Blessed Collections Newsletter of the Collections of Faith Traditions Special Interest Group (COFTSIG) of the Australian Society of Archivists Inc

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1 ISSN (Print) ISSN (Online) Blessed Collections Newsletter of the Collections of Faith Traditions Special Interest Group (COFTSIG) of the Australian Society of Archivists Inc Number 22 June 2014 Contents From the convenor 2 Retirements 2 Introducing the COFTSIG 3 Committee for 2013/14 3 Annual service for archivists and archives 4 Report for Western Australian colleagues 4 Dates for your Diary 5 Blessed Collections, Number 22 Welcome to Blessed Collections, Number 22. This issue of our newsletter is the first for our SIG under the new title of Collections of Faith Traditions. The change of name was endorsed by the SIG AGM held in October 2013 and had subsequently been approved by ASA Council. We hope it will encourage a new dimension of interest in our SIG and broaden the scope of our activities. We hope you enjoy reading this issue of our newsletter. Denis Connor Newsletter Editor From the Convenor Greetings to all,

2 Page 2 The year is moving quickly as life has been very busy as usual. The first thing on my mind is the new Australian Privacy Reforms implemented on March 12. These Australian Privacy Principles (APP s) apply to anyone who collects personal information about another person. There have been workshops around on this topic. If you are not conversant, I suggest you make enquiries with at least Mr Google. We are beginning to make inquiries about who maybe going to the Annual Conference at Christchurch and if anyone has any contacts over there. I have made some initial contacts but nothing positive in response so far. Here at Sydney Archdiocese we have been busy as the result of the move to a purpose-built new archives. I suppose one day someone will write some advice for this situation. I asked someone I know and her advice to me was tie every box. We did and it is invaluable information, time consuming but sound and beneficial. I do have contacts from people seeking advice as to how to employ an archivist, and what to do with a collection, which is reassuring as to the benefit of our existence. But most of all it is the network out there that we know we can turn to if in need. Thank you all and look forward to catching up again. Sincerely Pauline Garland Convener COFTSIG Retirements The last year has seen the retirement of two experienced archivists and long serving Adelaide-based members of our SIG Lyall Kupke, of the Lutheran Church Archives, Adelaide, and Sue Ryan, who had been the archivist with the Catholic Archdiocese of Adelaide. We congratulate both Lyall and Sue on their retirements and send them many good wishes. Introducing the Collections of Faith Traditions Special Interest Group At its Annual General Meeting for 2013, held in Canberra on 15 October 2013, the Religious Collections SIG agreed to a change of name to the Collections of Faith Traditions SIG (or COFTSIG). Members in attendance approved two motions relating to the change; the first to agree to the proposed new name for the SIG, and the second to approve the necessary changes to the SIG Rules that would give effect to the change of name. The ASA Council has subsequently given its approval to the name change. Motivation for the change of name grew from discussions between SIG members and religious collections archivists from overseas, who were visiting Brisbane for the ICA Congress August The ICA section relating to religious collections (the SKR) had begun using the term faith traditions to encompass its area of interest rather than the terms religious or religions as a means of widening its focus. Faith traditions was considered a more inclusive term, and more likely to

3 Page 3 encourage participation by a broader range of archivists (including those caring for collections from non-christian traditions). When this was discussed at the 2012 AGM members encouraged the SIG committee to investigate what would be required for the SIG to also adopt faith traditions into its name. Committee for 2013/14 The Annual General Meeting last August selected the following Convenor and Committee for 2013/14 Convenor: Pauline Garland (Catholic Archdiocese of Sydney) pauline.garland@sydneycatholic.org Secretary / Newsletter Editor: Denis Connor (Catholic Archdiocese of Canberra and Goulburn) archive@cg.catholic.org.au Committee: Sheena Hesse (Uniting Church, Perth) archiveswa@wa.uca.org.au Rachel Kuchel (Lutheran Church, Adelaide) Rachel.kuckel@lca.org.au Sue Laidlaw (Anglican Diocese, Brisbane and Sisters of Mercy, Brisbane) slaidlaw@anglicanbrisbane.org.au Suzanne Ryan (Adelaide) sue.ryan@internode.on.net Annual service for archivists and archives in Sydney Pauline Garland has provided a brief report on a church service she attended earlier in 2014 to support the work of archivists and archival collections. The service sponsored by the Presbyterian and Uniting Churches was held at Scots Presbyterian Church, Margaret Street, Sydney on Thursday 13 February It was the 10 th Annual Service of Thanksgiving for the Shared Heritage of the Presbyterian and Uniting Churches of New South Wales, and of the Dedication of all Involved in Historical and Archival Activities and Those who Support Them in Their Vocation. The Service was conducted by Rev Dr Iain Barclay MBE TD FRSA. Guest speaker for 2014 was Emeritus Professor Kim Oates, Christian Paediatrician and authority on child care and protection. Professor Oates address was on the topic Child Protection: Past, Present and Future.

4 Page 4 The photograph shows Dr Barclay addressing the assembled congregation, which included ASA members Pauline Garland, Carol Anderson, David Roberts and Brother Bill Shaw. Report from Western Australian colleagues Our group of Archivists continues to grow. We now have 20 on our mailing list and 12 gathered on Tuesday the 25 February at Swanleigh the home of the Anglican Archives in WA and we were given the grand tour. Swanleigh started out as The Perth Boys orphanage which opened in Perth in 1869 and in 1876 moved to Middle Swan and into Brown House where the archives are currently located. When the boys arrived it became known as Swan Boys Orphanage and stayed that way until The girls moved to Middle Swan in 1942 and the name was changed to Swan Homes. In 1957 the name changed to Swanleigh. In 1959 Swanleigh stopped being an orphanage or home and became a hostel for country students (though State wards continued to be received until the doors were closed in 2010). From 2010 Swanleigh became a dedicated camps and conference facility for the Anglican Church. It also hosts two other Diocesan departments Property and Archives. A discussion was held in regard to our group becoming a Faith Traditions SIG in Western Australia. A number of points were raised and it was decided that we would consider all the points raised and when we meet again in three months we will take a vote on our way forward. We heard from Shruti Angepat from Mercy Care about the enormous amount of badly stored records they are dealing with and the frustration of lack of storage and work space. Dr Debra Rosser provided us with an update on the Find and Connect website which may be closing if further funding is not available. We were encouraged to send messages of support for the site. It was also suggested that feedback should be about how the site has helped our clients in their searches. Sheena Hesse Uniting Church Archives, Western Australia Dates for your diary 2014

5 Page 5 29 September 3 October 2014 (Monday to Friday). Joint ARANZ / ASA Conference Connecting: Past, Present and Future, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand with Tuesday 30 September from 9.00 am being allocated for SIG meetings with the ARANZ at 1.30 pm and the ASA AGM at 2.30 pm. Later years We have been advised that the ASA conference in 2015 will be held in the city of Hobart, Tasmania. We would very much like to hear from archivists working with faith traditions collections located based in that city who would be able to host the SIG meeting, and perhaps be able to provide a facility tour.