UNIVERSITY OF SYDNEY LIBRARY

Spring 2008 | Issue 55

DISCOVER
4 The new SciTech Library
6 First impressions
8 Ancient treasures
10 Osborn family visit
12 New roles in data management
13 iResearch: information skills for life
14 Digital Library new resources
16 Gift supports Japanese scholars
16 Sydney eScholarship Repository
17 Gift from the Chancellors Committee
18 Friends Drs Bill and Sally Nelson
20 Profiles Raj Saxena and Jonathan Wood
21 SUP treads the red carpet
22 Events calendar
23 Exhibitions
24 Obituary Harrison Bryan
25 Dr Marianne Dacys new book
26 Sir Robert Robinson documents
27 Friends of the Library
28 SUP new releases
This issue of Discover
highlights some of the
activities undertaken during
the second part of 2008.
The variety and number
of activities demonstrate
the commitment of Library
staff and the vitality of the
University.
Late July saw the opening
of the new SciTech Library
which has proven almost too
popular as the place to be.
It is a student-centred space
that hums with the sound of
learning while ever it is open.
Early in 2009, we will
open the new Law Library and
begin renovation of the Fisher
Library. Both projects are part
of the long range strategic
objective to improve facilities which support learning and research.
Another part of the Librarys strategic endeavour has been the continued
acquisition of digital resources. The Australian dollar traded well during most
of the year. This provided the Library with some uncommitted funding that
was used to purchase online versions of publications not otherwise affordable.
Most of the new resources are compilations of material drawn from major
library and archive collections throughout the world. They add to the richness
of the collection and do not duplicate existing holdings.
Reserve funds were used to continue the acquisition of digital versions
of major journals. This program commenced in 2004 and we now have the
back files of the major international research journals. We also increased the
number of online books purchased to support learning and teaching.
Acquiring online versions of journals and books frees researchers and
students of the restrictions of library opening hours. This is particularly
important given the heavy workload of academic staff and the employment
and other commitments of students.
It will not have escaped anyones notice that we are facing a period of
economic difficulty. The Library will need to find significant savings in 2009
along with all parts of the University. This is never an easy exercise but it is an
opportunity to rethink the way in which services are provided.
The task for the Library is to develop strategies that address the need to
make savings at a time when the Australian dollar is devalued. The Library
spends almost $10 million in foreign currency for the purchase of information
resources. Any movement in the dollar has an immediate effect on the
purchasing power of the Library. At the same time, an increasing number of
books and journals are published and their costs rise at rates greater than the
Consumer Price Index.
In association with the University community, we will be investigating
strategies which have the least negative effect on opening hours and access
to information. It is inevitable, however, that some cherished service or facility
will no longer be available or will be changed.
This is not the first time that financial cuts have been required. It will also
not be the last time. Past experience shows that only fundamental systemic
change has lasting positive effect. Our challenge will be to stay within budget
and retain the ability to innovate.
John Shipp
University Librarian
EDITORIAL INSIDE
DISCOVER
13
22
3 2
Discover is available in PDF format on the
Library website:
www.library.usyd.edu.au/news/
This issue was produced by Rhonda
Myers and Su Hanfling, University of
Sydney Library. Discover is published
twice a year.
Contributors: Neil Boness, Ross Coleman,
Sten Christensen, Rebecca Goldsworthy,
Su Hanfling, Karen Johnson, Nancy Li,
Rebecca Meston, Rhonda Myers, Susan
Murray-Smith, Raj Saxena, John Shipp,
Southnary Tan, Jonathan Wood
Photography: Rhonda Myers
Front cover Colourful booth in the
SciTech Library
ISSN 1326-2785
The University of Sydney, NSW 2006 Australia
ABN: 15 211 513 464. CRICOS provider No. 00026A. 2008
8
10
university of sydney library | Discover - spring 2008
4 5
the new SciTech Library
SU HANFLING
Top from left: Tracey Beck, Director, Alumni Relations; John Shipp, University Librarian; Dr Michael Spence, Vice-Chancellor and Principal and Su Hanfling, Director: Humanities, Arts, Sciences
and Technology Libraries. Above left: Amanda Moore and Bill Krotiris from John Wardle Architects and Irene Rossendell, Manager, SciTech Library. Right: Lawrence Jackson, Acting Director,
Philanthropy & Development; Sobhini Sinnatamby, Senior Development Officer; Professor Andrew Coats, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (External Relations) and Andrew Danos, President of the Science
Foundation for Physics and Friends of the Library member. Above photos: Nuran Zorlu
The University of Sydney SciTech Library was opened by the Vice-
Chancellor, Dr Michael Spence on 25 July 2008. Over 305,000
people have visited SciTech in the three months since the launch.
Library staff have been delighted to receive many requests for
events, exhibitions, tours, filming and photo shoots in the new
Library.
We have come a long way from the Alexandrian Library concept
of attempting to gather all knowledge in one room. Researchers
now connect with colleagues and information anywhere in the
world with a keystroke. In the last six years the Library has
built a collection of 325,000 ebooks and 67,000 ejournal titles
supporting staff and students of the University to access great
online information 24/7. The learning, teaching and research
environment has also changed dramatically encouraging
interaction and engagement supported by appropriate
technologies. The SciTech Library is a child of this revolution.
John Wardle Architects, who won an international competition
to design the Jane Foss Russell Building, and the Capital Insight
and AbiGroup contractors who supported the construction, did a
remarkable job of translating the Librarys extensive wish list into
reality. Our main objective was to create a large variety of spaces
that would meet the learning and research needs of the clients of
the Library.
Evident from the entrance is the large number of computers
necessary in a 21st century library, however, technology is
softened by nature. The fresh green colour palette is punctuated
with flashes of intense brights, botanical motifs emerge from glass
and carpets, and the floor flows down through paddy field-like
zones towards the wooden banana-lounges in Cadigal Green.
Rooms from large to small, some with movable dividers wrap
around the edge of the space; while in the centre, study booths
with power and data connections also support group discussion.
Quiet study spaces with individual lighting are tucked into
the back of the Library, shielded by the angled shelving of the
collection. Write-on walls and tables are a special feature of the
Library and the student kitchen is also a popular facility.
The new library has consolidated the most used items from the
Madsen Library; the Denis Winston Architecture Library; the
T.G. Room Mathematics Library; the Engineering Library and
the information technology collection from Fisher Library. Lower
demand titles were transferred to the Universitys Storage Library
and are available on request. The huge task of reviewing the
collection and preparing for the move of 65,000 volumes to
their new home was completed on schedule by a hard working
team of Library staff led by Irene Rossendell, with advice from
academic staff from all of the constituent Faculties and Schools.
The active participation of staff and students in meetings and
conversations, and their encouragement as the Library came
together was a wonderful feature of the project. Assoc Prof Tim
Langrish from the Faculty of Engineering;Trevor Howell from the
Faculty of Architecture and Dr Murray Henwood from the Faculty
of Science supported the project as the academic members of
the Project User Group.
