Speaking at the State Library, Treasurer Kim Wells said the archive chronicles the insurance industry in Australia from 1833 to 1970 and is a boon for researchers and historians.

‘This generous gift continues the great tradition of philanthropy in this state and marks a new chapter in the story of our State Library. The archive is a nationally significant part of our collective history and heritage and I thank Suncorp for its generosity and foresight in donating it to the people of Victoria.’

John Cain, President of the Library Board of Victoria received the archive on the Library’s behalf.

‘The more than 3,000 items in this archive provide a remarkable and detailed insight into the life and times – particularly the hard times – of generations of Australians.

Anyone who thinks insurance archives are boring doesn’t understand what a valuable historical resource they are.  This archive tells the story of Australia through a unique lens. It is the story of loss and renewal that is so much a part of life in Australia.

The Kelly gang story comes to its tragic conclusion in these papers. The story of the 1889 ‘Georges’ fire that destroyed the Melbourne retail icon is here; our many natural disasters are detailed in clinical but often heartbreaking detail and thousands of other less well known events that make up the mosaic of our national history.’

Suncorp Group CEO Patrick Snowball said the archive demonstrated the important role insurance companies have played in protecting private and business property in Australia since the early 1800s.

‘It is fascinating to look at these records and see how many Australians, in so many ways, have used insurance to protect their possessions, livelihoods and families. We are delighted to donate this important archive to the State Library of Victoria so that everyone can explore it for themselves.’

Interesting documents and objects from the archive.

Policy Certificate: George Walter Cartwright (1833)

Possibly the oldest surviving insurance policy certificate issued in Australia.

George Cartwright (b 1792-1866) was the first formally trained lawyer to migrate from England, in 1820. He and Hugh Cokely Ross formed the first legal partnership in 1823. He married Sarah Ann ALVIREZ in 1826 in Hobart. They had nine children.

Derwent and Tamar Fire Assurance Policy Register (1838-1843)

Derwent and Tamar was formed in Hobart in 1838 and is regarded as the first Australian originated insurance company. Royal Insurance acquired Derwent and Tamar and London and Lancashire Group in 1961. The archive contains handwritten entries for the first fire covers offered by the company.

Derwent and Tamar Fire Mark circa. 1850

The copper sheeting ‘trademark’ or fire mark of the Derwent and Tamar Fire, Life and Marine Assurance Company was affixed to properties to indicate they were insured by Derwent and Tamar and protected by their private fire fighters before the formation of the Hobart Fire Brigade in 1883.

Isaac Wood correspondence (1846-47): First consumer complaint in financial services

Contains correspondence between Isaac Wood to Samuel Moore (Agent for Australasian Colonial and General Life Assurance and Annuity Co). A letter dated 13 July 1847 makes two suggestions for improvement:

1. Suggests that claim moneys be made available locally rather than have to wait 12 months from England.

2. Suggests higher prominence to clauses that voids claims where death is caused by an ‘Aboriginal native’. Suggests that the existence of a clause that inhibits Perth based people like Wood insuring. Policy clause inserted following Gellibrand disappearance in 183os. Note on envelope suggests Perth suburb of Woodlands named after Isaac Wood.

Minute Book: Colonial Mutual Fire Insurance Co Limited: Board Minute Book 1878-1880 re Ned Kelly Pub fire

Contains a report on the Ned Kelly siege at Glenrowan and destruction of the Glenrowan Inn operated by Mrs Ann Jones. The claim shows £100 was paid with a request for reimbursement forwarded to Victorian colonial Chief Secretary.

Fire Loss: George & George and WH Glen (1889)

Contains two claims. George and George: Federal Emporium (later ‘Georges’ upmarket department store) and adjoining property WH Glen. A fireman was killed in fire. The insured sum of £2000 was pounds exhausted. The archive contains the George and George policy certificate, claim declaration and assessor reports on both fires.

RACV Pool Agreement (1933)

Contract between Automobile Association and AA of Victoria Pty Ltd and Club Motor Insurance Agency dated 30/1/1934; The Accident Underwriters Association of Victoria: RACV Pool Agreement dated 30/1/1934. The cartel agreement was the genesis of AAMI Insurance.

Glenrowan Inn fire claim documents, 1880

Ms Roberts comes to the role with 15 years’ experience in strategic library leadership in the UK and New Zealand. She relocated to Melbourne from Wellington, where she has been University Librarian at Victoria University since 2007, and served as Chair of the Council of New Zealand University Librarians and Director of the Library Consortium of New Zealand.

A published author and leading thinker on the changing role of libraries, Ms Roberts’s previous positions include Dean of Learning Services at Edge Hill University in the UK and the Director of SOLSTICE, a national centre for excellence in online learning.

