Guide to the Papers of Harrison Bryan

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MS 9867, MS Acc06.185, MS Acc08.069

National Library of Australia View Catalogue Record

Collection Summary

Creator
Harrison Bryan
Title
Papers of Harrison Bryan
Date Range
c.1947-2008
Collection Number
MS 9867, MS Acc06.185, MS Acc08.069
Extent
6.12 metres (28 boxes + 1 carton + 3 folio boxes + 1 packet)
Language of Materials
English
Repository
National Library of Australia

Introduction

Conditions Governing Access

Please refer to the collection's catalogue record for the access conditions (http://nla.gov.au/nla.cat-vn2272324).

Conditions Governing Use

Copying and publishing of unpublished manuscript material is subject to copyright restrictions. For such material, written permission to publish must be obtained from the copyright holder(s). Copying of unpublished material for research purposes is permissible 50 years after the death of the creator of the material.

Preferred Citation

Items from this collection should be cited as '[Title or description of manuscript item], Papers of Harrison Bryan, National Library of Australia, [class number, box number and series and/or file number]'.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

The papers were donated by Harrison Bryan to the Library on 6 December 1996, with a further donation made on 8 July 2002.

In the Oral History Section, an interview with Harrison Bryan recorded by Malcolm Bodley on 29 July 1985 is available. Call no. ORAL TRC 1814. A biographical clippings file on Harrison Bryan is also held by the National Library. Portraits by Max Dupain of Harrison Bryan are available at: Call no. PIC P2238/1-4 LOC Q33

Arrangement

The collection has been left in the original order created by Bryan.

Collection Retrieval Advice

Please note: each consignment in this collection has a separate box number sequence (i.e. there are multiple Box 1's). Please cite the relevant Class number as well as the Box number when requesting retrieval of material from the collection.

Biographical Note

Harrison Bryan was born on 23 September 1923, the son of Walter Heywood Bryan and Margaret Myee Harrison. He was educated at the Brisbane Grammar School and gained a BA in history at the University of Queensland. He received his Certificate of Training from the Library School, Public Library of N.S.W. in 1948. Bryan was awarded an MA in 1954 from the Queensland University for a thesis on the Queensland politician John Murtagh Macrossan. Bryan also gained a Diploma from the Library Association of Australia and two honorary Doctorates.

Bryan began his career as an assistant librarian at the University of Queensland Library in 1949, and in 1950 became James Forsyth University Librarian. His father was for many years Professor of Geology at the same university.

In 1963, Bryan became Sydney University Librarian. His long career as a library administrator culminated in his appointment as Director-General of the National Library of Australia, 1980-1985.

Bryan was a prolific writer and published numerous articles and books on libraries and librarianship. He was also very active in the wider library community serving on the board of many councils and committees. He was Chairman of the Library Association of Australia's Board of Examiners for ten years and President of the Association for 1973 and 1974.

Bryan's key publications are A critical survey of university libraries and librarianship in Great Britain, 1966; Design for diversity : library services for higher education and research in Australia, edited by Harrison Bryan and Gordon Greenwood, 1977; ALIAS : Australia's library, information and archives services : an encyclopaedia of practice and practitioners, 3 vols, 1988-1991; No gray profession : reminiscences of a career in Australian libraries, 1994.

Item Descriptions

Class MS 9867. Original Consignment

Correspondence, drafts, articles and administrative papers. The correspondence is primarily made up of administrative material, much of which stems from Bryan's involvement in various organisations, boards and committees. The papers mostly date from 1960-1980 and, apart from his autobiographical works, there is very little material relating to his time at the National Library of Australia. The personal correspondence is concerned only with Bryan's other library activities, his authorship of books and articles, speeches, travel and consultancies. There are drafts of Bryan's autobiographies and his unpublished history of the University of Queensland.

Comprises 27 boxes + 1 carton.

Series 1. Articles and speeches, 1961-1993

The series contains the typescript originals and/or photocopies of the large number of articles, speeches and book chapters produced by Bryan between 1961 and 1993. The numbering system within the series is Bryans own. The files are imperfect and start with no. 32 and finish with no. 410. Between these numbers there are some further gaps. The files are generally in date order. Contained within some of the files are correspondence relating to the work.

