Records of ANZAAS
MS 9173



Scope and Content Note

Records
1959-1993
5.32m. (26 boxes and 3 cartons), plus 3 folios
Available for reference.

The records were donated by the Head Office of ANZAAS to the National Library in May 1994 and May 1998.

The collection comprises mostly correspondence of the Executive Officer. Other records relate to ANZAAS Congresses, Executive Committee, membership, the Association’s journal Search, awards and medals, ANZAAS International Scientific Film Exhibitions, State Divisions and related associations.

The records have been kept in good order and in most cases the original arrangement has been preserved by the Library.

The bulk of the ANZAAS records, dating from the time ANZAAS was based in Sydney, are held by the State Library of New South Wales (ML MSS 1613 and MSS 988).

Historical Note

The Australasian Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) was formed in 1888. The name was changed to Australian and New Zealand Association for the Advancement of Science (ANZAAS) in 1930. The Association’s objects were to give a ‘strong impulse and a more systematic direction to scientific enquiry; to promote the intercourse of those who cultivate science in different parts of the Australasian colonies and in other countries; and to obtain a more general attention to the objects of science, and a removal of any disadvantages of a public kind which may impede its progress’.

The main function of ANZAAS has been its Congress, which has usually been held every year or two in one of the capital cities in Australia or four major cities in New Zealand. From 1988 until 1985 it was organised into Sections and since 1985 into Areas. They reflect the very wide scope of ANZAAS, covering not only such subjects as Physics, Chemistry and Zoology, but also Engineering, History, Economics and Education.

Reference:
Macleod, Roy. The Commonwealth of Science: ANZAAS and the scientific enterprise in Australasia 1888-1988, Melbourne: Oxford University Press, 1988.

Series List

Series Description
1 Congresses, 1970-93
2 Executive correspondence, 1959-93
3 Council papers, 1979-91
4 Executive Committee, 1979-93
5 Membership, 1976-93
6 Search, 1974-90
7 Awards and medals, 1979-92
8 ANZAAS International Scientific Film exhibitions, 1979-90
9 Administration, 1961-91
10 Papers relating to State Branches of ANZAAS, 1979-93
11 Kindred associations, 1978-93
12 Miscellaneous papers, 1970-91

Collection Description

Series 1: Congresses, 1970-93

The series includes correspondence, congress papers, reports and cuttings. The ANZAAS Congress is usually held annually in various universities in Australia and New Zealand. Its Organising Committee includes the ANZAAS Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Honorary Organising Secretary, Honorary Treasurer and Congress Executive Officer. The correspondence in the series was mostly between the Executive Officers (Peter Lever-Naylor and R.K. Fisher) and Senator J.J. Webster and David Thomson in 1990-93.

Folder
1-3 General correspondence and correspondence concerning travel grants (to assist young scientists to attend Congresses), 1976-86
4 Reports of Congresses in Hobart 1970, Melbourne 1977, Auckland 1979 and Adelaide 1980
5 52nd Congress, Sydney, 1982
6 53rd Congress, Perth, 1983
7 54th Congress, Canberra, 1984
8-9 55th Congress, Melbourne, 1985
10-11 56th Congress, Palmerston North, New Zealand, 1987
12 57th Congress, Townsville, 1987
13 58th Congress, Sydney, 1988
14-15 59th Congress, Hobart, 1990
16 60th Congress: travel grants, Adelaide, 1991
17 60th Congress: treasurer’s report and finance
18 60th Congress: budget
19 60th Congress: report
20-21 60th Congress: other papers
22-23 61st Congress, Brisbane: correspondence, 1990-92
24 61st Congress, Brisbane: correspondence, 1991-93
25 61st Congress, Brisbane: finance
26 61st Congress, Brisbane: Youth ANZAAS Congress, 1992
27 61st Congress, Brisbane: correspondence, press reports and other papers, 1990-92
28 Congress reports, 1979-84
29 49th - 51st Congresses: travel grants, 1980-81
30 52nd Congress: travel grants, 1982
31 52nd Congress: rail passes
32 53rd Congress: travel grants, 1983
33 54th Congress: travel grants, 1984
Folio
1-3 Microfiche indexes of the 51st - 53rd Congresses
Related Collections
MS 1072 Records relating to the 37th Congress, 1962-64
MS 1160 Records relating to the 37th Congress, 1962-64
MS 2651 Records relating to 41st Congress, 1969
Mfm G 6625-6626 Miscellaneous Congress papers, 1926-59

Series 2: Executive correspondence, 1959-93

The series comprises mostly correspondence of P. Lever-Naylor, the Executive Officer, E.L. Freedman, Executive Secretary and D.J. O'Connor, Executive Director. The subjects include the publication and sale of the association’s journal Search, travel arrangements, office bearers, meetings, relations with the British Association for the Advancement of Science and other overseas scientific organisations, statistics, relations with the ABC, ANZAAS Congresses, grants, scientific film exhibitions, ANZAAS ESSO Awards and memberships.