John Cain, President of the Library Board of Victoria, said Sue Roberts is well known in the international library community as one of the dynamic breed of young library leaders who are transforming the industry to face the challenges of the 21st-century.

‘The State Library of Victoria has already positioned itself among the leading libraries in the world in tackling these challenges, and Sue’s appointment marks an exciting new phase in the Library’s ongoing transformation,’ he said.

Ms Roberts said she welcomed the challenge of leading such a vibrant and iconic institution.

‘The State Library of Victoria stands as one of the world’s great libraries. Its rich collections contain many touchstones of Australia’s history. It is amongst Victoria’s busiest cultural institutions – there can be no denying people’s hunger to use it in many different ways, both physically and online.

The Library landscape has changed radically in the past decade and continues to evolve at an amazing pace. Being a part of that change and leading this wonderful institution into the future is exciting and inspiring.’

The State Library of Victoria is the oldest public library in Australia and the most visited of all state libraries with more than 1.54 million visitors last year. More than 280,000 items from the Library’s extensive collection have been digitised and made available online, and popular travelling programs have opened up access to the Library’s collection by touring treasured items to regional and remote areas.

Sue Roberts, CEO and State Librarian. Photo Andrew Lloyd.

• Onsite Heritage Collections items (manuscripts, rare books, pictures and maps) must be ordered by 3pm Tuesday 24 April.

• For books, newspapers and journals from off-site storage order by 5.30pm on Monday 23 April. Offsite Heritage Collections items(manuscripts, rare books, pictures and maps) must be ordered by 3pm that day.

Online orders for books and journals stored at the Swanston Street site are not affected by the holiday.

Mr Tulk cafe will close on Anzac Day.

You can learn more about the the State Library’s World War 1 and Anzac collections here.

Soldiers taking cover in trench, T. P. Bennett, 1915

During this period you may still access many digitised collection items and online resources via our website.

The Library will be open on Saturday 7 to Monday 9 April inclusive from 10am to 6pm.  Our exhibition galleries will open from 10am and close at 5pm.

Normal hours resume on Tuesday 10 April.

Please note that requests for items from storage will be affected as follows:

• You may place online orders for books stored at the Swanston Street site to be delivered on all days apart from Friday 6 April when we will be closed.

• Onsite Heritage Collections items (manuscripts, rare books, maps and pictures) for use on Saturday 7 to Monday 9 April inclusive must be ordered by 3pm Thursday 5 April.

• If you are ordering books, newspapers and journals from off-site storage to use on Saturday 7 to Monday 9 April inclusive, please order them by 5.30pm on Wednesday 4 April. Offsite Heritage Collections items (manuscripts, rare books, maps and pictures) must by ordered by 3pm that day.

Mr Tulk cafe will be closed Friday 6 April and reopen on Tuesday 10 April. Readings Bookshop at the State Library will be closed  Friday 6 April and reopen Saturday 7 April.

We wish you a happy Easter.

Freda & Raeburn Griffith’s puppet Easter puppet show at Myers, Melbourne, 1954.

Love and Devotion: From Persia and Beyond, an exhibition developed by the State Library of Victoria in partnership with the Bodleian Libraries, University of Oxford, features more than 60 rare Persian, Mughal Indian and Ottoman Turkish illustrated manuscripts from the 13th to 18th century, as well as, editions of European literature, travel books and maps.

These visually stunning, handmade works come from one of the richest periods in the history of the book and give a fascinating insight into the great artistic and literary culture of Persia and its timeless stories.

The exhibition showcases classic Persian tales and reveals the extent to which Persian language and culture spread into neighbouring empires as well as parallels in the work of European writers dating back to Shakespeare, Chaucer and Dante.

Sue Hamilton, Acting CEO and State Librarian said the exhibition will show rare and fragile works that have never travelled to Australia before.

‘Poetry is one of the highest achievements of Persian literature.  These manuscripts were once counted among the treasured possessions of Persian princes and Mughal emperors. They combine Persian culture, art and storytelling in some of most beautiful and long-lasting works of literature in the world.

We are privileged that the Bodleian Libraries opened their collections to us to show these glorious manuscripts. It is fitting that they are being shown here in Melbourne, Australia’s UNESCO City of Literature.’

Love and Devotion shows the many representations of human and divine love within the great narratives and poetry of Persian literature. Classic love stories by writers such as Nizami and Jami, as well as Firdausi’s Shahnama, or Book of Kings, Persia’s great literary epic, are exhibited. Visitors will see works from the great Sufi poets such as Rumi and Hafiz, as well as the Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam and 1001 Nights, which have been enormously popular in the West as well as the East.

