geography resources at the state library of victoria

22 August 2011

GTAV Annual conference

Geography resources at the State Library of Victoria

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Session outline

• Introduction to the State Library of Victoria

• Map collection

• Viewing material onsite

• Remote access resources

• ergo website

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About the State Library of Victoria

• Victoria’s premier reference and research library, founded in 1854

• collections include: books, newspapers, artefacts, pictures, maps, and digital and online resources

• provides a range of information services, learning programs, events and

exhibitions

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Map collection

The SLV has over 110,00 maps in its collection

• most are Australian

• strong focus on Victorian content

• also contains strong holdings of maps from overseas

Left: Tabularum geographicarum contractorum libri quatuor, by CJ Visscher, 1649

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Map collection

Maps are in various formats, the collection also includes geographical and cartographic reference books and atlases

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Map collection

Local features include:

• Township, parish and county maps » produced by the former Victorian Lands Department (19th-

century) • Sewerage maps

» produced by the Melbourne and Metropolitan Board of Works (late 19th century to the 1940s)

• Real estate auctioneers' plans

• Fire insurance plan» produced by Mahlstedt and other companies

• Topographic maps » from government agencies such as Land Victoria and GeoScience

Australia

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Map collection

International features include:

• maps by the British Ordnance Survey

• city plans

• worldwide coverage of nautical charts

• 19th-century Indian maps

Left: Speculum Orientalis Occidentalisque Indiae navigationum, by Joris van Spilbergen, 1619

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More information

More information:

• SLV Map collection

http://www.slv.vic.gov.au/our-collections/what-we-collect/maps

• SLV resource guides

http://guides.slv.vic.gov.au/index.php

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Viewing material onsite

Most items in the Maps Collection can only be viewed by appointment.

Copies of some maps (grouped by suburb) are in the Heritage Collections Reading Room in ‘suburban map bags’.

No appointment is necessary to view these items.

Right: Melbourne and its suburbs, compiled by James Kearney, 1855

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Viewing material onsite

If you want to view a map from in the collection, it must be retrieved by a librarian

Provide as much information about what you are looking for as possible

Most requests are taken over the phone or via email

If in doubt, talk to the librarians because they have extensive knowledge about the collections

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Remote access resources

Maps on the catalogue

Different tabs are to search for different item types

The search bar is just like a search engine on the web. Just type in what you’re looking for and click Go

http://search.slv.vic.gov.au

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Remote access resources

MMBW plans

http://www.slv.vic.gov.au/our-collections/what-we-collect/maps/melbourne-city-suburbs/mmbw-plans

Let’s use the plans to locate the State Library of Victoria.

There is a research guide to helpyou navigate through the plans

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Remote access resources

Information databases

http://www.slv.vic.gov.au/explore/research-tools/access-eresources-home

Includes multi-subject databases (EBSCO, Informit Complete, General OneFile, JSTOR etc)

Also has subject specific resources like:SAGE (Science and Geography in Education) 1990–

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Remote access resources

Information databases and newspapers

http://www.slv.vic.gov.au/explore/research-tools/access-eresources-home

Remote access to databases requires login using your surname and Library Card barcode

You can register for a Library Card online:

http://www.slv.vic.gov.au/ services/join-library

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ergo

ergo website

http://ergo.slv.vic.gov.au

Information on study skills and SLV collection items that are linked to common curriculumareas at VELS level 5 & 6, and also VCE

• Learn skills• Explore history• For teachers

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ergo

For teachers:

Ready-made education kits for topics like deforestation

High-res versions of all maps and images used available to download Series of worksheets for evaluating information

Worksheets include Map Study templates http://www.slv.vic.gov.au/ergo/uploads/docs/map_study.pdf

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Contact details

Bethany Leong,Education Programs Coordinator

Email: bleong@slv.vic.gov.auPhone: (03) 8664 7268

SLV website: http://www.slv.vic.gov.au/