The number of visitors to the new Library has been
extraordinary, indicating a great demand for quality Library
spaces. The constant buzz has caused discomfort for some
students used to a less busy environment. In the next few
months we will install audiovisual services, new tables in the
training rooms with better cable management and additional
quiet study spaces. The upstairs foyer area will be furnished as
a multimedia meeting place and Library users may also choose
to move outside to work in wireless supported areas as they are
completed. The next new Library to open will be Law in early
2009, and the renovation of Fisher Library is also high on the
priority list.
Clients have given the Library a big tick for its palette of colours, spacious
multi-purpose rooms, large write-on surfaces and flexible furnishings.
Photos: Rhonda Myers
university of sydney library | Discover - spring 2008
6 7
first impressions of the SciTech Library
Tommy Cai, Year 12 student at North Sydney
Boys High School
Paloma Molina Torres, Exercise Sport
Science and Nutrition student
Stas Stanislav Belkov, Commerce student Matthew Farag, Engineering student Lili Zeng, Electrical Engineering student Robynne Jeftha, Exercise Sport Science
and Nutrition student
Ivan Ah Sam, Economics student Xi Yang, Accounting student Lindsey Weissert, Advertising and Psychology student Tuan Nguyen, Commerce student
I thought Wow its so big! Im doing a major
project for my cosmology assignment, and
I was looking for resources. None of the
libraries on the North Shore had adequate
resources. So I went online... and everything
I needed was located at the SciTech Library.
Its huge, resourceful, convenient.
I just feel like its somewhere easy to be.
It doesnt feel like an institution and it isnt
oppressive at all. Having to study is not
fun, so its made it a lot easier.
Its welcoming, not depressing, fun.
I love the design in general so I just
love the look of the place and its quite
inspiring. As soon as I walked in I thought:
Holy crap this place is cool! So I just
want to sit down on the chairs and use
everything. Its colourful, innovative,
awesome.
I think its very modern. Every week I
spend at least 5 hours in this library. As
Im a postgrad student, I have a lot of
assignments to do. Its comfortable and
very convenient. Everything is perfect.
Well, it made a good first impression. Its
very postmodern and I like that. You know,
the weird angles, the crazy chairs. The
colours are good green is an interesting
choice. Libraries are usually structured,
organised, boring thats not necessarily a
good thing, but thats standard. This library is
new, interesting and different.
I love it! I think its really funky; the
cool tables, the space, everything. Its
awesome...We basically refer to it as the
Awesome Library, not depressing like
other libraries.
I remember when I first came here I couldnt find a computer. There
arent enough computers but I think theres lots of light and lots of
space which is good. Its cool, spacious, clean.
I love it and I always want to come here...This type of library is
stimulating to me. Its colourful, stimulating and like a childrens
book.
I think its beautiful, nice colours. This is my first visit. I came
here to study and to meet friends. I havent used a computer
yet, I am just reading my books but its nice.
Its pretty new, compared to Fisher Library, but smaller. I like the
atmosphere here, for studying, and the architecture is very cool. The
only problem is that I had to wait for an hour to use a computer.
story REBECCA MESTON, pictures RHONDA MYERS
university of sydney library | Discover - spring 2008
Two special facsimile editions have recently been added to the
collections of the Rare Book Library.
Top clockwise from left Processus contra templarios showing
the commentary volume, binding and facsimile seals of the
examining Cardinals.
Bottom: the Sarajevo Haggadah
NEIL BONESS
8 9
ancient treasures
The first facsimile is the Processus contra templarios or the
records of the Papal Inquiry into the Trial of the Knights Templar.
This comprises a commentary as well as facsimiles of original
Vatican archival material relating to the infamous 14th century
trial of the Templars, whose full name was Poor Fellow-Soldiers
of Christ and of the Temple of Solomon. This order was founded
in 1119 by knights sworn to protect Christian pilgrims visiting
the Holy Land after the Crusaders captured Jerusalem in 1099.
The order amassed enormous wealth and legends of their hidden
treasure, secret rituals and power have featured over the years in
both films and novels.
The order went into decline after Muslims re-conquered the
Holy Land at the end of the 13th century. Coveting their wealth,
members of the order were accused of heresy by King Philip IV of
France. Their alleged offences supposedly included denying Christ
and secretly worshipping idols. Many of the order were burned
at the stake by King Philip's agents after they made confessions
that most historians believe were given under duress. Philip was
heavily indebted to the Templars, who had helped him finance his
wars, and getting rid of them was a convenient way of cancelling
his debts.

The work is a milestone because its the first time these
documents have been released by the Vatican and the edition is
limited to 799 sets. The Library had to apply to the publishers in
order to purchase a copy of the work.
The first three facsimiles (Vatican filing codes ASV A.A. Arm. 208,
209, 210) refer to the papal inquiry on the Templar order held
in the French city of Poitiers. These are the surviving documents
from an original body of five rolls, containing the confessions
made to Clement V by 72 templar knights under interrogation
from June 28 to July 2, 1308. The fourth facsimile is the
so-called Chinon parchment, a document rediscovered in the
Vatican archives in September 2001, which includes the original
absolution deed granted by the vicar cardinals to the Great Master
of the Temple, Jacques de Molay, and other templar dignitaries
held at the castle of Chinon.
Alongside the parchments, the work includes the brogliaccio (a
sort of private agenda), which although belonging to Clement V,
was erroneously bound within a record assigned to Pope Benedict
XII (133442). Edited upon order of Pope Clement V, the record
contains abstracts from the hearings of the Templars which
appear on the parchments. The numerous notes on the margins
are possibly in the hand of Clement V himself.
Despite his conviction that the Templars were not guilty of
heresy, in 1312 Pope Clement ordered the Templars disbanded
for the good of the Church following his repeated clashes with
the French King. The recovery of this material and that of the
Chinon parchment reinforce the evidence that Clement V intended
to preserve the Templar order, assigning it a new role, after
reforming both its practice and the discipline.
The second work to be acquired is the facsimile of the 14th
century illuminated manuscript known as the Sarajevo Haggadah.
A Haggadah is a book of rites, biblical stories, prayers and psalms
related to Pesah, an important Jewish holiday, and is named
after the prophet Haggai from around 520 BC. The Sarajevo
Haggadah, written around 1314 in Spain, is unique because
of its extraordinarily rich illuminations, including 34 full-page
miniatures which display a variety of subjects from the creation
of the world, to Moses blessing the Israelites, to illustrations of the
Temple, and the interior of a Spanish synagogue. The work was
brought to the Balkan area by Jews expelled from Spain in 1492,
and was acquired by the Sarajevo Museum in 1894.
After being successfully hidden from the German forces during the
Second World War, the Haggadah was almost destroyed during
the bombardment of Sarajevo in 1994 but was miraculously
saved by two devoted staff members.
