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Curtin University
John Curtin Prime Ministerial Library
Curtin University Library

Collaborative Partnerships: Developing the Electronic Research Archive and public programs at the John Curtin Prime Ministerial Library

By Kandy-Jane Henderson, Archivist, John Curtin Prime Ministerial Library

Society of American Archivists 65th Annual Meeting, August 27 - 2 September 2001, Washington, DC

In her paper [Innovation and new ways of working: Australia's first prime ministerial library], Dr Vicki Williamson discusses the productive partnerships of the JCPML, some dating back to its early inception. I will be looking at a broad range of initiatives that have involved collaborative relationships of various kinds. Some of these relationships may over time develop into productive partnerships, but that is not a requirement for a collaboration.

The role of collaborative partnerships is critical to the success of the JCPML. These collaborations help us to maximise our potential and enable us to produce innovative products and services for specific projects. They also enhance our credibility as an archive that is exciting and worthwhile being associated with. The JCPML has become a recognized resource for study and research, providing electronic access to unique and significant archival records through its Electronic Research Archive and offers a vital and extensive public program to the community.

We achieve innovation by:

  • having highly skilled and flexible staff,
  • being open, to internal and external communities, about what we do to facilitate constructive debate and cooperative effort;
  • maintaining a clear focus on objectives;
  • benefiting from the synergy created by developing collaborations and partnerships at a variety of levels.

Today I will not be exploring the full extent of the JCPML programs and collaborations, instead I want to highlight how these partnerships are vital in developing the Electronic Research Archive, known as ERA, and some of our most significant public programs.

How have collaborative partnerships helped in creating a unique research collection?

In 1999 ERA became accessible to the world using the Web. The driving force behind developing ERA was the premise that Australia's first prime ministerial library would be an electronic gateway giving researchers full access to the content of our archives and to John Curtin-related records held by individuals and other institutions. This approach has been driven by the fact that the JCPML started collecting records 50 years after John Curtin's death and many records were already lodged in other institutions.

Where material has already been digitised by other institutions, ERA can "deep link" to such records. Records available through ERA include the contents of individual records and series of records, and maintains the context in which those records were created. More than 50,000 digital files can now be accessed through ERA including: images, fully searchable text, audio and motion pictures.

We have developed an electronic tutorial consisting of a series of user-friendly, interactive guides and quizzes designed to help people become more confident about searching for and viewing material in ERA.

In recent months the JCPML has continued its innovative development by digitising sound recordings of John Curtin's speeches and most of the JCPML oral histories so that users can link to the sound files as well as access the transcripts. We have also successfully streamed video to be accessed in a similar way.

The Bob Hawke Prime Ministerial Library is following our model and is launching the initial stage of its digitisation program, in October, at a conference on person specific libraries.

As an outcome of its partnership with Exlibris the JCPML will ultimately move to a database that is open at multiple levels and seamlessly uses appropriate international metadata standards, to present records in multiple formats. We have just met with the Exlibris Digitool development team in Boston to progress the specifications. Through this partnership ERA will be able to move to a new generation of software that will sustain it for sometime to come.

We know that building collaborative digitisation partnerships is an essential mechanism for the cooperative sharing of information. The National Archives of Australia and the Australian War Memorial have developed active digital programs of their own and both these key institutions now provide support for the JCPML by digitising, on our request, relevant records so that we can link to their digital version from ERA.

In addition, we have formed successful alliances with other national and overseas institutions. They have made available selected collections and series for digitisation and incorporation into ERA. Each institution has its own requirements and access conditions so a degree of flexibility has been necessary to enable us to meet each organizations individual needs.

What are some of the Collaborative Partnerships in JCPML Public Programs?

The strength and accessibility of the research collection forms the basis of our public programs. Raising the profile of John Curtin in the community at a local, state and national level, by exploiting the research collection, is a major focus for us. Collaboration is an important means of achieving this. Initially we actively sought collaborators for projects, now we are being approached because of our growing reputation. A vital delivery mechanism is through the JCPML website, but we are flexible in determining the best format for delivery to the community.