The correspondents include Mickey G. Hamilton, State Library of New South Wales, Sydney University, Gavan McCarthy, H.L. White, A.D. Brownlie, ABC’s Science Advisory Committee, American Association for the Advancement of Science, British Association for the Advancement of Science, Indian Science Congress Association and Sri Lankan Association for the Advancement of Science.

Folder
1-3 General correspondence, 1959-88
4-5 General correspondence, 1980-86
6 Correspondence with American Association for the Advancement of Science, 1981-86
7 Correspondence with British Association for the Advancement of Science, 1980-86
8 Correspondence with Indian Science Congress Association, 1982-86
9 Correspondence with Sri Lankan Association for the Advancement of Science, 1976-86
10-11 General correspondence, 1984
12 General correspondence, 1985
13-14 Miscellaneous correspondence, 1986
Correspondence of D.J. O'Connor, Executive Director
15-18 Jan.-Dec. 1989
19-22 1990
23-26 Jan.-Sep. 1991
27-30 Oct. 1991-Apr. 1992
31-34 May-Dec. 1992
35-37 Jan.-Oct. 1993

Series 3: ANZAAS Council papers, 1979-90

The ANZAAS Council meets once or twice a year. The Council members include the President of ANZAAS, Chairman, Secretary, Treasurer, Editor, State and New Zealand representatives and Organising Secretary of a particular Congress. The series includes correspondence, minutes of Council meetings and reports of the Executive Officer and Management Committee.

Folder
1 26th - 27th meetings, 1979-80
2 28th - 28th meetings, 1981
3 30th meeting, 1982
4 31st meeting, 1982-83
5 32nd meeting, 1983-84
6 33rd meeting, 1985
7 34th meeting, 1985
8 35th meeting, 1986
9 36th meeting, 1987
10 37th meeting, 1988
11 38th (special) meeting, 1988
12 39th meeting, 1990
13 40th meeting, 1991

Series 4: Executive Committee, 1979-93

The Executive Committee, previously known as the Executive Management Committee, meets at least twice a year. Its members include ANZAAS Executive Director, Chairman, Treasurer and Secretary. The series includes minutes of meetings of the Executive Committee and correspondence of the Executive officer.

Folder
1-3 1979-86
4 1987-91
5-6 1992
7 1993

Series 5: Membership, 1976-93

The series comprises ANZAAS Chairman’s appeal letters and correspondence of the Executive Officer with ANZAAS members. The subjects includes renewal of membership subscriptions, membership status and membership drives. The correspondents include CSIRO, ESSO Australia Pty Ltd, IBM, ICI Australia, AMCOR, Department of Industry, Technology and Commerce, Faulding & Co., and various Australian universities.

Folder
1-2 Memberships drive, 1976-81
3 Memberships: institutional, 1982-86
4 Memberships: general, 1980-85
5-6 Memberships: K-Z files, 1980-86
7-8 Memberships matters (Sydney Office), 1983-93
9 Memberships subscriptions: New Zealand, 1979-82

Series 6: Papers concerning Search, 1989-92

Although Search is ANZAAS’ official journal, it is published and owned by Blackwell Scientific Publications (Aust.) Pty Ltd. Search is published eight times a year. The series comprises correspondence of the Executive Officer (Peter Lever-Naylor) and Honorary Editors (Ann Moyal and Ronald Strahan) and minutes of the Editorial Management Committee and Editorial Board meetings.

The subjects of the correspondence include the microfilming, publication, promotion and marketing of Search, applications for possible employment with the organisation. and requests for research funding and fellowship with ANZAAS.

The correspondents include University Microfilms International, Mark Robertson of Blackwell Scientific Publications (Aust.) Pty Ltd, Bushell Mitchell & Co., William J. Boden, Science Press Publishers, Modwena Publications, James Davenport, B.J. Walby, S. Garnett and D. O’Connor.

Items
1 Editorial Management Committee, 1990-92
2 Blackwell Scientific Publications (Aust.) Pty Ltd.: proposal, 1989-92
3 Correspondence and agreement with Blackwell, 1990-92
4 Correspondence and other papers, 1990
5 Correspondence and minutes of the Editorial Board, 1975-86
6 Correspondence, press releases and promotions 1970-86
7 Correspondence and agreement with Blackwell Scientific Publications (Aust.) Pty Ltd, 1986-92
8 Correspondence and other papers, 1974-85
9 Executive correspondence arranged in alphabetical order, 1981-92

Series 7: Awards and medals, 1979-92

The series includes correspondence and other papers concerning nominations for the ANZAAS and Mueller Medals, and ANZAAS ESSO Energy Awards.

