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module_8_local_studies_ref-ex [2022/07/14 17:39] – ellen.forsyth_sl.nsw.gov.aumodule_8_local_studies_ref-ex [2026/03/09 18:08] (current) – michael.adams_sl.nsw.gov.au
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 ====Purpose of this module==== ====Purpose of this module====
  
-To provide an overview of Local Studies Collections in public libraries and identify key resources for Local Studies collections and services.+To provide an overview of local studies collections in public libraries and identify key resources for local ltudies collections and services.
  
 ====Introduction==== ====Introduction====
  
-The collection of local historical and geographical materials in public libraries provides an important means of preserving detailed information about local areas. Names given to such collections include Local History Archives, Heritage Centres (where Local History Collections may be combined with Council Archives and Museum functions), or perhaps most commonly, Local Studies Collections. Traditionally these collections have primarily consisted of paper-based and microform (microfiche and microfilm).  Digital and online formats are being used to preserve and provide access to historical information. +The collection of local historical and geographical materials in public libraries provides an important means of preserving detailed information about local areas. Names given to such collections include local history archives, heritage centres (where local history collections may be combined with council archives and museum functions), community history or perhaps most commonly, local studies collections. Traditionally these collections have primarily consisted of paper-based and microform (microfiche and microfilm).  Digital and online formats are being used to preserve and provide access to historical information. 
  
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   * Collect and make accessible historical and geographical material.   * Collect and make accessible historical and geographical material.
   * Contain material from the present as well as the past.   * Contain material from the present as well as the past.
-  * Digital and analogue formats +  * Digital and analogue formats. 
-  * Contain information in a wide range of original and copy formats, including +  * Contain information in a wide range of original and copy formats, including: 
-    * books;   +    * books   
-    * unpublished manuscripts;    +    * unpublished manuscripts    
-    * digital, newspapers and periodicals;  +    * digital, newspapers and periodicals  
-    * maps and plans;  +    * maps and plans 
-    * photographs;  +    * photographs 
-    * glass plate and film negatives;  +    * glass plate and film negatives 
-    * colour slides;  +    * colour slides 
-    * microfilms and microfiche;  +    * microfilms and microfiche 
-    * audio tapes;  +    * audio tapes 
-    * videos and DVDs; +    * videos and DVDs 
-    * realia (physical items such as Honour Roll boards etc.);  +    * realia (physical items such as Honour Roll boards etc.) 
-    * artworks;  +    * artworks 
-    * pamphlets;  +    * pamphlets 
-    * topic files; etc.+    * topic files
  
-The scope of your Local Studies collection may be described in your library's collection development policy.+The scope of your local studies collection may be described in your library's collection development policy.
  
-Local Studies guidelines are included in [[https://www.sl.nsw.gov.au/public-library-services/content/living-learning-libraries|Living Learning Libraries]]+Local Studies guidelines are included in [[https://pls.sl.nsw.gov.au/managing-my-library/standards-and-guidelines/living-learning-libraries/collection-guidelines|NSW Public Library Guidelines]].
  
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 **Exercises for local studies** **Exercises for local studies**
  
-  - Does your library have a Local Studies collection? +  - Does your library have a local studies collection? 
-  - Where is your Local Studies collection located?+  - Where is your local studies collection located?
   - How does the public access the collection?   - How does the public access the collection?
-  - Does your library have a Local Studies librarian, or is there a staff member who usually answers these questions? +  - Does your library have a local studies librarian, or is there a staff member who usually answers these questions? 
-  - Look in your collection development policy at the section on Local Studies. How current is it? +  - Look in your collection development policy at the section on local studies. How current is it? 
  
 [[module_8_answers_and_review_ref-ex|Module 8 Answers and review]] [[module_8_answers_and_review_ref-ex|Module 8 Answers and review]]
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 Libraries collect local studies materials for a number of reasons, which may include: Libraries collect local studies materials for a number of reasons, which may include:
  
-  * Facilitating access to detailed information on local communities which may not be readily available through larger institutions at State or Federal Level.+  * Facilitating access to detailed information on local communities which may not be readily available through larger institutions at state or federal Level.
   * Meeting a patron need for local historical, geographical or cultural information.   * Meeting a patron need for local historical, geographical or cultural information.
   * Promoting an understanding of the history, culture and development of a given area.   * Promoting an understanding of the history, culture and development of a given area.
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 Among the benefits of collecting these resources are: Among the benefits of collecting these resources are:
  
-  * Providing access for the local community to uniquely local material+  * Providing access for the local community to uniquely local material.
   * Developing specialist local knowledge.    * Developing specialist local knowledge. 
  