Previously, a facsimile printed on paper was issued in the early
1980s, but this is a new work, published in a limited edition
of only 613 copies. The new edition is printed on simulated
parchment, and bound with leather covers to reproduce exactly
the appearance of the original Haggadah.
Recently the Sarajevo Haggadah and its history has been the
subject of a novel entitled People of the book by the Pulitzer Prize-
winning author Geraldine Brooks, an alumnus of this University.
university of sydney library | Discover - spring 2008

50
His sons, Frank and Andy, visited the
University on 12 September. The visit
marked the anniversary of their fathers
arrival at Sydney. They were accompanied
by Andys son, Andrew, and his grandson,
Myles. The party also included Robert and
Joan Osborn who have been long time
members of the Friends of the Library.
The occasion provided an opportunity
to showcase many of the rare books
purchased from the Andrew and Beatrice
Osborn Fund. This endowment was
established by Andrew Osborn in 1982
and has been supplemented by members
of the family over the years.The fund
concentrates on rare books printed before
1701. As a result of the endowment, the
University has a collection unrivalled by
other Australian libraries.
A highlight of the visit was reacquainting
the family with the first edition of
Philosophiae naturalis principia
mathematica published by Isaac Newton
in 1687. This volume has a special place
in the folklore of the Osborn family. It was
brought to the Osborn home one evening
in 1961 by a representative of the donor,
Miss Barbara Bruce-Smith.
One of only four contemporaneously
annotated copies, it was known to be of
great rarity. Fearful for its safety, Andrew
Osborn hid it among other books in case
of an overnight robbery. Next morning,
however, he placed it in his briefcase and
took it by train to the University.
The Newton is one of the great treasures
in the library collection in terms of its
monetary, knowledge and association
value. It is widely regarded as the most
important book in the history of science.
Subsequent research revealed that some of
the annotations were by Newton himself.
During the short time that he was Librarian
(195962), Andrew Osborn oversaw
planning for the current Fisher Library.
The building embodied design features
not previously used in Australian libraries.
Andrews vision was to provide the
University with a library comparable to
those of peer institutions in North America.
His vision included the collection. In less
than four years, he doubled the number of
items in the collection. He also established
the rare book collection. Andrew instituted
a thorough search of the collection as part
of the preparation for the move from the old
Fisher Library in Maclaurin Hall.
Fifty years ago, a young Australian librarian then at Harvard University was appointed to the position
of Associate Librarian at the University of Sydney. Andrew Delbridge Osborn only stayed four years
but his legacy has been enduring.
Fearful for its safety,
Andrew Osborn hid it
among other books in
case of an overnight
robbery.
A small band of young librarians uncovered
a wealth of rare books. Some of these had
been donated by Sir Charles Nicholson,
first chancellor of the University. Some
were acquired from other donors or by
purchase over the previous hundred
years. A member of the search team, Neil
Radford, later became University Librarian
(198096). Neil was also on hand to greet
the Osborn family.
Andrew Osborns legacy is the continuing
quality of the library collection as well as
one of the most iconic library buildings in
Australia. Planning for the renovation of the
Fisher Library is underway to ensure that it
meets the needs of the University well into
the future. The renovation will preserve the
best original features of the building while
providing a range of learning and research
facilities.
Next year will mark the one hundredth
anniversary of the Fisher Library and its
former home, Maclaurin Hall. Celebrations
are planned for September 2009 that
will recognize the contributions made
by Andrew Osborn and others during
the foundation years of the University.
It will also be a time for celebrating the
contribution that the Library has made to
learning and research.
50th anniversary
JOHN SHIPP
The Newton is one of the great treasures in
the library collection in terms of its monetary,
knowledge and association value. It is widely
regarded as the most important book in the
history of science.
John Shipp, University Librarian
10 11
Below: First edition of Philosophiae naturalis principia mathematica published by
Isaac Newton in 1687.
Photos: Rhonda Myers
Below from left: The Osborn family Frank and Andy with his son Andrew and
grandson Myles. Top right: John Shipp and former University Librarian, Neil
Radford with Andy, Frank and Andrew Osborn.
university of sydney library | Discover - spring 2008
12
During July I co-presented with Dr. Sarah
Colley from the Department of Archaeology
at the sixth World Archaeological Congress
in Dublin. I visited EDINA, the UK JISC
national academic data centre based
at the University of Edinburgh, where I
gave a presentation about the University
of Sydney and Library activities, and
associated state and federal initiatives
regarding eResearch support. I also
visited the Digital Curation Centre, Oxford
eResearch Centre, and Kew Gardens. The
visits were intended to foster linkages
and gather information to inform Library
involvement in data management services
being planned for the University.
Some common themes ran through
discussions during the meetings. Data is
meaningless without context, such as how
it was collected or created, organisation,
ownership, rights and permissions.
Data documentation isnt just needed
for archiving, but for sharing amongst
members of research teams creating and
using data.
Researchers understand the need for
data management, but in a climate of
scarce resources, direct rewards for best
practice are lacking. Research shows that
researcher attitudes toward data sharing
vary greatly and barriers to sharing are
highest in disciplines where new data is
generated (as opposed to disciplines that
refine existing data).
Researchers often express a need for
assistance in developing data management
strategies. The Australian government
views universities as holding a key
responsibility for managing data created
by researchers. Government is providing
guidance through the Australian National
Data Service, though most work will
be undertaken by local agencies. There
are many barriers to take-up of data
services and service providers must build
knowledge, value and trust. In particular,
researchers need authoritative guidance
on intellectual property, consent and
anonymisation, and issues of access
management beyond the life of a project.
New roles are emerging for librarians and
archivists in this environment.
Alma Swan has done some outstanding
work for the Joint Information Systems
Committee (JISC) regarding the
classification of roles within the data
management lifecycle. As it becomes
easier to find and use datasets, the role
of the librarian is changing, from helping
researchers find and access existing
data sources to assisting with data
management.
Not all data needs to be kept, and
archivist expertise could assist researchers
to develop data retention and disposal
strategies. By working with researchers
ROWAN BROWNLEE the Librarys Digital Project Analyst reports back from his trip to some
of the leading data management organisations in the UK.
new roles
to develop documentation standards and
data formats, data archiving agencies may
dramatically reduce long-term archiving
costs, by minimising the number of
preservation interventions required over
time.
If an organisation wishes to develop
staff in data management support roles,
there are options for taking a general or
discipline-specific approach, with varying
implications regarding resources and
professional development. As an initial
step, data-aware Faculty Liaison Librarians
will play an important awareness-raising
role in discussing data management issues
with researchers.
The implementation of a data archiving
service (as opposed to a data storage
service), would require the acquisition
of sufficient domain-specific skills to
enable management of data submission
standards, to ensure preservation of
meaning, not simply storage of bits
and bytes. Within the University, robust
data management facilities might best
be supported through development of
partnerships between ICT (for technology
platforms), data scientists (for domain-
specific data management knowledge) and
librarians and archivists (for longer-term
access, search and discovery).