One of our recent projects for promoting John Curtin demonstrates how the JCPML makes multiple uses from one project. Prior to the JCPML opening to the public a collaboration was initiated with the National Archives of Australia to curate a major exhibition titled John Curtin: A Man of Peace, A Time of War. The exhibition toured Australia and was installed at the JCPML in time for it's opening in 1998. The content of the exhibition is now online. In this version we feature panoramas that allow visitors to 'walk around' the exhibition viewing the displays in virtual reality. A series of interactive quizzes and activities makes this an ideal educational visit. Continuing this virtual direction our current major exhibition Shaping a Nation: John Curtin and Australia will come online late this year.

The JCPML is collaborating with the Perth Theatre Company to bring to life aspects of the relationship between wartime prime minister John Curtin and General Douglas MacArthur. It is planned to stage the play at the JCPML in Perth and the Australian War Memorial in Canberra. The play In the Shadow of the Eagle will be performed for general audiences as well as being adapted for use within the JCPML education program. We also hope to have a US production in the future.

The JCPML has implemented an electronic publishing schedule for 2001 to place a number of projects online. JCPML staff have collaborated with various authors to publish information sourced from the collection for easy access through the web. These projects have been designed to have wide appeal so that they can be browsed by the general public or used by students and educationalists.

The latest web publications are: Visiting John Curtin at Home and From Revolutionary Firebrand to Journalist in Spirit, which you saw featured in the video.

The JCPML furthers scholarship. Our collaboration with Ann Pederson, who is well known to many of you, has resulted in Understanding Society through its Records. This site is part of the JCPML's ongoing endeavour to contribute to the understanding of archives in the community. This publication explains the concepts and universal importance of recordkeeping to individuals and government. Using graphics and interactivity, it distinguishes records from other forms of information and demonstrates the "work" they perform as the "documentary glue" holding society together.

Australian Studies at Curtin University is the home of several scholarly journals and book series as well as the portal for numerous other scholarly publications across a wide range of disciplines. Australian Studies also hosts the Australian Public Intellectual Network, an electronic gateway to Australian culture and educational resources. In partnership with the JCPML, Australian Studies will be expanding its print based and electronic presence as one of the premier intellectual centres in the country.

The JCPML maintains a strong interest in promoting studies not only of John Curtin's prime ministership but also of the Australian-American relationship, hence the JCPML's support of a special issue of the Australian Journal of International Affairs. Published by The Australian Institute of International Affairs the journal is devoted to articles on the relationship between Australia and the United States of America, and is timed to mark the 50th anniversary of the Australia-New Zealand-United States (ANZUS) Security Treaty. The security relationship between Australia and the United States preceded the signing of the ANZUS Treaty, generally being traced to the relationship struck by the two countries during the most critical stage of the Second World War. In late 1941 Prime Minister John Curtin famously declared that Australia was turning to America as its principal guarantor of security, and in early 1942 Curtin forged a close relationship with the American General Douglas MacArthur, the commander-in-chief of the allied forces in the South-West Pacific Area.

Since 1997 eminent high profile Australian scholars have been appointed annually as JCPML Visiting Scholars. Each scholar delivers a public lecture and produces a significant manuscript which the JCPML publishes. The benefits from this program are significant, especially for the publicity and community support generated. One book of John Curtin's personal letters involved extensive collaborative research between the author and JCPML staff, and to a continuing close relationship with John Curtin's family. Without their support the manuscript would not have reached publication. In another instance one of our scholars has been offered a commercial publishing contract on the basis of the public lecture he delivered this year. The JCPML is a recognised partner in the contract.

The JCPML promotes education. Along with the National Archives, the JCPML is a strong supporter of the teaching of Australian history. We offer prizes around Australia and host the annual National History Challenge judging and presentations for Western Australia. We are also founders and collaborators with the History Teachers' Association of Western Australia for Curtin University's annual residential Sir Charles Court Young Leaders Program, for elite history students. The JCPML keenly supports and participates in both these programs that are aimed at expanding students' research and leadership skills.

The JCPML participates in the curriculum coursework for a number of units on campus including archives and records management, information and library studies, museum and cultural studies, and education. As well, the JCPML has a very active primary and secondary education program that encompasses 10 -17 year old students. Programs can be accessed online or onsite.

In conclusion, the JCPML is now a recognized resource for study and research, providing electronic access to unique and significant archival records from a period that was decisive in Australia's development. Our vision is to contribute to the advancement of knowledge and the enrichment of culture within our community. The collaborative relationships we form with other institutions, organizations and individuals play a vital part in enabling us to pursue this vision.