Archiving Australian Contemporary Small Press
I am helping the National Library in Canberra to broaden its Australian independently published articles collection.
We as publishers are legally bound to deposit to the library when we publish in Australia, but how many of us have done that, I know only a couple of my editions are with libraries.
I want to help create an archive and keeping copies of our zines, artist books, self-published catalogues etc so when we give away our last copies we know that there is still one safe if we or anyone else ever needs it.
This also means that the books/zines will be catalogued correctly and accessible by anyone researching a particular artist, subject, publisher, time, genre or movement. I believe this this is very important.
What I am looking for are any self-published items by Australians.
This could be anything from zines, catalogues, artist books, pamphlets, etc focusing on art and culture from documentation, poetry, drawing, essays, photography. Basically if you think it fits, then it does.
So what I am getting at is: I am emailing you in the hope that you agree with me that this is an important project to archive our culture.
and if so to request 2 copies of everything you have created and have available along with your details.
I am asking for 2 copies as I want to create an archive of my own that I will eventually have available to the public and immediately to us and our peers held by your peer in Sydney. But if you only have 1 then please donate what you can.
And if you have doubles of any other zines by other publishers or artists you can part with please add them too as it will be a great help.
Please mail to:
Joseph Allen Shea
Monster Children Gallery
20 Burton St
Darlinghurst
NSW 2010
By the 20th of November 2009
And I will then take the set to our nation’s capital.
Please pass this request on to anyone you think would be interested in donating.
I hope you agree this is a good chance to keep these works safe and accessible.