The full report is available at
http://escholarship.library.usyd.edu.au/
dpa/ukDataVisits.html
Graphics: Rebecca Goldsworthy
13
At the beginning of Semester 1, the Library launched a new suite
of short, fun, multimedia learning tools to support students to
learn essential information literacy skills. These skills are critical
in enabling individuals to become lifelong learners.
This initiative is supported by a TIES (the Universitys Teaching
Improvement and Equipment Scheme) grant with matched
funding from the Library. The tools were developed by a team
of approximately 20 staff who received specialist training in
elearning pedagogy.
Learning tools currently available are:
How to reference
Search smarter, search faster
Find that book!
Plagiarism and academic integrity
Finding items on your reading list
Todays students are generally techno-savvy and accustomed
to a wide variety media-rich online environments. To enhance
engagement and participation, the modules were designed to
information skills for life
be short (510 mins) and include the following elements where
appropriate:
real experiences through scenario-based learning
fun and interactive games and activities
feedback to students
humour
visually appealing graphics
Students were consulted during the development and testing
phase to ensure that the products would be appropriate and
useful.
The tools have received overwhelmingly positive feedback from
staff and students. Along with the modules, the online games
have also been popular. Bookshoot and Find that cheese had a
total of over 1500 user scores registered in about two months.
The iResearch suite can be found from a list of online help
resources offered by the Library at: www.library.usyd.edu.au/skills/
>> More learning tools are under development for next year. For more information
please contact: Southnary Tan, Project Coordinator. Email: s.tan@library.usyd.edu.au
iResearch
SOUTHNARY TAN
in data management
Researchers often
express a need for
assistance in developing
data management
strategies.
university of sydney library | Discover - spring 2008
new resources KAREN JOHNSON
digital library
14
Bibliographic Databases
Scopus the largest abstract and citation database of research
literature and quality web sources, covering more than 15,000
peer-reviewed journals from more than 4000 publishers.
Index Islamicus via CSA (1906) the leading bibliography
of publications on Islam and the Muslim world. Over 3000
journals are monitored for inclusion in the database, together with
conference proceedings, monographs, multi-authored works and
book reviews. Journals and books are indexed down to the article
and chapter level.
Multimedia Collections
Informit Media TVNews provides cross searchable indexing of
the major news stories, current affairs and documentary series
broadcast on Australian TV. Individual stories may be downloaded
to desktop in a compressed video format.
eBooks
In addition to purchasing individual titles from a range of scholarly
publishers, including Elsevier, Wiley, Blackwell and Oxford, the
Library has acquired the following significant eBook collections:
The making of modern law comprehensive full text access to
over 21,000 Anglo-American legal treatises from the nineteenth
and early twentieth centuries.
RSC eBook collection an expanding online reference library
containing more than 700 chemical science books published by
the Royal Society of Chemistry.
Lecture notes in computer science archive provides online
access to 1500 back volumes published between 1973 and
1996. We have also acquired the archives for Lecture Notes in
Mathematics and Lecture Notes in Physics.
AccessPharmacy a comprehensive resource for pharmacy
education, including leading pharmacy textbooks.
MDConsult dental collection expands our MDConsult Core
collection by integrating access to eight leading dental medicine
reference books, automatically updated with each new edition
www.mdconsult.com/php/about/107611640-2/pm_den1.html
CAB eBooks access over 400 titles published since 2000
covering agriculture, animal & veterinary sciences, environmental
sciences, human health, food & nutrition, leisure & tourism and
plant sciences.
Coming soon:
ACLS (American Council of Learned Societies) Humanities
E-BOOK collection will provide access to nearly 2000 scholarly
titles in the subject areas of history, archaeology, art history,
literature, musicology, political science, womens studies and
religion. A complete title list can be found at:
www.humanitiesebook.org/titlelist.html
The Library provides access to an expanding range of scholarly digital resources, including eBooks,
journals, citation/indexing tools, image databases and multimedia collections. These collections play a
major role in supporting the Universitys teaching, learning and research activities in an internationally
competitive market. They are conveniently available from your desktop 24/7 from anywhere in the
world. In 2007 over 4.5 million full text articles were downloaded up from 2.5 million articles in 2005.
The latest additions to our collection include:
15
Selected philosophy collections from the Past Masters series
including the works of J.L. Austin, Berkeley, Hegel, Peirce,
Sidgwick and Wittgenstein.
Primary Source Collections
Empire online over 60,000 images of manuscripts, maps etc
with contemporary thematic essays dealing with imperialism
14921969.
Defining gender five centuries of advice literature for men and
women, with online access to over 50,000 images of original
documents with introductory essays.
Medieval travel writing a collection of medieval manuscripts
dating from the 13th to 16th centuries, which have been
sourced from libraries across Europe, including the British Library
and the Bodleian. The collection is augmented by a range of
supplementary materials, translations and maps showing the
routes of the travellers.
New eJournals Packages
Chicago journals online access 41 titles in the University of
Chicago Press online journal collection.
SAGE journals online the Library has expanded its access to
SAGE full text journals with over 450 peer reviewed journal titles
now available online.
Chinese academic journals. F sub-series. Literature, history,
philosophy over 520 Chinese language journals published
in China in the areas of art and art theory, literature, history,
philosophy, archaeology, film/music studies and religion from
1994 onwards.
Digital Backfile Collections
Our digital backfile strategy aims to expand full text access to key
scholarly publications through the acquisition of major collections,
as funds become available. In addition to improving access to key
scholarly content, these digital acquisitions assist in containing
the expansion of our physical collections, allowing us to redeploy
library space to create exciting learning and study spaces. To date
we have acquired digital backfile collections equivalent to nearly
four kilometres of shelving. Our most recent acquisitions include:
Journal of fluid mechanics (195696)
Nature (195096)
Nature research journals (Nature biotechnology 198398,
Nature genetics 199298, Nature medicine 199598, Nature
structural & molecular biology 199498)
PsychiatryOnline (American Psychiatric Publishing, Inc Legacy
Collection)
Taylor & Francis Engineering, computing & technology archive
Taylor & Francis Geography, planning, urban & environment
archive
Wiley InterScience Earth & environmental sciences collection
Wiley InterScience Education collection
Wiley InterScience Communications technology, electrical &
systems engineering collection
Music Online
Classical scores library will contain over 400,000 pages of
classical scores including in-copyright material from Boosey
and Hawkes and selected material from the University Music
Editions microfilm series. The database covers the output of the
major composers, as well as many lesser known composers and
works, dating from the Renaissance through to the 21st century.
The collection provides a comprehensive range of score types,
including full scores, study scores, piano and vocal scores and
piano reductions.