32-58, 1961-1964 (File 1) - Box 1
59-73, 1964-1966 (File 2) - Box 1
75-93, 1966-1968 (File 3) - Box 1
94-110, 1968-1970 (File 4) - Box 1
111-130, 1970-1972 (File 5) - Box 1
131-135, 1972 (File 6) - Box 2
139-149, 1972-1973 (File 7) - Box 2
150-159, 1974-1975 (File 8) - Box 2
161-168, 1975-1976 (File 9) - Box 2
169-180, 1976-1978 (File 10) - Box 2
181-187, 1978 (File 11) - Box 3
189-198, 1977-1978 (File 12) - Box 3
199-206, 1977-1979 (File 13) - Box 3
207-216, 1978-1981 (File 14) - Box 3
217-230, 1981-1982 (File 15) - Box 3
231-244, 1980-1983 (File 16) - Box 4
246-255, 1982-1983 (File 17) - Box 4
256-272, 1984-1985 (File 18) - Box 4
273-278, 1986 (File 19) - Box 4
279-289, 1987 (File 20) - Box 4
290-337, 1987-1988 (File 21) - Box 5
338-342, 1986-1988 (File 22) - Box 5
343-379, 1988 (File 23) - Box 5
380-410, 1991-1993 (File 24) - Box 5

Series 2. Australian Advisory Council on Bibliographical Services (AACOBS), 1960 -1979

Bryan was involved with AACOBS at different levels from 1960 until his retirement. AACOBS was a peak library organisation concerned with promoting library cooperation and to represent the Australian library community within the political sphere. In 1988, AACOBS was subsumed into the Australian Council on Library and Information Services (ACLIS).

The series comprises Bryan's AACOBS files 1960-75 and 1977, and files covering his time as Chairman of the AACOBS Standing Committee 1973-79. The files contain correspondence, drafts, minutes and agendas. Major correspondents include: D. H. Borchardt, Andrew Osborn, Jean Whyte, F. A.(Ali) Sharr, Allan Fleming, Judy McQueen, Sir Peter Crisp, Alan Walker, Allan Horton, W. D. Thorn, G. D. Richardson, W. D Richardson, George Chandler, Robert Sharman and Harold White.

AACOBS organisational files, 1960-1962 (File 1) - Box 6
AACOBS organisational files, 1963-1964 (File 2) - Box 6
AACOBS organisational files, 1965-1966 (File 3) - Box 6
Correspondence and drafts relating to the publication: Libraries for the public : a statement of deficiencies in public library services and a plan for Commonwealth financial support, 1966 (File 4) - Box 6
AACOBS organisational files, 1967 (File 5) - Box 6
AACOBS organisational files, 1968-1969 (File 6) - Box 7
AACOBS organisational files, 1970 (File 7) - Box 7
AACOBS organisational files, 1971-1972 (File 8) - Box 7
AACOBS organisational files, 1972-1974 (File 9) - Box 7
AACOBS Commonwealth Government submission, 1973 (File 10) - Box 7

Correspondents include Allan Fleming and Kim E. Beazley, Minister for Education.

Correspondence and drafts relating to AACOBS submission to the 1975 Committee of Public Inquiry into Public Libraries, 1971-1975 (File 11) - Box 8
AACOBS organisational files, 1975 (File 12) - Box 8
AACOBS organisational files, 1977 (File 13) - Box 8
AACOBS Planning Sub-committee, 1973 (File 14) - Box 8
AACOBS Standing Committee - Chairman's correspondence, 1973 (File 15) - Box 8
AACOBS Standing Committee - Chairman's correspondence, 1974 (File 16) - Box 8
AACOBS Standing Committee - Chairman's correspondence, 1975 (File 17) - Box 9
AACOBS Standing Committee - Chairman's correspondence, 1976 (File 18) - Box 9
AACOBS Standing Committee - Chairman's correspondence, 1977 (File 19) - Box 9
AACOBS Standing Committee - Chairman's correspondence, 1978 (File 20) - Box 9
AACOBS Standing Committee - Chairman's correspondence, 1978 (File 21) - Box 9
AACOBS Standing Committee - Chairman's correspondence, 1979 (File 22) - Box 10
AACOBS Standing Committee - Chairman's correspondence, 1979 (File 23) - Box 10
AACOBS Standing Committee - Chairman's correspondence, 1979 (File 24) - Box 10

Series 3. Library Association of Australia, 1963-1979

Bryan joined the Association in 1948, he served for over 25 years on its General Council, chaired a number of committees. In 1973 and 1974 he was President of the Association, he later became a Fellow of the Association and in 1984 was awarded the Association's highest honour, the HCL Anderson award, in recognition of his outstanding service to the library and information profession.

The series comprises correspondence, reports, minutes, agendas and submissions.

