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Hello everyone,
We are very excited to announce our Conference Theme for 2027. Archival Futures: Reimagining Experiences across Community, Engagement and Technology gives us an opportunity to bring diverse perspectives on what archival futures means and how community, engagement and technology will shape its direction. The call for papers will be released soon so start thinking about how you could respond.
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As we head into National Volunteer Week (15 to 21 May), I'd like to say a huge thank you to the amazing volunteers who work so hard to make the ASA what it is. From councillors, to the Branches and SIG leadership, to members of committees including the conference and program committees, to everyone else who gives up their time to do things for the ASA. We can't do it without you.
We also have four wonderful staff who do an extraordinary amount of work behind the scenes to keep the ASA running. We are conscious that the website migration has caused some unexpected issues. We ask for patience as we continue to work through these and urge members to keep their communications with staff respectful.
International Archives Week is running from 8 to 12 June this year with the theme Archives for Justice. I hope you have plans for your archive to celebrate. Tag the ASA on your social posts so that we can share too. Before that comes around, National Reconciliation Week is running from 27 May to 3 June. With the theme "All In", I encourage everyone to commit to reconciliation, we all have a role to play.
We are continually reviewing how the ASA operates and the benefits provided to our members. We are working to streamline the corporate membership options to make it easier to view and manage the delegates assigned to a membership and to ensure the member benefits are clear.
To finish off, I note that we are once again receiving new entries and updates to the Directory of Archives. This is a great resource for our members that highlights the rich diversity of archival collections across the country. Make sure your archives details are up to date and new submissions are welcome.
Hannah Hibbert, President
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1- 4 March 2027 | Nipaluna / Hobart
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Archival Futures: Reimagining Experiences Across Community, Engagement, and Technology
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Our 2027 conference aims to bring together diverse perspectives on what 'Archival Futures' means. We will explore the concept of the future archive and consider how the roles of community, engagement, and technology shape its direction.
The Call for Papers will open soon, inviting contributions that explore and respond to the theme from a range of perspectives. We encourage members and the broader community to consider how their work, research, and practice connect to ideas of archival futures, community engagement, and the evolving role of technology in shaping the archive. Further details on submission guidelines and key dates will be shared shortly.
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📸 Credit: Tourism Tasmania & Rob Burnett
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Branch & Special Interest Group Events
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Please join the NSW Branch for a double feature of presentations.
With a presentation on the new Orphan Works Scheme, introduced via the Copyright Amendment Bill 2026 amending the Copyright Act 1968, we will be joined by Richard Levy, Executive Officer, Australian Libraries and Archives Copyright Council, and Jessica Coates, Director Policy Education and Research, Australian Library & Information Association. With a second presentation titled Before Bit Rot: Recovering Data from Floppy Discs, we are joined by Bryony Cavallaro of State Library of NSW.
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WA Branch: Professional Development Day 2026
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Develop your knowledge of Records in Contexts at this upcoming professional development day organised by the WA Branch. The program will explore Records in Contexts (RiC), the new International Council on Archives
standard for describing records.
This full day workshop will cover RiC, implementation of its
principles in government archives and technological developments. Speakers include Adrian Cunningham, a member of the ICA Experts Group on Archival
Description (EGAD) since 2012.
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VIC School Archives SIG Term 2 Network Meeting & Annual General Meeting
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Join us for our Term 2 Network Meeting and Annual General Meeting at Xavier College. Open to all involved in School Archives.
Come and hear College Archivist Catherine Hall and College Art Curator Maria Tallarida discuss the synergies between archives and art in a school environment.
They will cover basic handling and collection management protocols through to curating displays and involvement with the art curriculum. The presentation will be followed by guided discussion and the AGM. A work in progress tour of the archives and art storage will be followed by lunch nearby.
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UniSIG Annual General Meeting
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We will hold a short 5-10 minute AGM, followed by our institutional updates. At the AGM we will have the positions of Convenor, Secretary and Committee Member/s available.
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Events are added regularly to our website. Any events submitted after the newsletter is published will be listed on our Events page.