Images courtesy of Medieval travel writing 2008 Adam Matthew Digital Ltd. All Rights Reserved.
university of sydney library | Discover - spring 2008
a generous gift supports Japanese
scholars
raimono taikei () 100 volumes
This is a collection of books on life in the pre-Meiji period. It
is an invaluable tool for Japanese pre-modern historians and
specialists in Japanese social history. The University of Sydney
Library is the only library in Australia that holds this title.
Edo jidai josei bunko () 100 volumes
This collection is about women and social life in Japan
between 1600 and 1868. It is an important primary source for
research on pre-modern Japanese women.
Academics from the Department of Japanese Studies are very
excited about these acquisitions and grateful for the generosity
of Neil Burns.
NANCY LI
1. Understanding the concept of social capital:
neoliberalism, social theory or neoliberal social
theory?
Spies-Butcher, Ben
2. Language contact and childrens bilingual
acquisition: learning a mixed language and Warlpiri
in northern Australia
OShannessy, Carmel Therese
3. Charles Webster Leadbeater 18541934: a
biographical study
Tillett, Gregory John
4 Charles Dickens and the role of legal institutions
in social and moral reform: Oliver Twist, Bleak
House, and Our Mutual Friend.
Swifte, Yasmine Gai
5. Investment manager characteristics, strategy and
fund performance.
Gallagher, David R
6. Jessie Tomlins: an Australian Army nurse World
War One
Rae, Ruth Lillian
7. Translation salience: a model of equivalence in
translation (Arabic/English)
Trotter, William
8. EOPAS, the EthnoER online representation of
interlinear text
Schroeter, Ronald and Thieberger, Nicholas
9. Mythos and Eros in Fin de Siecle Russia: Zinaida
Gippius sexual revolution
Hetherington, Philippa
10. The separation of early Christianity from
Judaism
Dacy, Marianne Josephine
the Sydney eScholarship Repository
>> http://ses.library.usyd.edu.au/ top ten hits
Two large multi-volume sets of reprints
of Japanese language publications
were purchased in May this year. The
purchase was supported by a generous
donation from Neil Burns, a member of
the Friends of the Library.
From left: Dr Matthew Stavros, Department of Japanese Studies; Neil Burns
and Dr Rebecca Suter, School of Languages and Cultures
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The volumes were written by Dugald Stewart
between 1792 and 1827. He was Professor of
Moral Philosophy at the University of Edinburgh
from 1785 to 1809. Stewart was influential in the
promotion of Scottish philosophical thinking during
the early 19th century.
The books were awarded to George John Lane in
1858 for his distinguished progress in Classics at
the University of Sydney. Lane was a promising
scholar who had been enrolled at the Queens
University of Ireland, Galway before emigrating
with his parents to Sydney. His academic career,
however, was short lived as he died of lung disease
in 1859.
The three volume set was discovered in the
Cornstalk Bookshop, Glebe by Chancellors
Committee member, Dr Peter Stanbury. Volume one
bears an inscription in Latin signed by Sir Charles
Nicholson as Provost or Chancellor of the University.
There is also a short eulogy contributed by John
Woolley, Professor of Classics and Principal of the
University.
Perhaps due to George Lanes untimely death, the
volumes are in good condition and represent an
important association with the foundation years of
the University. The generosity of the Chancellors
Committee is greatly appreciated.
Members of the Chancellors
Committee presented the
University Library with a copy of
the 1854 edition of Elements of
the philosophy of the human mind
on 21 October.
a gift from the Chancellors Committee
JOHN SHIPP
Top right: Lydia Bushell presents the 1854 edition
of Elements of the philosophy of the human mind to
John Shipp.
16 17
university of sydney library | Discover - spring 2008
When Dr Bill Nelson finished his Medical
degree at The University of Sydney, he
left for London. It was 1955 and back
then, if you wanted to further your
qualifications, this was simply the rite
of passage. Encouraged by his father,
Bill travelled overseas to commence
postgraduate study. Just before Bill left,
he received some fatherly advice: If you
do fall in love with someone over there
and decide to marry, make sure shes
either a Dane or a Scot.
Fast-forward close to 60 years and a
woman with a gentle demeanour and
lofty intellect asks me if I want sugar
with my coffee. She may have lived in
Australia for half a century but her accent
is unmistakable. Bill got lucky. Not only
was Sally Lorimer from the West of
Scotland, she was also a doctor, whom
he met whilst studying at the University
of London. The tragedy is that Bills dad
never had the chance to meet his future
daughter-in-law, as he passed away
while Bill was abroad.
Drs Bill and Sally Nelson
our friends
Walking through the Nelsons garden
in the Blue Mountains, Bills father
and Sallys beloved Scotland is never
far from the conversation. As Im led
through a botanical wonderland, Bill
and Sally tirelessly name and explain
each flower and plant. When the eighth
species of rhododendron is pointed out,
I become curious. Then Sally explains: I
am from rhododendron country. A rich
oil painting of Scotlands Loch Eck may
hang in her sitting room, but outside,
the lushness of her homeland is brought
to life.
Both Sally and Bill are devoted
Friends of the Library. A friendship
that developed when their daughter,
Dr Kathleen Nelson, was writing her
postdoctoral thesis on medieval liturgical
music, and found herself bunkered
down in Rare Books. From 199293,
Bill was President of the Friends of the
Library, and over the last 15 years,
the Nelsons have attended numerous
library events and generously supported
Still, Bill is quick to point out that Martin
only visits fortnightly. For a garden this
dense, diverse and ever-changing, this
must mean long hours and a lot of elbow
grease. As the Nelsons stroll leisurely
about their mountain sanctuary, calmly
pointing out this and that, its hard to
imagine them in the thick of it, ripping
out invading weeds and re-potting
rampant azaleas. But like everything
else theyve ever achieved, passion has
fuelled commitment.
a range of digitisation projects.
There is more to the garden than
rhododendrons. Flowers that resemble
miniature hooped petticoats pop up
through soil, there are various types
of orchid from a delicate native to a
sturdy slipper and on the table sits
a furry fingered cactus, looking like
something out of The Addams Family.
Then, down the side of the house, Bills
prize creation: his compost. So inspired
was he by Dame Elisabeth Murdochs
model, he took a photo then reproduced
it, making his own improvements by
inserting a circular airing vent in the
centre.
For the green thumbs concerned about
the labour involved, rest assured, Sally
and Bill do have a gardener Martin. He
helps with the compost, which eats up
much of the households kitchen scraps,
feeding it back into the garden and the
healthy flower beds; an explosion of
colour and controlled wilderness.
The Library values its Friends of the Library members. Their continuing interest and support
through contributions provide an additional and invaluable richness to the collection of this
great research library. REBECCA MESTON meets two of our best friends...