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   - Browse the local studies shelves in your library and find 3 items about the history of the local area.   - Browse the local studies shelves in your library and find 3 items about the history of the local area.
   - Using your library's catalogue, find 3 items about the cultural development of your local area.   - Using your library's catalogue, find 3 items about the cultural development of your local area.
-  - How does your library promote its Local Studies collection or services? +  - How does your library promote its local studies collection or services? 
-  - What ideas do you have for promoting your library's Local Studies collection? +  - What ideas do you have for promoting your library's local studies collection? 
  
 [[module_8_answers_and_review_ref-ex|Module 8 Answers and review]] [[module_8_answers_and_review_ref-ex|Module 8 Answers and review]]
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 Local studies collections may grow through: Local studies collections may grow through:
  
-  * Donations of material from a wide range of sources,+  * Donations of material from a wide range of sources.
   * Purchase of new materials when available or rare and out-of-print materials from antiquarian booksellers, dealers, auctions, etc.   * Purchase of new materials when available or rare and out-of-print materials from antiquarian booksellers, dealers, auctions, etc.
   * Resource sharing with other public and state libraries; archives and community groups; local information experts.   * Resource sharing with other public and state libraries; archives and community groups; local information experts.
-  * Proactive information seeking projects e.g. Oral history recording; essay writing competitions. +  * Proactive information seeking projects e.g. Oral History recording; essay writing competitions. 
-  * Encouraging use of resources for research, +  * Encouraging use of resources for research. 
-  * Promoting your collection on social media to encourage contributions,+  * Promoting your collection on social media to encourage contributions.
   * Regular displays of materials, which create interest and potentially more donations from the community.   * Regular displays of materials, which create interest and potentially more donations from the community.
-  * Local Studies collections can grow through staff creating content for the collections, for example +  * Local Studies collections can grow through staff creating content for the collections, for example: 
      * taking photographs      * taking photographs
      * recording videos or      * recording videos or
-     * ordered List Item conducting oral histories.    +     * conducting oral histories    
  
  
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 **Exercises for building a local studies collection** **Exercises for building a local studies collection**
  
-  - Talk to your Local Studies specialist. How do they source material for the collection?+  - Talk to your local studies specialist. How do they source material for the collection?
   - Does your library include digital material in the Local Studies collection?   - Does your library include digital material in the Local Studies collection?
   - What kind of content does your library create for the collection?    - What kind of content does your library create for the collection? 
   - Does your library work with your Local Museum or Local Historical group to enhance the Local Studies collection?   - Does your library work with your Local Museum or Local Historical group to enhance the Local Studies collection?
-  - Watch an episode of [[https://iview.abc.net.au/show/chopsticks-or-fork|Chopsticks or fork]] on the ABC and think about the potential for collecting local studies items through taking photographs, recording oral histories or videos.+  - Watch an episode of [[https://iview.abc.net.au/show/chopsticks-or-fork|Chopsticks or fork]] on the ABC and think about the potential for collecting local studies items through taking photographs, recording oral histories, ambient sound recordings or videos. You will need to sign in with an ABC iview account.
  
-[[module_8_answers_and_review_ref-ex|Module 8 Answers and review]]]+[[module_8_answers_and_review_ref-ex|Module 8 Answers and review]]
  
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   * Residents   * Residents
   * Council staff   * Council staff
-  * Resources in other libraries and archives e.g. [[https://www.records.nsw.gov.au/archives/collections-and-research/guides-and-indexes/schools-and-related-records|NSW school archives at State Records]] +  * Resources in other libraries and archives e.g. [[https://mhnsw.au/guides/local-history-guide/|NSW State Archives local history guide]] 
  
  
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 **Exercises for key resources for local historical research** **Exercises for key resources for local historical research**
  
-  - Collect 3 examples of ephemera from your area and discuss adding them to your own collection with your Local Studies specialist.+  - Collect 3 examples of ephemera from your area and discuss adding them to your own collection with your local studies specialist.
   - How does your library store and preserve ephemera, how is access to it provided?    - How does your library store and preserve ephemera, how is access to it provided? 
   - Look for social media about your area.   - Look for social media about your area.
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 Some key resources used include: Some key resources used include:
  
-  * Environmental Impact Statements for major developments+  * Environmental impact statements for major developments
   * Urban planning documents   * Urban planning documents
   * Bush regeneration studies   * Bush regeneration studies
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 ** Exercises for key resources for local geographical research** ** Exercises for key resources for local geographical research**
  
-  - Find an example of an Environmental Impact Statement +  - Find an example of an Environmental impact statement 
-  - What kind of maps does your Local Studies collection contain?+  - What kind of maps does your local studies collection contain?
   - Consult with a colleague to access an ABS publication containing information relevant to your local area   - Consult with a colleague to access an ABS publication containing information relevant to your local area
  
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 ==== Local studies and family history research ===== ==== Local studies and family history research =====
  
-Local Studies collections and Family History collections have common threads. +Local studies collections and family history collections have common threads. 
  