The collection includes coverage of Bryan's time as President of the Library Association of Australia, 1973-1974

Correspondence, reports and agenda, 1963-1970 (File 1) - Box 10
Library Association of Australia. Executive Committee, 1965 (File 2) - Box 10

Correspondence and minutes

Libraries: a survey, 1967-1972 (File 3) - Box 11

Contains correspondence and copies of the report by Sol Encel

Correspondence and papers on accreditation of schools, 1969 (File 4) - Box 11

South Australian Institute of Technology and Canberra College of Advanced Education. Includes correspondence between Bryan, Ali Sharr, John Balnaves and Allan Horton concerning a letter published in the Canberra Times, 17 Nov. 1969 by Allan Horton, which prompted Bryan to offer his resignation as chairman of the Board of Examiners

Continuing Education Committee, 1970-1973 (File 5) - Box 11

Correspondence relating to Bryan's membership of the Continuing Education Committee of the Library Association of Australia

Committee on the Role of the Association, 1972-1973 (File 6) - Box 11

Includes correspondence, a study and speech given by Bryan, drafts, articles and a number of papers from the 1971 IFLA Council, Liverpool

Correspondence, 1972-1973 (File 7) - Box 11

Correspondence from R. C. Sharman relating to Bryan's accession to President of the Association. Includes submission by the Association to the Scientific and Technological Information Services Enquiry Committee, 1971

Sub-Committee on supply and demand of librarians, 1972-1973 (File 8) - Box 11

Correspondence

Public Lending Right, 1973 (File 9) - Box 12

Correspondence and press clippings

President's correspondence, 1973 (File 10) - Box 12

Correspondence with numerous individuals and organisations undertaken as part of Bryan's position as President. Includes draft copy of Standards and Objectives for School Libraries, 1973

President's correspondence, 1974 (File 11) - Box 12

Correspondence with numerous individuals and organisations undertaken as part of Bryan's position as President. Includes correspondence concerning the editorship of the Australian Library Journal

Task Force on Information Services, 1975 (File 12) - Box 12

Correspondence and drafts

General Correspondence, 1975 (File 13) - Box 12

Includes a paper by Esther Leslie on Para-professional library staff

Committee on the Role of the Association, 1973-1976 (File 14) - Box 12

Agenda, minutes and preliminary draft of Statement of policies A and B, 1976

General Correspondence, 1976 (File 15) - Box 13
Standing Committee, 1976 (File 16) - Box 13

Correspondence and a report of Bryan's attendance at the IFLA General Committee Meeting, Oslo, 1975

Committee of Enquiry into Edcation and Training (Williams Committee), 1976-1977 (File 17) - Box 13

Corespondence, reports, submissions and drafts

General Correspondence, 1977 (File 18) - Box 13

Includes correspondence concerning attendance at conferences and papers

Australian Library Journal, 1977-1978 (File 19) - Box 13

correspondence and drafts

General Correspondence, 1978 (File 20) - Box 13

Includes correspondence concerning the Library Association's planned 1979 biennial conference

General Correspondence, 1979 (File 21) - Box 13

Includes correspondence and a paper for the Library Association of Australia's 1979 biennial conference and papers by the Association for the Appointment Committee for the Office of Director-General, National Library of Australia

Series 4. Library Association of Australia. Board of Examiners, 1964-1974

The Library Association of Australia's Board of Examiners existed to make recommendations to the Association's General Council on all matters affecting examination and qualification in librarianship. The Board also administered the Association's Registration Examination, set standards for schools of librarianship and provided accreditation to those schools meeting the standards. Bryan served as Chairman of the Board of Examiners 1964-1974. The series comprises the administrative material gathered by Bryan as a member of the Board.

Agenda and minutes, 1964 (File 1) - Box 14
Agenda and minutes, 1964 (File 2) - Box 14
Agenda and minutes, 1965 (File 3) - Box 14
Agenda and minutes, 1965 (File 4) - Box 14
Agenda and minutes, 1966 (File 5) - Box 14
Agenda and minutes, 1966 (File 6) - Box 15
Agenda and minutes, 1967 (File 7) - Box 15
Agenda and minutes, 1967 (File 8) - Box 15
Correspondence, reports, papers, 1967-1970 (File 9) - Box 15
Agenda and minutes, 1968 (File 10) - Box 15
Agenda and minutes, 1968 (File 11) - Box 16
Agenda and minutes, 1969 (File 12) - Box 16
Agenda and minutes, 1969 (File 13) - Box 16
Agenda and minutes, 1970 (File 14) - Box 16
Correspondence, 1970 (File 15) - Box 16
Agenda and minutes, 1971 (File 16) - Box 17
Agenda and minutes, 1971 (File 17) - Box 17

