyone interested in Victorian history and the history of Victorians. There is no provision for payment to authors as Provenance is a free online journal.

To express an interest in writing for Provenance, please contact:
James McKinnon, Manager Public Programs, Public Record Office Victoria,
PO Box 2100 North Melbourne VIC 3051. Phone: 03 9348 5675, Fax: 03 9348 5656, Mobile: 0408 761 481, Email: james.mckinnon@dvc.vic.gov.au

7. PROV User Survey 2003 Feedback (continued)
by Shauna Hicks, Manager Access Services

In the February 2004 edition of rEsearch I reported on the User Survey and this is a continuation of that report. Last time I commented mostly on our strengths and the positive things that we were doing or planning to do. This time I will be looking at our perceived (and real) weaknesses and how we might address these issues.

One obvious area is Reading Room opening hours both in North Melbourne and Ballarat. A number of survey respondents suggested extended opening hours or different open days in the case of Ballarat and more Saturday openings in both Reading Rooms. This encompasses budget and staffing resource issues. If we did have one night a week open, would researchers use it? If we closed one weekday a week to resource the extended hours, would researchers be happy? If we had a Saturday opening at Ballarat would researchers use it? It is too soon to tell the impact of the new North Melbourne reading room location on the two Saturday openings a month (usually) but we anticipate that Saturday visitors will increase. The sheer size of the new reading room has meant that staff working on a Saturday have increased from two to four and that is without retrievals on a Saturday. If we opt to do retrievals as some researchers have requested, then at least another two staff would be necessary. It is not hard to see that the overtime budget needs to increase to maintain existing services and more so if we have additional services.

Another way that we can approach this is by having more information, indexes, databases and digital records online so that a visit to the reading room is not always necessary. As reported in the April issue of rEsearch we are already going down that path with some of the more frequently used records. Another option that we are currently exploring is a bulk digitisation/microfilming project with the Genealogical Society of Utah. We are exploring copying the three most heavily used series – wills, probates and inquests to 1925 and when the project is finished, those series will also be available through the various Family History Centres located around Australia. If we also digitise the records, then they will be available online.

Another weakness commented on by a number of respondents was the fact that our database Archives@Victoria is not overly user friendly and that there is a lack of data content which makes it difficult to order items prior to visiting the reading rooms. As part of the Digital Archive project, a new user interface will be constructed to replace Archives@Victoria and a public user group has been established to ensure that we have user input into the design. This is scheduled for completion in 2005. In conjunction with this, there is also a planned project to input more data content into the system so that the majority of records will be accessible by the time of the new interface.

Another identified weakness was that the PROV seminar program is mainly aimed at the Melbourne and Ballarat areas, as that is where our reading rooms are located. While this is true, since my arrival at PROV I have made a point of visiting as many regional Victorian areas as I can and speak about the new directions within Access Services. Also, I have found it very useful to get the regional perspective that is quite different from the metropolitan view of our services. As a Queenslander, I find it hard to think that any place in Victoria is remote as I can drive to most places easily within a day whereas when I went to Mount Isa or Cairns it was a good two day drive with two days to get over it! Last year I visited places including Colac, Yarrawonga, Rosebud, Learmonth, and Ballarat. This year I have been even more adventurous visiting Mildura, Wangaratta, Werribee, and Colbinabbin. Still to come this year are trips to Leongatha, Mordialloc, Echuca, Beechworth and Ballarat (again) plus anything else that might turn up! One of the ideas that I am considering is placing my talks on the website so that those unable to attend any of the events can still see what I had to say. The drawback is that Powerpoint presentations don’t always translate well but where it is an actual written paper that has more possibilities.

Another similar weakness is that few respondents know about our travelling exhibition program and we will be doing more to have these exhibitions out and about so that regional Victorians have the opportunity to view them. So if you know of a venue that might be able to showcase one of our exhibitions, please contact our Public Programs section.

This section has taken on more of a chatty feel to it than I originally intended but I think it is important for PROV to seek your feedback on these issues. So if any of my words have caused you to think about putting pen to paper or fingers to keyboard, please contact me at shauna.hicks@dvc.vic.gov.au or PROV, PO Box 2100, North Melbourne VIC 3051.

8. Indigenous Records Information Day
PROV’s Koorie Records Taskforce staff Emma Toon, Executive Officer and Cate Elkner, Project Officer, were invited to participate in an Indigenous Records Information Day held on Thursday 27 May in Wagga Wagga, NSW. The day, organised by State Records NSW, was one of many events held during History Week celebrations in NSW.

Emma and Cate staffed a PROV information stall where they spoke to over 50 locals about accessing records in Victoria for Indigenous family history. The information that they were able to provide was useful for a large number of attendees who had family history in NSW and Victoria. A group of elders who have been recording their oral history found the information provided particularly useful for their project.

