National Library Of The Australia Seeks Interesting Stories
Established in 1960 by the National Library Act, the collection held 7,717,579 items as of June 2019, and its manuscript material took up 17,950 metres (58,890 feet) of shelf space. The National Library of Australia (NLA) is responsible for hosting and overseeing the Trove cultural heritage discovery service, which offers users access to a vast array of digitised newspapers, official documents, pictures, manuscripts, and born-digital content, as well as the Australian Web Archive and National eDeposit (NED).
In an innovative move, the National Library of Australia is recording the experiences and lives of Australians who are of Indian descent. Through this effort, the varied stories of Australia’s fastest-growing immigrant group—which accounted for almost 750,000 people in 2022—will be added to the nation’s collection. The Director of Curatorial and Collection Research, Nicki Mackay-Sim, highlights the significance of documenting these stories in order to highlight the noteworthy contributions made by the Indian diaspora to Australian society.
Recording variable experiences
The goal of the Indian diaspora collection project in Australia is to document a diverse range of narratives and perspectives. Through the collection of books, newsletters, newspapers, images, personal archives, and recorded interviews, the initiative seeks to offer a thorough account of the Indian-Australian experience. This programme encompasses not only those who have immigrated straight from India but also those whose Indian ancestry is rooted in places like Singapore, Fiji, Malaysia, and several African countries. The initiative showcases the diverse contributions made by the Indian diaspora in Australia’s social, cultural, and intellectual spheres.
Urge others to tell your story.
Australians of Indian descent are being aggressively sought after for contributions by the National Library of Australia. The Library is excited to hear from anybody who would like to add to this important collection, whether it is by sharing personal tales or contributing objects. As a priceless addition to the national collection, the stories acquired for this project will provide future generations with a glimpse into the rich and varied contributions made by the Indian diaspora to Australian society. The National Library would be interested in hearing from you if you have a tale to share or things to contribute.
Effects on the Society of Australia
Australians will be able to comprehend their varied social, cultural, and intellectual past to a greater extent thanks to the addition of stories about the Indian-Australian diaspora to the national collection. This initiative is a monument to Australia’s multicultural identity as well as the experiences of one of the immigrant groups that is expanding the quickest in the country. The National Library of Australia makes sure that the accomplishments of the Indian diaspora are acknowledged and honoured for future generations by conserving these stories.