Opposite from left: Rhododendron
Saffron Queen; Acer palmatum cult.
dissectum; array of spectacular azaleas;
red tulips, Prunus serrata
Photos: Rhonda Myers
18 19
university of sydney library | Discover - spring 2008
Manager, Conservatorium Library
profiles
Manager, Conservatorium Library M
The Conservatorium Library has recently become a constituent
library of the University of Sydney Library and staff look forward
to challenges and changes in its new stable. Jonathan took up the
Library Manager position in May 2008 after having acted in the
position from October 2005 to December 2006. He is embarking
on this exciting development in his career to provide leadership at
the Conservatorium Library.
Jonathan started his library career at Macquarie University before
moving on to public libraries Gosford City Library and Stanton
Library, North Sydney. He studied for the Diploma in Library
and Information Sciences at Riverina CAE, renamed Riverina
Murray IHE, and finally Charles Sturt University. He rejoined
academic libraries at UNSW Library in 1990 where he worked
for eleven years. Jonathan has most recently worked at the
NSW Commission for Children and Young People (200108)
with his first taste of working for the NSW government and in
an organization in the challenging role as the sole information
professional. Now Jonathan takes up the baton and adds another
string to his bow in the area of music libraries, working at the
largest and oldest music conservatory in Australia.
Jonathan has an interest in and love for music, plays the piano,
goes to as many concerts as possible and is currently studying at
the Open Academy at the Conservatorium.
To contact Jonathan
Phone: 9351 1303 | Email: j.wood@library.usyd.edu.au
The main focus of Rajs role involves leading the corporate
services that support the management of the Library and its
business operations. These services include executive portfolio
support, administration, facilities management, building projects,
marketing and communication, planning and web services.
The Library Corporate Services Team provides the essential
infrastructure to support and enable the other units to function
effectively, taking the Library forward in its business, marketing
and planning activities and developing services for teaching,
learning and research.
Raj has several years experience in the field of information
services and management, systems administration and web
services. Prior to his current role, Raj worked at the University of
New South Wales where he was the Frank Lowy Librarian at the
Frank Lowy Library, Australian School of Business. Before this,
he worked as the Library Manager for one of the Central Northern
Libraries (NSW) and as the Head of Reader and Electronic
Services at the University of the South Pacific (Fiji).
Raj graduated from the University of the South Pacific with
a degree in Mathematics and Physics, and later received his
Masters degree in Library and Information Studies from the
University of London.
To contact Raj
Phone: 9351 2888 | Email: r.saxena@library.usyd.edu.au
Manager, Library Corporate Services
Raj Saxena Jonathan Wood
20
Three SUP titles have been nominated
or won awards in the past year. In April,
Lucy Osburn, a lady displaced: Florence
Nightingales envoy to Australia by Dr
Judith Godden, was shortlisted for the
National Biography Award. The judges
called it a labour of love.
In August 2007, Wurrurrumi Kun-Borrk
by Kevin Djimarr won the traditional
music award at the Northern Territorys
Indigenous Music Awards. Wurrurrumi is
our first mixed-media work, said SUPs
Susan Murray-Smith. Its a music CD with
a booklet containing the Indigenous lyrics,
English translations, and commentary
about the meaning of the songs in the
culture of Western Arnhem Land.
Sydney University Press
works have been earning
accolades for originality,
research quality and
design.
21
Limits of location: creating a colony
caught the eye of the judges of the
NIPPA Awards, where it won best
digital print. Limits of location shows
that beautiful books are possible with
digital printing said Susan. Limits of
location was written, edited and designed
by members of the Independent Scholars
Association of Australia to commemorate
the centenary of the bequest of David Scott
Mitchell. The Mitchell Library provided
stunning images for the book, and the
University Publishing Service did a great
job with the printing.
As a small publisher, we dont have the
marketing reach or budget of the big
publishers in Australia. So its great when
there is recognition for a book that were
really happy with, and wish more people
knew about she said.
SUP treads
the red
carpet
Dr Judith Godden (left) and Susan Murray-Smith
Photo: Murray Henwood
university of sydney library | Discover - spring 2008
In February the Library hosted a seminar by
Kevin Stranack from Simon Fraser University
and the Public Knowledge Project (PKP) on
the topic of Open Journal (OJS) and Open
Conference Systems (OCS) as well as the latest
developments of the PKP. Stranack visited
Australia courtesy of APSR, the Australian
Partnership for Sustainable Repositories.
The University is in the process of
adopting the OCS as part of its conference
support service. The service will integrate
the Universitys finance system, Events Pro
conference support software and OCS to
form a one-stop-shop for anyone managing
a conference. The Library through Sydney
University Press will manage the publication
of proceedings. A copy of the presentation is
archived in the Sydney eScholarship Repository:
http://hdl.handle.net/2123/2319
STEN CHRISTENSEN
22 April: Contemporary female writers Anyi
Wang (above), Wenjun Qin, Danyan Chen,
Yuanmin Xiao and Shu Xue from Shanghai
visited the Library, The group led by Wang,
a professor in Chinese literature from Fudan
University and Vice-President of the China
Writers Association presented some of their
publications to the Library. A popular writer in
China, Wang has written and published more
than 100 novels. Many have been translated
into other languages and some made into
movies Temptress Moon, Everlasting Regret,
and Mini.
Xiaohua Liu from the Australia China Book
Shop in Chinatown, and Xinhua Wu from the
Shanghai Foreign Books Trading Company
also presented publications on behalf of the
Shanghai Bureau of Media and Publishing.
The group were impressed by the
volume of Chinese language materials the
Library holds and happy to see some of their
publications in the catalogue. The writers also
had an opportunity to exchange ideas with Dr.
Yiyan Wang, from the Department of Chinese
Studies.
NANCY LI
29 July: Hester Mountifield, Assistant
University Librarian (Information Commons
& Learning Services), University of Auckland
is responsible for the University of Auckland
Librarys Information Commons services
providing support to students on three
campuses. Information literacy is another of
Hesters portfolios and the Learning Services
Team provides system-wide leadership and
support in all aspects of information skills
training. Members of the team work as
instructional designers and assist Liaison
Librarians in their information literacy
initiatives. They are moving towards a Web
2.0 foundation for delivery of these services.
Hester gave a presentation to Library staff
in Fisher Library highlighting her teams
successes and progress.
RHONDA MYERS
Pauline McLeod Awards for Reconciliation -
Reconciliation Week Art Competition 2008
The competition titled Reconciliation in Our
Neighbourhood aims to raise awareness
of the importance of reconciliation and
encourage childrens consideration and
expression of what reconciliation means for
them. Artworks displayed at the various sites
across the University were taken from entries
from 22 Sydney schools. Coordinated by
Carla McGrath, Waverly Council, a selection
of works were displayed 29 August to 29
September in the SciTech Library. View the
artworks online at:
www.library.usyd.edu.au/about/whatsnew/
reconciliation/gallery/index.html
Liturgy and the Word: the role of books in
Western religion
As literacy spread among new sections of
society during the late Middle Ages and the
purchasing power of the laity increased,
patronage of books of personal devotion began
to flourish. Books of individual prayer, the
richly illuminated books which we now call
Books of Hours, as well as guides to devout
living such as the Biblia Pauperum and the
Ars Moriendi grew in popularity.