-A major user group of local studies collections is the family historians who are looking for information on families or individuals that once lived in your area. Local Studies resources may help to fill in the gaps for these researchers with photographs, documents etc. In turn, researchers often have valuable material and research which they may share with the library. +A major user group of local studies collections is the family historians who are looking for information on families or individuals that once lived in your area. Local studies resources may help to fill in the gaps for these researchers with photographs, documents etc. In turn, researchers often have valuable material and research which they may share with the library. 
  
 See also [[module_9_family_history_ref-ex|Module 9 Family History]] See also [[module_9_family_history_ref-ex|Module 9 Family History]]
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 [[module_8_answers_and_review_ref-ex|Module 8 Answers and review]] [[module_8_answers_and_review_ref-ex|Module 8 Answers and review]]
 +
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 +
 +**Diversity audit of local studies collections**
 +
 +Between 2020 and 2022, Special Collections and Archives staff at the Denver (Colorado) Public Library designed and oversaw a diversity audit of their nearly 6,000 manuscript and photograph collections. Abby Hoverstock, Manager of Archives, and Laura Ruttum Senturia, Archives Access Supervisor, led the process. Audit results highlighted the need for reparative cataloging to collection descriptions, among other issues. Their team formed a Diversity Audit Action Committee to research, propose, and adopt necessary descriptive changes for a variety of people and communities in their collections.
 +
 +{{youtube>QupiVDbow5s}} 
 +
 +Information about harmful language notes is included here [[denver_public_library_local_studies_diversity_audit_29_july_2025| Denver Public Library local studies diversity audit ]]
 +
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 +
 +**Exercises for diversity audit of local studies collections**
 +
 +1. View this recorded session by Denver Public Library staff, including the question time.
 +
 +2. List four key messages you learned from this video. 
  
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 ==== Local studies challenges ==== ==== Local studies challenges ====
  
-There are many challenging and interesting aspects of Local Studies. Key challenges include:+There are many challenging and interesting aspects of localstudies. Key challenges include:
  
   * Collection of past and current materials from a wide range of sources.   * Collection of past and current materials from a wide range of sources.
-  * Balancing preservation and access to historical materials+  * Collecting representative content about your community.  
 +  * Balancing preservation and access to historical materials.
   * Using digital technologies to make information more widely accessible and able to be reused.   * Using digital technologies to make information more widely accessible and able to be reused.
-  * Conservation, cataloguing and providing access to materials in a wide range of formats +  * Conservation, cataloguing and providing access to materials in a wide range of formats. 
-  * Many research tools used in Local Studies research were created for completely different purposes than their current use, for example, electoral rolls and telephone books being used for local research, or magistrate’s court records being used to research local families +  * Many research tools used in Local Studies research were created for completely different purposes than their current use, for example, electoral rolls and telephone books being used for local research, or magistrate’s court records being used to research local families. 
-  * Collecting social media relevant to local studies - the new ephemera +  * Collecting social media relevant to local studies - the new ephemera. 
-  * Creating original content +  * Creating original content. 
-  * Knowledge of locally relevant resources held in other institutions +  * Knowledge of locally relevant resources held in other institutions. 
  
  
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   - How does your library manage the challenges listed above?    - How does your library manage the challenges listed above? 
   - Which aspect can you contribute to? Discuss your ideas with a colleague.   - Which aspect can you contribute to? Discuss your ideas with a colleague.
-  - What would be the challenges to creating a display of Local Studies material? How would you manage access to the items and ensure it is not damaged while on display? Think about all aspects of preservation.+  - What would be the challenges to creating a display of local studies material? How would you manage access to the items and ensure it is not damaged while on display? Think about all aspects of preservation.
  
 [[module_8_answers_and_review_ref-ex|Module 8 Answers and review]] [[module_8_answers_and_review_ref-ex|Module 8 Answers and review]]
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-If you would like further information on aspects of Local Studies in public libraries, including meeting dates; agendas for the NSW [[local_studies_working_group|Local Studies Working Group look here]].  There are  [[https://indyreads.libraries.nsw.gov.au/list/4808|some books on Indyreads which may be helpful too]].+If you would like further information on aspects of local studies in public libraries, including meeting dates and agendas for the NSW [[local_studies_working_group|Local Studies Working Group look here]].  There are  [[https://indyreads.libraries.nsw.gov.au/list/4808|some books on indyreads which may be helpful too]].
  
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module_8_local_studies_ref-ex.1657838374.txt.gz · Last modified: 2022/07/14 17:39 by ellen.forsyth_sl.nsw.gov.au