Final report:
For my final blog post on ‘Mechanics’ Institute Libraries in Victoria’ I have compiled all the research information I found on this topic over the past two months. I found this task both challenging and enjoyable and at times difficult to edit. However, I will use blog tools in the future in both work and personal environments. This topic led me to research mostly websites and to carry-out email contact with a staff member from the Mechanics’ Institute of Victoria (MIV), to gain a better understanding of the type of staff and funding.
The Purpose of the Blog:The purpose of this blog was to clarify the research subject (Mechanics’ Institute of Libraries in Victoria), establish the scope of the research, and identify, obtain and use relevant research tools and resources available. Also, to record search strategies, research tools, and reference resources in a bibliography, using the Harvard referencing guide. This was carried-out by creating and maintaining consistent blog posts describing the research process, research findings, and my reflection on the research including any difficulties, discoveries, good reference resources, and website links.
Research findings and research plan:
Brief outline – Blog 1
My blog introduced the topic with a brief outline of the research topic, clarifying the research subject and establishing the scope of the research. This was carried-out through identifying, obtaining and using relevant research tools and resources available. A plan was outlined, covering several topics over an eight week deadline and further blog post topics/headings were included, as follows.
The purpose of libraries -
Mechanics’ Institute Libraries in Victoria - What is a Mechanics' Institute? - Blog 2
This blog gave a clear definition of what a Mechanics’ Institute is and a brief outline on the history of Mechanics’ Institutes’.
What is a Mechanics’ Institute?
I discovered that a Mechanics’ Institute is a primary community-owned cultural organisation that provides a venue and facilities to hold community classes and events, including lectures and debates. Mechanics institutes’ are the predecessors of adult education and libraries in Victoria. Most mechanics institutes in Australia contain a range of books and periodical material for loan by subscription. Mechanics institutes are also known as ‘mechanics institutes & free libraries’.
The history of mechanics institute:
My research discovered that the term “mechanic” in the 19th century meant artisan (skilled at a craft) or working man. The mechanics’ institute movement began in 1800 when Dr George Birkbeck of the Andersonian Institute in Glasgow, Scotland gave a series of lectures to local mechanics. The lectures were free and proved to be very popular; launching the ‘Mechanics’ Institute movement. They led to the formation of the Edinburgh School of Arts (1821) and the London Mechanics’ Institute (1823).
In colonial Australia, the first Mechanics’ Institute was established in Hobart in 1826. In 1833 Sydney established its first Mechanics’ Institute and Victoria soon followed establishing its first Mechanics’ Institute in 1839. The Melbourne Mechanics' Institute was the first Victorian Mechanics' Institute established in 1839.
Wherever a school, a library, or a hall was needed a Mechanics’ Institute was
established. In Australia nearly every sizable town established a Mechanics’ Institute or School of Arts from around the 1850s. Almost one thousand Mechanics Institutes were built in Victoria.
The purpose of libraries cont...
Mechanics Institute Libraries in Victoria – Blog 3
I also, discovered after further research that an association of the Mechanics' Institute of Victoria was formed in April 1998 by a group of Mechanics' Institute representatives that met to exchange information and ideas on the future of Mechanics' Institutes in Victoria. This conference was hosted by the Kilmore Mechanics' Institute and entitled ‘Mechanics' Institutes: The Way Forward, highlighted opportunities and difficulties experienced by the Mechanics' today’. The amalgamation of Shires across Victoria and the support of the Department for Victorian Communities have encouraged Mechanics' Institutes in Victoria to once again play a central role in their various communities; creating new opportunities for each Mechanics' Institute, Athenaeum, or School of Art, furthermore, exposing the importance of these adult education centres and their role in the districts’ social and cultural activities.
My research unfolded many interesting Mechanics’ Institute website links, for example the Mechanics Institute libraries in Victoria – Burke and Wills Mechanics Institute, Fryerstown’ which was built as a memorial for Burke and Wills and
raised a total £300 in November 1861.
The services available, the range of resources held and the relevance of resource findings to the topic - Mechanics Institute libraries in Victoria -Mechanics’ Institute of Victoria – Services – Resources – Resource Relevance – Blog 4
The Mechanics’ Institute of Victoria (MIV) home page describes its purpose/aims as; ‘Mechanics' Institutes of Victoria (MIV) was formed in 1998. It aims to foster the preservation and restoration of the social, cultural and physical heritage of mechanics' institutes through the development of information exchanges and systems of mutual support. Membership is open to groups and individuals with an interest in the MI movement, particularly in the state of Victoria, Australia’. (Mechanics’ Institute of Victoria, home page 2011).
MIV Services:
Projects -
The Mechanics' Institutes Resource Centre (MIRC) is a database of information about Mechanics' Institutes, especially in Victoria, Australia. The collection of data is an ongoing project over many years of research and is based on information supplied by many significant contributors.
The MIRC includes electronic documents and images and paper documents.
A significant project of the MIRC is the scanning of the records of mechanics' institutes in bushfire-prone areas. The MIRC is located at the Prahran Mechanics' Institute History Library at 140 High Street, Prahran.
