State Heritage Convention

Dr Alison Gregg
Local History Librarian, Fremantle City Library
'It's our heritage!': the role of archives and local studies collections

Picture this: a bright and cheerful room crammed with people from grannies to pre-schoolers - family groups, solitary and studious researchers, high school students, planners and architects, city workers checking on family history during their lunch breaks - in short, individuals from diverse backgrounds intent on their self-appointed history-related tasks. There's likely to be a muted buzz of conversation, the frequent swish of a self-closing sliding door, the hum of a photocopier or whirr of a microfilm reader, the sound of fingers on keyboards. It could be a scene from a hundred different settings, but here it describes a modern local studies collection.

What is the function of such a collection, and what do local studies librarians do? Their role is fourfold: to collect, preserve and provide access to the history of the local area, and then to promote it throughout the local community. This paper will examine each of these aspects in turn.

1. Collecting the evidence
Whatever the region or particular locality, the building blocks of evidence are basically the same. Local government rate records show ownership and land use over time; Post Office directories flesh out the details with street addresses and names. The ornate and eyecatching commercial advertisements and trade listings in early issues often provide additional helpful information. Other standard tools include Rica Erickson's four volume Bicentennial Dictionary of Western Australians and her follow-up fifth volume taking the coverage to 1888. They must be some of the most heavily used biographical tools in the state: they are rarely to be found on the shelves. Apart from these essentials, every area will need its own collection of relevant reference tools. In Fremantle, these must include Broomhall's The Veterans and Convicts in Western Australia (vol. 9 of the Bicentennial Dictionary) , as well as other more general works which nonetheless give insight into our local area. Battye's Cyclopedia and the later Twentieth Century Impressions are useful sources of information on government, business and commercial interests of the time, while the diaries of George Fletcher Moore and May Vivienne both add extra insight into local matters, first in the 1840s and then again at the turn of the century.

Glancing back at the paragraph above, I notice with wry amusement my predilection for books and the printed word as foundation sources of information. Like all other local studies collections, Fremantle now relies increasingly on websites, CDs and other electronic databases for an ever widening range of information. It's easy to click and point to find histories of buildings from the City of Fremantle's networked Municipal Heritage Inventory, or to search genealogical information from a plethora of online sources. Our task is to ensure that our clients feel comfortable with the tools and strategies needed for online searching for authoritative information, while at the same time reminding them that the net will not produce the automatic complete answer to every question.

Standard printed sources in constant use include:

While this list may sound exhaustive, it really only touches the surface of what may be available. The role of the local studies librarian must include a good measure of scrounging: one has to be constantly on the lookout for items that will add depth, breadth and value to the collection. Any visit to downtown Fremantle is likely to result in a handful of promotional leaflets - any of which may help to fill a gap or start a new line of inquiry.

Raising public awareness of the value of such items is the other side of the coin. It's easy enough to demonstrate their worth when they can be shown to fill a gap in the history of a building, or when you can suddenly produce an image of a long lost ancestor for an amazed and delighted enquirer. If we librarians and archivists can do these tricks, don't we have an obligation to share that expertise with the community we serve? I believe we need to be constantly alert to every opportunity to demonstrate the merit of what we do, and to invite others to join us in developing collections that will maintain our local story. So we need to show how items can be stored, indexed and used in the interests of local history and heritage; above all, we need to show how and why they must be collected in the first place.

'Friendly urging' is the way I like to think of my efforts in persuading people to appreciate the value of items of potential historical significance. Many of our visitors tell us of diaries, letters and photographs stored in their own homes or in the homes of other relatives, but not of any special interest to the people who hold them.. A surprising number offer such items to us 'if you can find a use for them'. Obviously we can't accept everything we're offered, but we accept with thanks any that will add more detail to the story of Fremantle. Where we have to refuse such an offer, we always try to suggest an alternative welcoming recipient. I find it surprising that so many people fail to appreciate the interest and significance of the documents they hold. In their turn, many would-be donors are often equally surprised and pleased to hear of a school, retirement home or other community group that would value the documents they no longer need; and often this provides the impetus for them to look again at their newfound treasures. What was till then a boring old photograph has often acquired new value and significance. Even in refusing a donation, local studies collections can add to the public appreciation of heritage!