Includes correspondence 1969-1970

Western Australian Institute of Technology, [1971] (File 18) - Box 17

Papers towards recognition of courses by the Library Asscociation of Australia

Agenda and minutes, 1972 (File 19) - Box 17
Agenda and minutes, 1972 (File 20) - Box 17
Correspondence, 1972 (File 21) - Box 17
Education for Librarianship, 1972 (File 22) - Box 18

Two page report by Bryan

Correspondence, 1973-1974 (File 23) - Box 18

Includes Bryan's resignation as Chairman of the Board of Examiners

Series 5. Commonwealth Advisory Committee on Advanced Education Library Sub-committee, 1967-1972

In 1968, Bryan was appointed to the Library Sub-committee by John Gorton, Minister for Education as a representative of the university library sector. The Sub-committee's role was to advise the Committee on the development of libraries and the training of librarians. The series comprises the administrative material gathered by Bryan as a member of the Committee.

Agenda, minutes, correspondence and reports/papers tabled to the Committee, 1967 (File 1) - Box 18
Agenda, minutes, correspondence, reports and papers tabled to the Committee, 1968 (File 2) - Box 18
Reports and papers tabled to the Committee, 1968 (File 3) - Box 18
Agenda, minutes, correspondence and reports/papers tabled to the Committee, 1969 (File 4) - Box 19
Agenda, minutes, correspondence and reports/papers tabled to the Committee, 1970 (File 5) - Box 19
Correspondence and reports/papers tabled to the Committee, 1970 (File 6) - Box 19
Agenda, minutes, correspondence and reports/papers tabled to the Committee, 1971 (File 7) - Box 19
Agenda, minutes, correspondence and reports/papers tabled to the Committee, 1972 (File 8) - Box 19

Series 6. Australian Commission on Advanced Education. Library Committee, 1972-1974

From 10 February 1972, the Australian Commission on Advanced Education took over the work of the Commonwealth Advisory Committee on Advanced Education. Bryan was re-appointed by the Minister of Education Malcolm Fraser to the new Library Committee. The series comprises the administrative material gathered by Bryan as a member of the Committee including copies of reports and documents tabled at meetings.

First and second meetings, 1972 (File 1) - Box 20

Minutes, agenda and report

Fourth meeting, February 1973 (File 2) - Box 20

Minutes and agenda

Fifth meeting, May 1973 (File 3) - Box 20

Minutes, agenda and A work book in information retrieval by John Balnaves

Sixth meeting, Nov. 1973 (File 4) - Box 20

Includes The acquisition and use of information by architects by A.J. Lonsdale, 1973

Seventh meeting, Jan. 1974 (File 5) - Box 20

Minutes and agenda

Eigth meeting, March 1974 (File 6) - Box 20

Minutes and agenda

Ninth meeting, April 1974 (File 7) - Box 21

Minutes and agenda

Tenth meeting, May 1974 (File 8) - Box 21

Minutes and agenda

Eleventh meeting, July 1974 (File 9) - Box 21

Minutes and agenda

Twelth meeting, Nov. 1974 (File 10) - Box 21

Minutes and agenda

Correspondence, 1973 (File 11) - Box 21
Correspondence and reports, 1973-1974 (File 12) - Box 21
Correspondence and reports, 1974 (File 13) - Box 22
Correspondence and reports, 1975 (File 14) - Box 22

Series 7. Committee on Overseas Professional Qualifications. Expert Panel in Librarianship, 1970-1978

The expert panel was formed in 1970 to improve procedures used in the assessment of overseas librarianship qualifications. Bryan was elected Chairman of the Panel on its first meeting and served as such until its disbandment in 1978. The series comprises agenda, minutes, reports and correspondence.

Agenda and meeting reports (minutes), 1970-1978 (File 1) - Box 22
Correspondence and reports, 1970 (File 2) - Box 22

Includes correspondence from the Library Association of Australia. Board of Examiners

Correspondence and reports, 1971 (File 3) - Box 22
Correspondence and newsletter, 1972 (File 4) - Box 23
Correspondence and reports, 1973 (File 5) - Box 23
Correspondence and reports, 1974 (File 6) - Box 23
Correspondence and reports, 1975-1976 (File 7) - Box 23
Correspondence and reports, 1977 (File 8) - Box 23
Correspondence and reports, 1978 (File 9) - Box 23

Series 8. Design for diversity, 1971-1977

Comprises correspondence, drafts and financial papers for the publication of this collection of essays, edited by Bryan and Gordon Greenwood, on libraries for research and higher education institutions. The correspondence is primarily between, Bryan, Greenwood, contributors and the publishers, the University of Queensland Press.

