100 years on, the State Library does more than house books

As the NSW State Library celebrates its 100th birthday, it’s worth celebrating not only the wealth of knowledge the library houses and multitude of services it offers, but also the significance the State Library has had in Australia’s history.

Not only does the State Library hold some of our country’s most important historical documents, its workforce has also made history – winning the state’s first pay equity case.

Eight years ago, in the first case under the NSW Equal Remuneration Principle, the Full Bench of the NSW Industrial Relations Commission granted pay increases of up to 26 per cent for senior librarians, library technicians and archivists. With high numbers of women working in libraries, it was found these roles were underpaid compared with male-dominated industries.

It was a great win for women in NSW and for the trade union movement.

As the State Library marks its 100th birthday this March, NSW libraries are all set to benefit from a birthday present from the NSW government. The Keneally Government announced $25.5 million to support and develop public libraries across the State in 2009/10.

This is a solid recognition that libraries are critical to our communities, bringing collections alive through exhibitions, public events, community learning, outreach programs and online.

With almost 50 million books and other items borrowed each year; and half the NSW population being registered library members, public libraries:

The State Library, which keeps a record of everything published in NSW, is a very important resource for students, writers, historians and the general public. While the library does not lend books directly to the public, members can request books from the State reference collection where they are transferred for free to public libraries where clients can collect them for use.

The collection, valued at nearly $2 billion, includes 9 of the 11 first fleet journals. Other notable items include:

The biggest: Three volumes called Carte topogrpahique de I’Egypte, which measure 112cm x 70cm and weigh more than 22kg each. They were commissioned by Napoleon Bonaparte and published between 1809 and 1828.

The smallest: A miniature book containing the Lord’s Prayer in English, Dutch, French, German, Spanish and Swedish. It is hand sewn and bound in full leather with a gold stamped cover and spine. It is the size of an aspirin tablet (less than 5mm in height).

The most valuable: John James Audubon’s Birds of America, published in London between 1827 and 1838. The four volumes are estimated to be worth around $US8.8 million.

The oldest manuscript: The Book of Isaiah from the Old Testament in the Latin Vulgate version. It dates from 1225AD and is of Italian origin.

The oldest printed book: Johannes Duns Scotus’ Quaestiones in primum librum senteniarum, published in Venice in 1472. Though slightly fire-damaged it contains the complete text and is the oldest complete printed volume in any of the collections of the State Library of NSW.

Watching over these works is a highly skilled and dedicated workforce. No celebration of the State Library’s birthday can be complete with paying tribute to these workers who are safeguarding NSW’s history while contributing to our future.