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International Archives Week
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The International Council on Archives (ICA) is proud to announce the theme for International Archives Week 2026 (#IAW2026): #ArchivesForJustice: Rights, Memory & Futures. Selected through a global survey involving hundreds of responses from ICA members and the wider archival community, the theme reflects a shared recognition of the fundamental role archives play in supporting justice, rights, and democratic societies.
The 2026 theme places particular emphasis on archives as active infrastructures that sustain justice across time, from past violations and present responsibilities to future claims and aspirations.
There are five key sub themes that explore the diverse ways archives intersect with justice.
You can read full details about this year's theme on the ICA website.
How can you participate?
Organise: Host an event, webinar, or discussion that explores the role of archives in supporting justice, rights, and memory.
Promote: Explore the International Archives Week 2026 Content Hub and discover how you can join the conversation and engage with the global archival community.
Contribute: Submit a case study proposal and share your experience, research, or project.
Engage: Join the ICA #IAW2026 webinars to participate in discussions and connect with professionals and communities from around the world.
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National Reconciliation Week
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National Reconciliation Week (NRW) is a time for all Australians to learn about our shared histories, cultures, and achievements, and to explore how each of us can contribute to achieving reconciliation in Australia.
The theme for National Reconciliation Week 2026 is All In, a call for all Australians to commit wholeheartedly to reconciliation every single day.
All In makes clear that reconciliation is not a spectator sport and that all of us must step away from the sidelines and take action to make change.
The theme also reminds us that reconciliation and advancing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ rights isn’t a passive activity, and it is not solely the responsibility of First Nations people, who have carried the weight of championing, explaining and acting for far too long.
Reconciliation will not happen by itself, and it will not happen without all of us.
Posters and other resources are available on the NRW website and event registration is now open.
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The ASA advocates on behalf of members, archivists, and the Australian archival profession. You can raise a matter or issue with the President for review by the Advocacy Committee via our online form.
In the meantime, you can visit our Advocacy page to browse explore both current and past advocacy initiatives.
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Make Space for Professional Learning
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Professional development doesn’t always happen by chance, sometimes it helps to plan for it.
The Professional Development Fund can assist eligible members with a range of costs to help make attendance at events and training more accessible.
With International Archives Week taking place in June, you may wish to explore opportunities that align with this important sector moment.
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Looking for your next role in the archives and records sector? Here’s a snapshot of vacancies currently listed. New roles can be added at any time, so make sure to visit the full Jobs Board online to see the latest opportunities available to ASA members.
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Library Officer, Local History
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Team Leader, Local History
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Manager Collection Management
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Senior Directory Library and Archives NT
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Members can advertise on our Jobs Board free of charge.
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Welcome to our new and returning members
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- Acacia Beaumont, VIC
- Alice Montgomery-Brewer, VIC
- Bindiya Kumar, ACT
- Catherine Brease, QLD
- Clover Glasgow, SA
- David Perks, NSW
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- Fiona Rothchilds, ACT
- Natasha Neal, NSW
- Sophie Clayton, WA
- Susan Bracken, TAS
- Trinity College, SA
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From Fire Heritage to DIVA’s Cultural Icons
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From fire heritage to the glamour and spectacle of DIVA’s cultural icons, members recently explored two very different collections and exhibition experiences.
How quickly can a fire brigade respond—and what if the horses never forget? That question (unexpectedly) found its answer during a recent ASA Tasmanian Branch visit to Hobart’s Tasmanian Fire Museum Collection. Meanwhile, several ASA members attended the DIVA exhibition in Melbourne on 21 April, exploring garments and ephemera celebrating the creativity, influence, and cultural impact of iconic performers — all in the name of professional curiosity (aka PD).
Read more about both experiences in the full reviews.
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Top 5 Articles →April 2026
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Let others discover your archive!
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Whether you're already listed or new to the Directory, we welcome updates and new submissions.
