State Library of Western Australia facts for kids
Quick facts for kids State Library of Western Australia |
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| State Library of Western Australia, Alexander Library Building | |
| Type | State Library |
| Established | 1889 |
| Location | Perth, Western Australia |
| Coordinates | 31°56′57″S 115°51′38″E / 31.949031°S 115.860513°E |
| Collection | |
| Items collected | Books, journals, newspapers, magazines, manuscripts, personal papers, maps, printed music, sound and music recordings, oral histories, films, photographs and ephemera |
| Size | 1.5 million items, 4,000 linear metres of archives |
| Other information | |
| Director | Margaret Allen (CEO and State Librarian) |
| Website | SLWA.wa.gov.au |
The State Library of Western Australia is a big library in Perth, Western Australia. It's a place where you can find books, learn new things, and borrow items. The library is located in the Perth Cultural Centre.
This library is special because it collects and keeps important documents and items about Western Australia's past. This collection is called the J. S. Battye Library of West Australian History. It helps us learn about the history of the state.
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History of the Library
The idea for the library started in 1886. The government group, called the Western Australian Legislative Council, decided to spend £3000 to build a free public library in Perth. This was part of celebrations for Queen Victoria's 50th year as queen.
A special stone was laid in 1887 for the new building. But there wasn't enough money to build it there. Instead, books worth £1000 were bought from England. The library opened in a temporary building on January 26, 1889. It was named the Victoria Public Library, after Queen Victoria.
Early Leaders and New Buildings
The first main librarian was James Sykes Battye. He started in 1894. By 1896, a new building was being built on James and Beaufort Streets. The library moved there in 1897.
In 1904, the library's name changed to the Public Library of Western Australia. A new part of the building, called Hackett Hall, opened in 1913. It was named after Sir John Winthrop Hackett, who was in charge of the library's trustees. The library shared this building with the Art Gallery and Museum. The museum is still in that building today.
Becoming the State Library
In 1951, the Library Board of Western Australia was created. This board helped local towns set up their own free public libraries. The first State Librarian, F. A. (Ali) Sharr, was appointed.
After James Battye passed away in 1954, the Library Board took over the main library. It closed for a year for updates. In 1956, it reopened as the State Library of Western Australia. This is when the J.S. Battye Library of West Australian History and State Archives was officially created to collect Western Australian items.
From 1964 to 2002, the library was known as the Library and Information Service of Western Australia. This name showed that the library helped public libraries all over the state. In 2002, it went back to being called the State Library of Western Australia.
A New Home for the Library
By the late 1970s, the library had grown very big. Its staff were working in ten different places around the city. So, plans were made for a new, bigger building.
In 1985, the library moved into its current home, the Alexander Library Building. This building is named after Professor Fred Alexander. He was the first chairman of the Library Board of Western Australia.
The State Archives, which keeps government records, became a separate group in 1988. In 2000, the State Records Office of Western Australia was created. It is still in the same building as the State Library.
What the Library Collects and Offers
The State Library does three main things:
- It collects and keeps Western Australia's history.
- It offers general reference and lending services to the public.
- It supports other public libraries in Western Australia.
Western Australian History Collection
The J. S. Battye Library of Western Australian History is where all the special Western Australian items are kept. It has a huge collection of:
- Books published in Western Australia.
- Books written by Western Australians or about Western Australia.
- Newspapers from Western Australia.
- Original handwritten documents, diaries, and letters.
- Music recordings made in Western Australia.
- Photographs and films about Western Australia.
- Recordings of people telling their life stories (oral histories).
The library is also a "legal deposit" library. This means that publishers in Western Australia must send a copy of their new books and newspapers to the library. This helps make sure that all new publications are saved for the future.
Learning and Research Resources
The library has over 300,000 books and nearly 5,000 different magazine titles. Many of these items can be borrowed. The library also offers many online resources that you can use from home if you are a member.
There are about 100 public computers available for use. You can also use free Wi-Fi at the library.
Other special collections and services include:
- Sheet Music: The library has over 50,000 music scores. It's one of the biggest music lending libraries in Australia.
- Family History: If you want to learn about your family's past, the library has a special section for this. Volunteers can help you.
- The Place: This is a special area just for children.
Helping Other Libraries
Public libraries in Western Australia work together with the State Library. The State Government helps pay for most of the books and other materials for local libraries. Local governments provide the buildings, technology, and staff.
The State Library helps by buying books for all public libraries. It also has a big online list of all the books. This makes it easy to share books between different public libraries.
National edeposit (NED)
The State Library also works with other big libraries in Australia on something called National edeposit (NED). This system lets publishers upload electronic books and magazines. These can then be found and read online through a website called Trove. This helps save digital publications for everyone to access.
Gallery
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State Library of Western Australia, Alexander Library Building
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Hackett Hall, home of the Public Library of Western Australia, in 1913
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Inside the Public Library of Western Australia, 1913
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"Gateway 2: Coalesce" sculpture by Akio Makigawa, outside SLWA
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Ground floor of the State Library of Western Australia
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Inside the State Library of Western Australia
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Images for kids
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1897 Plaque for the Victoria Public Library