The next step follows logically from this. In discussing the value of documentary items, we must be mindful always of the range and scope of documentary evidence. Newspaper cuttings, extracts from Council minutes, diaries, letters, advertising material, reports of all kinds - these are grist to the mill of the local studies librarian. Larraine Stevens, my predecessor in this position, showed such skill in acquiring items of all descriptions that our 8-bay compactus file is almost full to overflowing. Our mammoth task this year has been to re-index this entire Miscellany File in preparation for microfilming, and an extended life well into the future.

And of course, we continue to add to the collection. Family photographic albums are copied to provide evidence of people, places, clothing, customs and lifestyles. Photographs of buildings show changes in land use as well as building styles and materials over time. Photographers are commissioned to document significant events as they occur; and these are often supplemented with eyewitness accounts in written reports or oral history interviews. Our collection development, it seems to me, grows from two strands: there is the unplanned, unexpected, felicitous donation of unexpected treasures which add depth and breadth to our collection, and then there's the solid hard work of planning to fill all the holes, cover all the areas needed. We commission photographers and design targeted oral history programmes to fill the gaps left by commercial publishing, and we routinely ask researchers if we may have a copy as soon as their work becomes available.

While the examples cited above are all taken from our work at Fremantle, I believe they are typical of acquisition policies and practices in almost all local studies collections. We seek to provide the best possible range of documentary evidence of the heritage of the local area - remembering always, of course, that what is contemporary today is already a step along the way to future heritage status. We collect to build the story of our area. Preservation and access must follow.

2. Preserving the evidence When one goes to so much trouble to collect the evidence, it would be foolish indeed not to take the next step to ensure its preservation. Archives and local studies collections are often the standard-setters for proper storage conditions within their communities. We preach the doctrine so repetitively that it may well take on the aura of a mantra. We want for our collections:

Once that is in place, the next hurdle is damage through handling. All of the collection will be subject to wear and tear to some degree, but we must take steps to minimise the risks. Simple measures may include:

Such a checklist may seem out of place in a paper on heritage awareness, but consider this: So much of our understanding of heritage is based on documentary evidence. Our collection provides the evidence. If we lose the collection or even some of the key documents, traces of heritage may be gone forever. We preserve the collection in order to preserve community memory. It's worth the effort.

There is another important side effect of this stress on document preservation. As they see these processes in place, community members will also learn what's required for preservation, and why. There's a spin-off effect on their own collections of family photos and documents at home. If we can persuade even a fraction of the households in the area to use good preservation and labelling practices for family archives, it's an ultimate gain for the whole community. And then perhaps we'll also begin to see fewer family photos labelled simply 'Aunty Mary', with no indication of surname, date or place to aid identification.

3. Providing access to the collection
In one of the most stimulating papers on local studies collections that I have read recently, Grant White argues that in many instances 'for the great majority of people, the collection is vanished. They have no access to it, are not interested, and do not know it exists.' He makes the point that involvement of the local community in the creation, ownership and use of the collection is vital to its continuing well-being. The community has to know that it's there, and be able to access all that it contains. Only then will the collection begin to reach its potential in spreading awareness and interest in history and heritage throughout the local community.

Indexing is the key to all this. It's of little use developing the most engaging and enlightening collection if nobody even suspects that it might hold something worthwhile. There's no point in asking an enquirer to work through stacks of manila folders in the hope of lighting upon a crucial document central to his case. The collection will only begin to reach its full potential when the community:

Part of the recent surge in popularity of local history collections is due in no small measure to the current availability of effective electronic databases for history, heritage and genealogical searching. After tentative beginnings, most packages are now agreeably user-friendly. Electronic searching is no longer the daunting experience it once was. All this has been a boon to local studies, bringing effective indexing tools within the range of almost all collections.

And as the mysteries of indexing have been revealed, so also have been the treasures in collections. Even the most dedicated shipping buff is hardly likely to sort through 6000 prints until he finds the image of just the harbour scene he's after. An index card file might help, but it will still be a long drawn out and irksome process. A good indexing program, however, can manage it easily, and often with the added bonus of seeing the image scanned alongside its supporting information. At last we've reached the stage where enquirers can feel confident that they can use effective indexes to locate the information that they need.