This exhibition, drawn from Rare Books
and Special Collections, brings together
examples of some of the works that were
available for use, study and contemplation
throughout this period.
When: Until Thursday 13 November
Its only natural: the history of ecology
Inspired by illustrations of creatures from
new worlds, natural history texts have fired
imaginations for hundreds of years.
Its only natural uses the University of
Sydneys Rare Books and Special Collections
to track the emergence of ecology as a
scientific discipline from its foundations in
natural history.
When: 17 November 2008 to 30 April 2009
The art of the private press
Rare Books and Special Collections collects
books published by Australian private presses
with the assistance of Friends of the Library. A
selection of these limited edition works are on
display in the main corridors on levels 2 and 3
of Fisher Library.
When: Until the end of October.
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14 April: Poet, Les Murray, read from his
2005 edited anthology, Hell and After: Four
early English language poets of Australia in
Fisher Library. Organised by Sue Butler, from
the Macquarie Dictionary, Murray introduced
early poetry by the likes of Francis McNamara,
Mary Gilmore, John Shaw Neilson and Lesbia
Harford, and read their work, evoking the
characters and rhythms of an earlier Australia,
and the poets rugged passions, humour and
non-elitist style of verse.
Having known Les for years due to
a mutual interest in poetry, Sue Butlers
connection was further enhanced when she
discovered his family was connected to James
Murray of Oxford English Dictionary fame.
From then on he started sending her postcards
with some item of interest in the dictionary.
Les loves words, says Sue. He loves their
histories and is a fund of knowledge on all
sorts of curious matters and in particular on
Australian history and literature.
Murrays poetry reading is available at:
www.themonthly.com.au/tm/video
REBECCA MESTON
The Heart of Medicine
Portraits by Simon Fieldhouse
20 October to 20 November 2008
A collection of 34 portraits of key Faculty
of Medicine staff by the Sydney artist,
was commenced in conjunction with the
Facultys 150th anniversary celebrations
in 2006. Fieldhouse produced a series of
psychological portraits and has generously
depicted some of the quirky individualism of
these subjects whilst playfully paying homage
to the history of medicine.
Where: Level 2 corridor, Fisher Library
The photography of Professor John Smith
185580
21 November 2008 to 31 January 2009
Smith was Foundation Dean of the Faculty
of Medicine in 1856. He was also an early
Australian photographer and one of his
lasting memorials to the University is an
extensive collection of historic photographs
of the University and Sydney surrounds. This
exhibition shows his broad reaching interest
in photographic technique and subject and
beautifully document Smiths view of mid
19th century social life, architecture and our
colonial landscape.
Where: Level 2 corridor, Fisher Library
Genji The world of the Shining Prince
12 December 2008 to 15 February 2009
Art Gallery of NSW
12 volumes of rare Japanese books from the
Librarys East Asian Collection will be on display
in the Art Gallery of New South Wales as part
of the forthcoming exhibition Envisioning the
world of the Shining Prince The Tale of Genji
in Japanese arts to celebrate the 1000th
anniversary of the famous Japanese romance
novel The Tale of Genji. Written in the early
11th century by a lady of court, Murasaki
Shikibu, the story tells the life and loves of
a prince known by his family name as The
Shining Genji.
Draft Campus 2020 MasterPlan
The Masterplan outlines a set of principles to
guide future campus developments for a more
unified University environment and a better
campus experience for students, staff and the
local community.
The Draft Campus 2020 Masterplan
includes suggestions for restoration and
adaptation of heritage buildings, the removal
of ageing and intrusive buildings, the creation
of green space, vistas and pedestrian pathways
across the campus. It presents a vision for a
University campus which is:
Environmentally Responsible
Open to the Community
Respecting Heritage
The MasterPlan was displayed in the
Fisher Library foyer in September and is
currently on display in the SciTech Library,
Level 1 Jane Foss Russell Building, 160 City
Rd, Darlington.
Visit the Campus 2020 website for more
information:
www.usyd.edu.au/campus_2020
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Rare Books and Special Collections
Level 2, Fisher Library
Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm
www.library.usyd.edu.au/libraries/rare
July: The Library, together with the Centre for
Medieval Studies was host to an international
symposium entitled Cathedral, Court, City and
Cloister: Spanish liturgical music manuscripts
at the University of Sydney Library and their
international contexts which was attended by
speakers and delegates from not only Australia
but also Spain and the United States.
Convened by Jane Morlet Hardie, (Centre
for Medieval Studies), above, and Neil Boness,
(Rare Books Librarian), the symposium was
the vehicle for the presentation of the Sydney
collection which was coordinated over the last
eight years and is at the Centre of a major
research project to an international audience.
A highlight of the program was a concert
performed by the Singers of St Laurence which
showcased music from the manuscripts in the
Sydney collection. The concert was funded by
the Instituto Cervantes.
The proceedings of the Symposium are
due to be published in 2009.
NEIL BONESS
Muromachi Genji kocho no maki 1864
Artist Utagawa Kunisada
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July and August
Rare Science Isaac Newtons own annotated
copy of the first edition of his Philosophie
Naturalis Pricipia Mathematica (1687),
pictured above with Dr Karl Kruszelnicki, was
the centre piece of two functions held in the
Rare Books Library by the Science Foundation
of Physics. Benefactors of the Foundation
were able to see, hear about, and touch many
15th, 16th and 17th century works that
formed the foundations of modern science.
The display included works by Newton,
Copernicus, Galileo, Franklin and Harvey.
ROSS COLEMAN
Professor Bill Webster, Histology & Anatomy
22
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university of sydney library | Discover - spring 2008 university of sydney library | Discover - spring 2008
24
Former Librarian of the University of Sydney, Harrison
Bryan, died on Tuesday, 12 February 2008 after suffering
a stroke. Harry had been in ill health for some time.
During a very long career, Harry was University Librarian
at Queensland (195063) and Sydney (196380) as
well as being Director-General of the National Library
(198085).
Harry will be remembered for the passion with which he
approached life and his interest in a broad range of issues
including education, librarianship, naval history and
printing. Harry was something of an expert on the novels
of C. S. Forester that featured Horatio Hornblower.
Harry was made an Officer of the Order of Australia in
1984 and was awarded honorary doctorates from Sydney,
Monash and Queensland. In addition to being a Fellow
of the Library Association of Australia, Harry was also a
Fellow of the Australian Academy of the Social Sciences.
During his reign at the National Library of Australia,
Harry provided a period of calm after the turbulence of
his predecessor. It was during Harrys sovereinty that the
Australian Bibliographic Network was established. ABN
provided the foundation for online library services to the
nation.