Other organisations involved in the day were the National Archives of Australia Melbourne Regional Office, State Library NSW, Department of Aboriginal Affairs NSW, Wagga Wagga City Library and the Australian Institute of Aboriginal & Torres Straight Islander Studies. The cooperation between all these organisations makes accessing records in both states easier for indigenous people.

For further information on the Victorian Koorie Records Task Force, visit www.prov.vic.gov.au/vkrt

9. Student Work Placements at PROV
Two students from the University of Melbourne have been conducting valuable research into nineteenth-century Aboriginal records in PROV’s collection. This year for the first time, the Applications in Public History subject has offered fourth-year and postgraduate students the chance to undertake work placements in a range of institutions including PROV, the Koorie Heritage Trust and Sovereign Hill.

One student, Dr Caitlin Stone, is researching the various failed attempts to establish a Native Police Corps in Victoria in the mid nineteenth-century. Caitlin’s work will provide material for an online exhibition, planned for 2005. Cassie O’Bryan is compiling an index of references to Aboriginal people in VPRS 16 Outward Registered Correspondence of the Superintendent, Port Phillip District (VA 473). Cassie’s research will complement PROV volunteer Jack McRae’s index of the Superintendent’s inward correspondence (VPRS 10).

Look out for articles by Caitlin and Cassie in the next issue of PROactive.

10. Volunteers News
PROV volunteers have moved and settled into the Victorian Archives Centre (VAC), North Melbourne. Staff gave their time to conduct tours that included explanations of the facilities at VAC so that volunteers could familiarise themselves with their new surrounds. This interaction between staff and volunteers reinforces the value that PROV places on people who give their time to provide invaluable assistance to the organisation.

Only six volunteers withdrew from the volunteer program when we moved to the VAC, which is an outstanding result, mainly due to the considerable effort and seamless planning of Access Services staff and the volunteers themselves with the relocation.

11. Ballarat Archives Centre News
Ballarat Archives Centre is offering ‘Learn to Use Archives@Victoria’ sessions on the second Tuesday of every month from July through to November from 10.30am to 12.30pm. These sessions are an ideal way to gain hands-on experience in navigating the PROV online catalogue. The cost is free, but bookings are essential. Registration forms are available in the BAC Reading Room or via the PROV website (see item number 12 below).

The seminars are always a good way for people to obtain an understanding of how the Melbourne and Ballarat facilities operate and relate to each other. A lot of work in the Ballarat district (or for that matter, any local area) can actually be done in Melbourne using general records such as births, deaths and marriages or records created centrally by agencies such as the Education and Crown Lands and Survey Departments. What is unique to Ballarat, however, are original records generated by local bodies such as courts, municipalities and agencies responsible for mining administration.
Also, because BAC is a small facility, it is not necessary to pre-order records on Archives@Victoria. It is acceptable to order records when you arrive – the wait to receive records is approximately ten minutes.

The Ballarat Reading Room is often busy. There are often local groups working on joint projects using the local original records – the Genealogical Society is indexing the Ballarat East Petty Sessions Registers, and members from the Friends of the Botanical Gardens are working through Council correspondence to glean information about the gardens and the statues which are a feature of Ballarat. We also have a steady stream of family history researchers, including some overseas and interstate visitors.

Ballarat Archives Centre is open on Mondays and Tuesdays 9.30am-4.30pm, and staff are always happy to take phone calls about our holdings.

12. PROV Seminar Series July – November Program Now Available
The PROV Seminar Series program features a range of events for researchers interested in gaining access to information through public records.

The PROV Seminar Series July – November is an extended program that covers a range of topics. ‘Online Indexes and Registers’ and ‘Digitised Records’ are new introductory seminars which encourage participants to find out about resources and records available to them in electronic formats. Other seminars include family history research, immigration records and land indexes and registers. For the first time, the program is also featuring a number of weekend seminars to be held on some of the Saturdays that the Reading Room is open.

Full details may be obtained from the Seminar Series July- November brochures (including a booking form) at PROV Reading Rooms or via the PROV website http://www.prov.vic.gov.au/events/patrn.asp

13. Archival Support Program July – November Program Now Available
The Archival Support Program is a highly regarded joint initiative of the Public Record Office Victoria and the Australian Society of Archivists. It is supported by the National Archives of Australia and endorsed by the University of Melbourne Archives. The Archival Support Program provides opportunities for custodians of historical document collections to network and access information on archival issues and practices from experts in the industry.

The new Archival Support Program brochure for July – November is now available and features events including the upcoming ‘Introduction to Archives’ to be held at Wodonga on Saturday 7 August. This event will cover current methods of setting up and managing archives including collection policies and the arrangement, description and cataloguing of records. Practical and legal issues involved in providing public access to records will also be covered.