Also, included in the services are:
- Travelling exhibitions
- Plaques have been installed
- Membership forms are available in pdf form
- A list of Institutes and holdings (Holdings located at the Prahran Mechanics’ Institute)
- The history of Mechanics Institute in Australia is available, a gallery of pictures of various Mechanics’ Institutes from around Victoria, Australia are on display
- Downloadable newsletters are available
- A list of Mechanics’ Institute publications
- Contact details of the Mechanics' Institutes of Victoria, committee members via email and postal addresses
- Resources including books, archival sourced from EBAY, and various documents, books, and photo collections are available
The relevance of resource findings to the topic of the research project - Mechanics Institute libraries in Victoria:
The resource collection at the MIRC consists of information covering newspapers, documents, surveys, objects and artefacts, photos, minute books, cash books, library accession registers, letters, bank statements and annual reports, all relating to the Mechanics’ Institute of Victoria (MIV).
Community support for Mechanics’ Institute/hall –
Blog 5
I researched YouTube for a video on mechanics’ Institutes’ and found that many communities, in particular, the community from Lawson Blue Mountains are very attached to their local Mechanics’ Institute/hall building.
The services available, the range of resources held and the relevance of resource findings to the topic cont...
Mechanics Institute libraries in Victoria -Mechanics’ Institute of Victoria – Services – Resources – Resource Relevance – Blog 6
The Ballarat (Ballaarat) Mechanics’ Institute Library holds the latest novels, fiction and non-fiction books, as well as some selected early publications, post 1950. The fiction Database has around 12,500 books on the fiction shelves. All are available for loan to members.
The collection includes hardback, paperback, large print, videos, talking books cassettes, magazines, etc.
The collection includes hardback, paperback, large print, videos, talking books cassettes, magazines, etc.
The Ballarat mechanics' Institute (BMI) has an on-line database of all the Reference titles in the collection, including the biography and autobiography section of the lending library. This database holds around 16,000 books containing many historic and unusual publications in the shelves of the Ballarat Mechanics' Institute. The database can be accessed through an online research application. The resources are available to members for use in the Reading Room at the Institute.
This collection also contains all the non-fiction contemporary titles that are kept up to date, and also includes all non-fiction books that may be taken on loan by members.
This collection also contains all the non-fiction contemporary titles that are kept up to date, and also includes all non-fiction books that may be taken on loan by members.
The library does not provide an inter-library loans service.
The library also supports a book club that is held every first Saturday.
Below is a list of services when becoming a full membership:
After researching both the Prahran and Ballarat Mechanics’ Institute Library collections, their objectives and aims to provide a lending and reference library specialising in works about the history of Victoria I found that the resources covered a vast range of community information including, community business, interests, towns, arts, Australian history (Victoria), immigration and much more, all relevant to the topic of the research project - Mechanics Institute libraries in Victoria.
The type of staff working at selected Mechanics Institute Libraries in Victoria, type of staff and how they are funded – Blog 7
How the Mechanics’ Institutes of Victoria (MIV) are funded & what type of staff work at the MIV Libraries?
The mmajority of the Mechanics’ Institutes are funded by subscriptions and donations of the local community, and grants provided by relevant councils. The Mechanics’ Institute Resource Centre (MIRC) is funded through donations and grants and funding is used for particular projects.
Final report – Blog 8
The final report blog is to outline and present my research findings, including an introduction that clearly defines the subject area and scope, hyperlinks wherever possible, images, conclusion clearly summarising and closing my research project, and a bibliography.
Conclusion:
In conclusion the processes used to carry-out and post my research on Mechanics’ Institute Libraries of Victoria was relevant, somewhat time consuming and reliable. All the blog posts stated the process used to research and update the blog posts and my findings were posted in all blogs including this final blog.
It was discovered that a Mechanics’ Institute is a primary community-owned cultural organisation that provides a venue and facilities to hold community classes and events, including lectures and debates. Also, that Mechanics institutes’ are the predecessors of adult education and libraries in Victoria. Most mechanics institutes in Australia contain a range of books and periodical material for loan by subscription. Mechanics institutes are also known as ‘mechanics institutes & free libraries’. That the Australian history of Mechanics’ Institutes’ dates back to the 19th century and the library collection ranges from the history of Australia to fiction in various formats. Also, that the majority of the staff working in various Mechanics’ Institutes around Victoria are volunteers and the Institutes are mostly funded through subscription, grants and donations.
Bibliography:
Ballarat Mechanics’ Institute, viewed 31 May 2011,
<http://www.ballaratmi.com/>.
Burke & Wills Mechanics' Institute, Fryerstown, viewed 31 May 2011,
<http://www.burkeandwills.net.au/Memorials/fryerstown.htm>.
Mechanic’s Institute of Victoria, viewed 31 May 2011, <http://home.vicnet.net.au/~mivic/history.htm>.
Prahran Mechanics’ Institute, viewed 31 May 2011, <http://www.pmi.net.au/about.htm>.
Save our old community hall in Lawson Blue Mountains, viewed 31 May 2011, <http://youtu.be/O0KzNL2vYXk>.
<http://www.ballaratmi.com/>.
Burke & Wills Mechanics' Institute, Fryerstown, viewed 31 May 2011,
<http://www.burkeandwills.net.au/Memorials/fryerstown.htm>.
Mechanic’s Institute of Victoria, viewed 31 May 2011, <http://home.vicnet.net.au/~mivic/history.htm>.
Prahran Mechanics’ Institute, viewed 31 May 2011, <http://www.pmi.net.au/about.htm>.
Save our old community hall in Lawson Blue Mountains, viewed 31 May 2011, <http://youtu.be/O0KzNL2vYXk>.
- Library access and borrowing rights (6 books)
- Rights to nominate for election to BMI Board of management, to vote in Board elections and at a General Meeting
- Placement on BMI information circulation list and functions invitation list.
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