Historical resources inform the future

‘Through the generosity of Jim Main’s bequest we have been able to purchase historical items, as well as enriching our collection with new digital resources such as eBooks,’ says Flinders University Associate Librarian Liz Walkley Hall.

This includes the addition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander voices and historical perspectives published in recent years, such as an Australian Indigenous collection containing 841 eBook titles.

‘With online resources providing increased access, students and researchers can engage with this content in new and exciting ways,’ says Liz.
An earlier item purchased through the Jim Main bequest includes The Australian Sketchbook, pictured, by Samuel Thomas Gill (1818-1880), published in 1865 by Hamel & Ferguson in Melbourne.

‘The book includes 25 chromolithographs providing rare insights into early colonial life in Australia, including Aboriginal ceremony,’ says Liz. ‘At nearly 150 years old, it is extraordinary to have this sketchbook in the Library.’

‘Jim Main’s bequest has provided the Flinders community with phenomenal assets that will support research and education into the future.’

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^{Published March 2023. Author: Lynda Allen.}