Later on in the year, ‘Computers and Small Archives’ will be held at the Victorian Archives Centre on Saturday 20 November. Participants will find out about the computer databases and software that can assist in managing and improving access to small archives. Practical and technical issues that involve accessing electronic records, such as protecting and preserving data will also be covered.

Bookings are essential and group bookings are welcome. Brochures (including a registration form) can be obtained from PROV reading rooms or can be found via the PROV website http://www.prov.vic.gov.au/events/patrn.asp

14. PROactive - Subscribe Now!
PROV publication, PROactive issue no. 31 is currently available from PROV Reading Rooms. You can also subscribe for a copy of the publication to be sent to you in the mail by phoning PROV on 9348 5600 or via the PROV website by following the prompts www.prov.vic.gov.au/main/maillist.asp.
Alternatively, you can view the publication online at www.prov.vic.gov.au/publications/default.asp#proactive. The next edition, PROactive issue 32, will be available in August, so subscribe now to receive your copy. Subscription is free.

15. Saturday openings June – August 2004
From May, the Victorian Archives Centre Reading Room will be open on the second and last Saturday of each month, excepting long weekends. Saturday openings for June, July and August are 26 June, 10 July, 31 July, 14 August, and 28 August. The VAC Reading Room will not be open on 12 June.

16. PROV Calendar June - August 2004
June
2 - ‘Learn to use Archives@Victoria’, VAC, 4.00pm-5.00pm
5 - Shauna Hicks presenting a paper at a family history seminar in Leongatha in association with the South Gippsland Genealogical Society
8 - ‘Learn to use Archives@Victoria’, BAC, 10.30am-11.30am and 1.30pm-2.30pm
16 - ‘Learn to use Archives@Victoria’, VAC, 4.00pm-5.00pm
- ‘Welcome to Victorian Archives Centre’, VAC, 5.00pm-6.00pm
19 - ‘Preservation and Conservation: Paper and Books’, presented as part of the Archival Support Program at VAC (Fully Booked)
23 - James McKinnon speaking at Geelong Family History Group, Geelong, 7:30pm
24 - Diane Gardiner speaking at Mornington Gallery
28 - Shauna Hicks speaking at AIGS Mordialloc
- Diane Gardiner presenting a paper at Civic and Citizenship Network, Parliament House
July
5 - Diane Gardiner presenting a paper at Civic and Citizenship Network, Parliament House
7 - ‘Learn to use Archives@Victoria’, VAC, 4.00pm-5.00pm
10 - VAC Saturday opening
13 - ‘Learn to use Archives@Victoria’, BAC, 10.30am-12.30pm
15 - ‘Online Indexes and Registers’, VAC, 11.00am-12.00pm
- ‘Digitised Records’, VAC, 2.00pm-3.00pm
- GSV Lunchtime Talk, ‘Nooks and Crannies at PROV’ at GSV Library
17 - Shauna Hicks speaking on ‘Researching PROV from a Distance’ at Echuca Family History Society
24-25 - Shauna Hicks speaking about ‘PROV Online’, Beechworth GUM Conference
27 - Shauna Hicks speaking at Ballarat Genealogical Society
31 - VAC Saturday opening

August
4 - ‘Learn to use Archives@Victoria’, VAC, 4.00pm-5.00pm
5 - ‘Online Indexes and Registers’, VAC, 11.00am-12.00pm
- ‘Digitised Records’, VAC, 2.00pm-3.00pm
6. - PROV staff speaking on ‘Online Resources and Researching at PROV’, Wodonga Family History Society, Wodonga
7 - ‘Introduction to Archives’, presented as part of the Archival Support Program, Felltimber Community Centre, Wodonga, 9.30am-4.00pm
10 - ‘Learn to use Archives@Victoria’, BAC, 10.30am-12.30pm
14 - VAC Saturday opening
16 - Applications close for Fourth Round of Local History Grants Program
28 - ‘Back to School: Resources for School Histories’, VAC, 10.30am-12.00pm
- ‘In Search of Land Records’, VAC, 1.00pm-2.30pm
- ‘Ship to Shore, Immigration Records’, VAC, 3.00pm-4.30pm
28 - VAC Saturday opening

17. Feedback
We welcome your feedback and suggestions on the content of this newsletter via <ask.prov@dpc.vic.gov.au>. If you know someone who would be interested in receiving rEsearch, they can subscribe by emailing a request to <ask.prov@dpc.vic.gov.au>.

18. About this publication
We have included you on our mailing list because you already receive news publications from PROV, or because you have indicated interest in receiving email information. However, if you do not wish to receive this newsletter, please email us at <ask.prov@dpc.vic.gov.au> or phone PROV Reception (03) 9348 5600 and we will remove you from the list.

ISSN 1449-0331
Copyright © 2004 Public Record Office Victoria

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