Harry could be feisty when the occasion warranted
but he was also very generous in his support and
encouragement of friends, staff and colleagues. He never
hesitated to express his views and was an effective
advocate of librarians and librarianship. His academic
prowess, his innate common sense and his force of
personality gained him a respect from which his many
successors have benefited. He will be missed by those
who knew and admired him.
John Shipp
Harrison Bryan (1923-2008)
Congratulations go to our colleague Dr Marianne
Dacy, a Sister of Our Lady of Sion and secretary of
the Australian Council of Christians and Jews, for the
publication of her book Let Us Rejoice: The Jewish
Foundations of Christian Feasts.
The book explores the origins of several important
Christian feasts. It shows how food, joy, memory,
mystery and other experiences of ordinary life are
foundational for Jewish and Christian celebrations.
Let Us Rejoice: The Jewish Foundations of Christian
Feasts.
ISBN 978-1-921538-01-8
The book will be available from Lumino Press:
www.luminopress.com.au/
The Librarys online quiz
attracted large numbers of
entries during O-Week. The
three competition winners
were delighted with their iPod
prize.
Winners pictured from top:
Vicky Calleja, first year student
Bachelor of Design Computing;
Feilong Xu, first year student
Bachelor of Economics and
Peta Greenfield, continuing
her PhD studies in Ancient
History.
Dr Marianne Dacy
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SchoolsLink Program
www.library.usyd.edu.au
Year 11 and 12 secondary school
students are eligible to borrow from
the University of Sydney Library.
For information on the SchoolsLink Program visit:
www.library.usyd.edu.au/borrowing/cards.html#school
Libraries 14
Campuses 9
Database searches 2.9 million
(January to August)
ebooks 325,000
ejournal titles 67,000
Visits to the new 305,000
SciTech Library (in 3 months)
Visits to the iResearch website 33,000
(March to September) see page 13
Visits to the Information Skills 30,000
website (March to September)
fast facts: 2008
25
university of sydney library | Discover - spring 2008
join us
We welcome new members! Contact us
for a membership form.
Phone: 9351 7266 or
Email: r.myers@library.usyd.edu.au or
print a copy from the Friends website:
www.library.usyd.edu.au/about/friends
If you would like more information
on Friends activities or details about
making a bequest or donation to the
Library, please contact:
Ross Coleman
Secretary of the Friends
Phone: 9351 3352 or Email:
r.coleman@library.usyd.edu.au
founded 1961
friends of the library
find out
This generation will soon pass away but the torch of learning will be handed down by
the influence of this great library to generation after generation of Australian scholars
Sir Normand MacLaurin, Chancellor, on the opening of the old Fisher Library in 1909.
A day in the life of the
City Historian
27 26
Sir Robert Robinson (18861975) was appointed as the first
Professor of Pure and Applied Organic Chemistry at the University
of Sydney in 1912. Robinson, then Waynflete Professor of
Chemistry at Oxford, was awarded the 1947 Nobel Prize in
Chemistry for his work on plant products of biological importance,
especially the alkaloids.
Robinsons long and illustrious career is well represented in the
collection. Apart from the Nobel Prize Certificate, the collection
includes the Copley Medal Award Certificate (1942), the Order of
Merit Certificate from King George VI (1949), as well as several
other awards and testaments to his achievements.
Professor Sir John Cornforth, Australias only other chemistry
Nobel Laureate (1975) and a graduate and University Medallist
from the University of Sydney was a graduate student of Robinson
at Oxford.
The collection will be housed in the Rare Books Library and will
be exhibited in conjunction with the School of Chemistry.
The purchase of this collection would not have been possible
without the Lillie Bequest.
Above: With Ross Coleman (left), the collection was presented to the Library
by Mr Alan Newton, vendor of the collection, during a visit to Australia.
Recognising a Nobel Laureate
ROSS COLEMAN
The Nobel Prize Certificate of Sir Robert Robinson was the centrepiece of a collection of
documents, awards and papers recently purchased by the Library with funds from the
Leslie Lillie Bequest.
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26 June The Friends of the Library
organised a lunch with Dr Shirley
Fitzgerald at the Womens College.
Employed by The City of Sydney, Dr
Fitzgerald talked about a day in the
life of a City Historian. One of the
joys of the job, said Fitzgerald, was
discovering connections with the
richness of the city. She also noted
that when it came to people finding out
about their history, the library was still
the first place they visited.
The secret Vatican
documents on the Trials of
the Knights Templar
22 September At a Friends function
held in the Rare Books and Special
Collections foyer in Fisher Library,
Associate Professor of Medieval Studies,
John Pryor discussed the significance
of these controversial documents,
recently released in a limited edition
facsimile. The University of Sydney
Library has purchased a copy of these
manuscripts. For more information about
the documents see the article on page 8.
Pryors lecture is available at:
www.library.usyd.edu.au/about/friends/
ProcessusNewsletter.pdf
The Annual General Meeting was held 22 September.
Committee members for 200809 are
Professor Nerida Newbigin, President
Debra Perik, Vice President
Ross Coleman, Honorary Secretary
Neil Boness, Honorary Treasurer
Dr Neil Radford, Patron
Members:
Su Hanfling, Professor Ian Jack, Rhonda Myers, Barbara
Palmer, John Shipp (ex officio)
University of Sydney and the Mitchell Library
The Sydney University Arts Association; The Friends of The
University of Sydney Library and the School of Philosophical
and Historical Inquiry invite you to a special lecture by Emeritus
Professor Brian Fletcher, Department of History.
Tuesday 11 November
5:30 for 6:00 to 7:30pm
Lecture Theatre N395
Woolley Building, Science Road
The University of Sydney
The lecture will be preceded from 5:30pm by a reception in the
Woolley Common Room. All are invited to attend. There is no
charge. For more information visit the website:
www.library.usyd.edu.au/about/friends/friendsnewsevents.html
diary
agm
SYDNEY UNIVERSITY PRESS
new releases
For more information and phone orders contact Sydney University Press
Email: info@sup.usyd.edu.au | Phone: +61 2 9036 69958 | Web: www.sup.usyd.edu.au/
SUP was re-established in 2003 to enable innovative digital and print publishing solutions. SUP offers print-on-demand works across all areas of scholarship
and research. Books can be purchased via the website.
www. s up. us y d. e du. au
Young offenders on community
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by Dianna Kenny and Paul Nelson
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Privatisation: sell off or sell out?
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Future directions in literacy:
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Edited by Alyson Simpson
ISBN: 9781920898779
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Lectures on Modern Philosophy:
Hume, Reid and James 1932-35
by John Anderson
Edited by Creagh McLean Cole
ISBN: 9781920898861
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Copyright law, digital content and
the Internet in the Asia Pacific
Edited by Brian Fitzgerald,
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Xiaoxiang Sampsung Shi
ISBN: 9781920898724
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Sport in the lives of young
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by Richard Light
ISBN: 9781920898908
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