The Directory of Archives in Australia is a national resource that highlights the rich diversity of archival collections across the country — from national and state institutions to universities, schools, businesses, film and sound archives, oral histories, and local historical societies. It includes information about the organisations holding records, the types of records they hold, and where to find them.
Help us keep the Directory accurate, accessible, and representative — and let others discover the valuable records you care for.
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The Archivists Available Register lists members who are currently seeking archival work, either on a short- or long-term basis.
Individual ASA members looking for archival work can add their details to the register.
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Our Consultants Register lists professional consulting services offered by accredited members.
Members seeking consultancy support can browse the register, and accredited members (ASARP or ASAAP) are invited to join.
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Our Community Noticeboard is a central space for sharing sector-relevant updates with the archival community.
Notices may include events, calls for submissions, funding and award opportunities, professional development, surveys, and other announcements.
Anyone is welcome to submit a notice relevant to the archives and recordkeeping community.
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Have an article, event, or update to share with members?
We welcome contributions from Branches, SIGs, and members alike—whether it’s a recent event recap, project highlight, or announcement. Your submissions help keep our newsletter vibrant and relevant to our community.
To submit as article, visit the Member Hub to access the online form. You will need to sign into your account.
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Strengthening ties with the Sydney Opera House
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Last November, the Collection Services team at State Archives hosted a visit to the Western Sydney Records Centre for the team from the Sydney Opera House, where they were taken on a tour. On Monday, 4th May they returned the favour. The archivists from Collection Services were welcomed to ‘the House’ and taken on a behind the scenes tour.
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Global Information Professions Workforce Experience Survey
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The Global Information Professions Workforce Experience Survey is now open and seeking responses from within and beyond Australia.
This survey examines the lived professional experiences of those working in records management, archives, library and information services, data governance, legal, risk management, and other information-adjacent disciplines, focusing particularly on the relationship between formal qualifications, professional recognition, and workplace reality.
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Southeast Asia-Pacific Audiovisual Archive Association
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7 - 11 June 2026
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9:00 AM - 5:00 PM (MYT)
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We are pleased to inform you that the registration is now open for the 30th SEAPAVAA Conference, to be held in Ipoh, Malaysia, from 7 – 11 June 2026. Hosted by the National Archives of Malaysia (NAM), this year’s theme is "Redefining Audio Visual in Archives: Relevancy, Technology, and Unity".
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PMI Victorian History Library
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Revealing the Hidden: Historical Archaeology and Conservation of Unique Artefacts from 19th Century Melbourne
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19 May 2026
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6:30 PM - 7:30 PM (AEST)
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This panel event draws on two recent conference papers: “A Walk in Someone Else’s Shoes: Successful Collaboration and the Preservation of 19th Century Footwear from Deep Deposits below the Melbourne Rail Yard” and “Sound as a Barrel: Historical Archaeological Conservation of a Unique Timber Barrel from Little Lonsdale Street, Melbourne.”
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From Ruin to Renewal: Hidden Histories of Melbourne’s Plains
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21 May 2026
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6:30 PM - 7:30 PM (AEST)
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Western Melbourne’s open plains may look like blank space between suburbs—but dig a little deeper and you’ll uncover stories written into every ruined homestead. These forgotten landmarks tell of colonisation, survival, and cultural change, connecting today’s fast-growing communities with the region’s layered past.
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How to Grow and use Herbs for Cooking, Medicine and Pleasure
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26 May 2026
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2:00 PM - 3:00 PM (AEST)
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Join award-winning author, broadcaster and organic gardening expert, Penny Woodward, for an inspiring talk on how to grow and use herbs for cooking, medicine and pleasure. Drawing on her decades of experience as a horticultural editor, writer, and photographer, Penny will share her practical tips for cultivating healthy herbs at home and explore the fascinating history and science behind their many uses.
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Mechanics' Institutes Resource Centre
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16 June 2026
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2:00 PM - 3:00 PM (AEST)
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Do you want to learn more about the history of your local mechanics’ institute? This talk will showcase the wide variety of material held in the Mechanics' Institutes Resource Centre (MIRC).
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Agenda Items for Council Meeting
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