A full program of events and activities support the exhibition, including lectures, musical performances,  Persian cultural day and a conference.   A lavishly illustrated publication based on the exhibition is also available.

Love and Devotion will only show in Melbourne while in Australia. It will then be exhibited at the historic Bodleian Libraries, the University of Oxford, England in late 2012.

Love and Devotion: From Persia and Beyond
Friday 9 March 2012 – Sunday 1 July 2012
State Library of Victoria, Keith Murdoch Gallery
FREE

Conference of the birds, from ‘Attar, 'Mantiq al-Tayr', 1493 Bodleian Library, University of Oxford, MS. Elliott 246, fol. 25v

This is a wonderful opportunity to visit one of the the Library’s wonderful exhibitions including our latest, Love and Devotion from Persia and Beyond. The exhibition galleries will be open from 10am to 5pm.

If you wish to use any items from the offsite store or the Heritage Collections on Monday 12 March, please order them by:

• Heritage Collections (rare books, maps, pictures and manuscripts) 3pm Thursday 8 March

• Books, newspapers and journals from offsite 5.30pm on Thursday 8 March

Mr Tulk cafe will be closed for the Labour Day holiday.

The marriage of Yusuf and Zulaykha, from Jami, 'Yusuf u Zulaykha', 1595 Bodleian Library, University of Oxford, MS. Elliott 418, fol. 56r

As well as a shiny new look, the revamped catalogue boasts a number of improvements that make searching and discovering the Library’s collection even easier.

The catalogue’s features include:

• a new Quick article search that searches across numerous online journals and magazines and returns results in record time
• larger thumbnails that link directly to digitised images
• tabs that enable you to view the details of a record and make requests without leaving your search results page
• improved article database searching that allows you create a custom set of sources to search
• more options for precise searching – you can search specific fields like the publisher name or the place a newspaper was published
• a calendar that makes requesting items for another day quick and simple
• persistent URLs in the record details so you can easily link to individual records

Take a look at the new catalogue and let us know what you think.

Our website and online resources will still be available. This means you will be able to place advance orders for books stored at the Swanston Street site, to be delivered after the holiday.

To view books, journals and newspapers from our offsite store on Friday 27 January and the weekend of 28 and 29 January, you’ll need to place your order by 5.30pm on Wednesday 25 January. To view items in our heritage collections, your order must placed by 3pm on Wednesday 25 January.

Mr Tulk cafe and Readings bookstore will also close for Australia Day.

The Library wishes you a happy holiday.

Ms Roberts comes to the role with 15 years’ experience in strategic library leadership in the UK and New Zealand. She will relocate to Melbourne from Wellington, where she has been University Librarian at Victoria University since 2007, and serves as Chair of the Council of New Zealand University Librarians and Director of the Library Consortium of New Zealand.

A published author and leading thinker on the changing role of libraries, Ms Roberts’ previous positions include Dean of Learning Services at Edge Hill University in the UK and the Director of SOLSTICE, a national centre for excellence in online learning.

‘Sue Roberts is well known in the international library community as one of the dynamic breed of young library leaders who are transforming the industry to face the challenges of the 21st century’, Mr Cain said.

‘The State Library of Victoria has already positioned itself among the leading libraries in the world in tackling these challenges, and Sue’s appointment marks an exciting new phase in the Library’s ongoing transformation.’

Looking forward to commencing in the role, Ms Roberts said: ‘I am eagerly anticipating the challenge of leading such a vibrant and iconic institution. I look forward to getting to know the staff and the many users and supporters of this magnificent Library.’

The State Library of Victoria is the oldest public library in the country and the most visited of all state libraries. Over the last five years the Library has experienced a 95 percent increase in visitors through its doors, and a 117 percent increase in online visitation. More than 280,000 items from the Library’s extensive collection have been digitised and made available online, and popular travelling programs have opened up access to the library’s collection by touring treasured items to regional and remote areas.

The Library received a $5.6 million funding boost in the 2011-12 Victorian Budget to help respond to its increased visitor numbers and the rising demand for digitally-delivered information.

Ms Roberts’ appointment follows the departure of Anne-Marie Schwirtlich, earlier this year to take up the role of Director-General of the National Library of Australia. Mr Cain acknowledged the contribution of Acting Chief Executive Officer Sue Hamilton.

‘Sue Hamilton has done a stellar job at the helm of the State Library since February 2011, and will ensure a seamless leadership transition in the new year. We are grateful for her sure hand and hard work.’

Sue Roberts will commence at the State Library of Victoria in late March 2012.

We apologise for any inconvenience.