There is however one other vital element critical to success in attracting and keeping a solid core of local studies users. It's the friendliness and efficiency of the staff. It's important that they demonstrate real interest in helping hesitant enquirers find the answers they seek; or guiding new users in their first exploration of the collection; or providing instant introductions to research methods and database skills. Local studies librarians frequently act as de facto community resource officers, putting researchers in touch with others in the field; passing on information about new research in specific areas, even proofreading the first drafts of documents on history and heritage. All of these actions demonstrate to users the librarians' commitment to the client, the collection, and to the field of community history and heritage.

4. Promotion of the collection
This is the final stage of the process towards promoting history and heritage awareness in the community. We promote use of the service as a step toward encouraging more interest and research in local history and heritage issues. Experience has shown that the more people use the collection, the more likely they are to broaden their interest, knowledge and appreciation of the area's history. Publicity and promotion are therefore essential to the service.

We tackle this in a number of ways, targeting different community groups. Some examples:

But most of all, our promotional programme is targeted towards people who come with an enquiry, people who phone or email us for specific information, people who just wander in because they're tourists or have some time to fill. We aim to provide a service to all of them based on appreciation of our local heritage. People who come only with a vague idea of 'looking at old houses', 'finding where my grandmother lived' or 'checking out the shipping photos' often enjoy the experience so much that they come again and again. We are helped by a growing band of volunteers who, like our own staff, are fascinated by the history of the place where we live.

I'd like to end with just a sample of the work we do with schools. Photographs are a marvellous way to grab and hold attention. I show the picture and ask the group to tell me all the things they can learn from it. It's good to choose a familiar setting to heighten awareness of the changes between then and now. For instance:

Image - Delgety stockyards

I encourage the group to discuss everything they notice about the picture, every detail that helps to define the place or period, and then ask them to guess where it is. No one yet has picked the location, and they're usually amazed when I tell them the photo was taken in 1906 at Ashburton Terrace, off Wray Avenue - now only 1km or so from the buzzing Cappuccino Strip.

Image - Tram in High St

Here's a complete contrast. This photo was taken in 1905 when the first trams came trundling out of the carbarn at the end of High Street. I ask the group to focus on all the different kinds of transport they can see. What technology was in use then? Which buildings do they recognise today? What are the biggest differences between the scene in the photo and High Street now? ….. And so on. Images like this can lead to endless discussion. They provide a wonderful introduction to sparking interest in the environment around us.

Image - Staff outside Union Stores building

Here's another 'Compare and Contrast' image. It's the Union Stores building on the corner of High and Henry Streets (c1919-1920) - and all the staff who worked there. Once again, I ask the class to focus on what they see there. They usually pick the iron lace, the signage ('What's an "Ironmonger"?'), the verandahs, and 'the funny stuff on the pole'. That leads to a discussion of building styles and technology, and then usually to the people. No shop would ever have a staff as big as that today, and they'd never dress like that either. Girls usually pick the imbalance of the sexes, and that leads to a discussion of varying roles at work and in society at large … Oh yes, plenty to discuss ….

Image - East Fremantle Football Club

This 1907 East Fremantle Football Club photo is included mostly for fun. School groups goggle at the uniforms and uncomfortable poses! But its greatest value for this purpose lies in the names of all the people there, unfortunately cut from this image when scanned. Many Fremantle children find to their delight that a family name is included in the players' list. Many of the names are familiar because their descendants are still playing today - another telling example of the continuing influence of history and heritage!

Image - Mill and Ware Factory workers

And here's the most recent photo, taken only nine years ago at the Mills & Ware factory. Children are fascinated by this. They love discussing all the technology in evidence, but they often say they can't believe that people are rolling the cakes by hand! This is one of a series of photos commissioned to support the gathering of history before this Fremantle institution finally closed its doors. Mills & Ware staff were known as a very close-knit group, with many of the same families employed over several generations. The photo leads to a vigorous discussion of working conditions, changes in technology and employment prospects.

These are just a tiny sample of the thousands of images held in Fremantle Local History Collection. I've chosen them to end this presentation because they demonstrate so well the inherent interest and the value to be gained from really looking at our past.

Let the discussion begin!