The ANZAAS Medal was awarded for services to the advancement of science. The Mueller Medal, in honour of Baron von Mueller, was awarded to a scientist who made important contributions to anthropology, botany, geology or zoology, preferably with special reference to Australia. The ESSO Energy Award, consisting of prize money and a small memento, was given to an individual (or individuals) who made an outstanding contribution to the more efficient use, conversion or conservation of energy.

Folder
ANZAAS Medals:
1 1980-81
2 1981-84
3 1985
4 1986-88
5 1988
6 1990-92
7 1993 (includes papers relating to the Mueller Medals)
8 Purchase of medals, 1981-92
Mueller Medals:
9 1980-82
10 1983-85
11 1986-90
12 1991-92
ESSO Energy Awards:
13-14 1979-88

Series 8: ANZAAS International Scientific Film Exhibition, 1979-90

ANZAAS was responsible for organising the viewing of scientific films in Australia until the late 1980s. The series includes correspondence of the Executive Officer, Peter Lever-Naylor, concerning the organisation of the 17th to 23rd exhibitions.

Folder
1 17th Exhibition (1980), 1979-80
2-3 18th Exhibition (1981), 1980-82
4 19th Exhibition (1982), 1981-82
5 20th Exhibition (1983), 1982-83
6 21st Exhibition (1984), 1983
7 22nd Exhibition (1986), 1984-85
8 23rd Exhibition (1986), 1984-85
9 Correspondence concerning the returns of the films used in the 23rd Exhibition, 1985-87
10 Correspondence regarding the discontinuation of ANZAAS’ involvement in the International Scientific Film Exhibition, 1985-90

Series 9: Administration, 1961-91

This series contains papers concerning the administration and organisation of ANZAAS, including those of the Executive Officer. The subjects include superannuation, taxation, budget, legal matters, staffing, insurances, financial matters, appointment of Executive Officers and requests for Government grants and assistance.

Folder
1 Financial papers A-Z, 1981-91
2 Financial papers, 1961-80
3 Bank statements, 1971-81
4 Banking and investments papers, 1978-86
5 Budget papers, 1976-86
6 Superannuation, 1972-80
7 Superannuation, 1980-84
8 Insurance: Sydney Office, 1977-91
9 Taxation, 1975-84
10 Office hardware: maintenance, 1979-84
11 Legal matters, 1977-86
12 Staffing matters, 1975-86
13 Papers relating to the appointment of Executive Officers, 1977-89
14 Patron-in-Chief of ANZAAS, 1977-82
15 Requests for Government grants and assistance, 1974-84
16 Miscellaneous administrative matters, 1982-86
17 Donations, 1978-86

Series 10: Papers relating to State Divisions of ANZAAS, 1979-93

The series comprises audit accounts and correspondence of the Executive Officer of ANZAAS with State Branches.

Folder
1 Australian Capital Territory, Queensland and South Australian Divisions, 1982-86
2-3 New South Wales Division, 1981-86
4 Tasmanian Division, 1981-85
5 Victoria, 1979-86

Series 11: Kindred associations, 1978-93

The kindred associations represented in this series are the ANZAAS Youth Foundation, Women in Science Enquiry Network (WISENET) and International Federation of Associations for the Advancement of Science and Technology (IFAAST). The papers include correspondence (Peter Lever-Naylor and Rachmat Fisher), notes and circulars.

Folder
1 ANZAAS Youth Foundation, 1989
2 WISENET, 1992-93
3 IFAAST, 1989-92
4 Miscellaneous papers concerning kindred institutions, 1978-86

Series 12: Miscellaneous papers, 1970-91

The series includes papers of the Illawarra Innovations Conference held in Wollongong in 1991 and ANZAAS reports given at its convocation meetings. The convocation meeting, held during an ANZAAS Congress, is the Annual General Meeting of ANZAAS, but without governing powers. The participants of the convocation meetings are representatives of institutional and State members.

Folder
1 Illawarra Innovations Conference, 1991
2 Correspondence and reports concerning convocation meetings, 1970-85

Box list

Box Series Folder
1 1 1-5
2 1 6-9
3 1 10-14
4 1 15-21
5 1 22-28
6 1 28-33
7 2 1-5
8 2 6-11
9 2 13-14 (see also Boxes 23-26)
9 3 1-5
10 3 6-11
11 3 12-13
11 4 1-4
12 4 5-7
12 5 1-4
13 5 5-9
13 6 1-2
14 6 3-4
14 7 1-5
15 7 6-12
16 7 13-14
16 8 1-4
17 8 5-10
17 9 1
18 9 2-6
19 9 7-14
20 9 15-17
20 10 1-2
21 10 3-5
21 11 1-3
22 11 4
22 12 1-2
23 2 15-21
24 2 22-28
25 2 29-34
26 2 35-37
Carton
1 6 5-7
2 6 8-9
Folio
1-3 1