Correspondence, 1971-1973 (File 1) - Box 24
Correspondence, 1972-1973 (File 2) - Box 24
Correspondence, 1974 (File 3) - Box 24
Correspondence, 1975 (File 4) - Box 24
Financial papers, 1971-1977 (File 5) - Box 24

Series 9. Consultancy work, 1972-1976

Comprises administrative correspondence relating to Bryan's consultancy advice on libraries and library buildings

Indonesia, 1972 (File 1) - Box 25

Bryan was employed by the Ford Foundation to serve as a consultant to the Indonesian Council of Sciences, Jan/Feb. 1972. Bryan toured Indonesia and wrote his Report on the development of national documentation/information services in Indonesia, (of which a draft photocopy is within the papers). The papers mainly consist of administrative correspondence.

University of Adelaide, 1973 (File 2) - Box 25

Comprises 3 administrative letters and a report by Owen Slight, Deputy Librarian dated 1972

Library buildings consultant, 1973-1974 (File 3) - Box 25

Correspondence and design briefs for the libraries of Townsville Teachers College and the Queensland Institute of technology

Library buildings consultant, 1975-1976 (File 4) - Box 25

Correspondence and design briefs for the libraries of RMIT Central library and the N.S.W. Parliamentary Library

Series 10. Personal papers, 1965-1978

This series of files marked 'personal' by Bryan, mainly contains letters relating to his professional activities.

Visit to the United States of America, 1965 Bryan made a tour of 20 major libraries between October and December 1965. The papers comprise the administrative correspondence for that trip. (File 1) - Box 25
Correspondence, 1967 (File 2) - Box 25

Includes correspondence with the Library Association (UK)

Correspondence, 1967-1972 (File 3) - Box 26

Primarily of an administrative nature

The function of the library in a college of advanced education, by Harrison Bryan and Evelyn Lorna Hean (Bryan-Hean Report), 1970 (File 4) - Box 26

Correspondence relating to the supply and distribution of the completed work, 1970-1971.

Correspondence and papers, 1972-1975 (File 5) - Box 26

Comprises administrative and personal correspondence. Includes correspondence relating to Bryan's unsuccessful application for the position of National Librarian as well as submissions and memoranda concerning the Copyright Law Committee on Reprographic Reproduction.

Study leave, 1975 (File 6) - Box 26

Itinerary and correspondence relating to Bryan's study tour and stay in Britain, May-Nov. 1975, includes unrelated letters sent and received during this time.

Correspondence, 1976 (File 7) - Box 26

Personal correspondence. Subjects include a testimonial dinner for F. R (Ali) Sharr and drafts for an entry on Australian libraries for the Australian Encyclopaedia.

Correspondence, 1977 (File 8) - Box 26

Includes correspondence from Richard Blackwell of Blackwells concerning the firm of James Bennett

Correspondence, 1978 (File 9) - Box 26

Includes a letter to Kenneth Myer concerning relations between AACOBS and the National Library of Australia. There are also papers and correspondence in relation to a speech made by Bryan at the opening of the Capricornia Institute of Advanced Education

Series 11. ALIAS : Australia's library, information and archives services : an encyclopaedia of practice and practitioners, 1986-1989

Bryan was the editor of this three volume encyclopaedia which was published between 1988 and 1991. Contained within this series is the correspondence between Bryan and the many contributors.

Correspondence with contributors, A - H (File 1) - Box 27
Correspondence with contributors, I - Z (File 2) - Box 27

Series 12. Historical and autobiographical writings, 1960-2002

Comprises drafts of works.

Manuscript of The University of Queensland : 1910 - 1960 : an essay towards a history, vol. 1, [1960] (File 1) - Box 28

In 1958, Bryan was asked by the University to write a history for its Jubilee celbrations. However, on completion it was not accepted for publication. The work is in two volume with amendments.

Manuscript of The University of Queensland : 1910 - 1960 : an essay towards a history vol. 2, [1960] (File 2) - Box 28
Draft of Bryan's published autobiographical work No Gray Profession, 1994 (File 3) - Box 27
Florence and Harrison : an account for their descendants by Florence Isabel Bryan and Harrison Bryan, 1995 (File 4) - Box 27

A complete work of autobiography and family history by the Bryans intended primarily for family members.

My years as a warrior, 2002 (File 5) - Box 28

Bryan's typescript memoir of his wartime experiences, 1942-1946

Class MS Acc06_185. Consignment Added 2006

Certificates, honours, honorary degrees, invitations, job applications, published articles by Bryan, correspondence and photographs.

Comprises 1 ms box + 3 folio boxes.

Class MS Acc08.069. Consignment Added 2008

Comprises one CD-ROM containing eulogy and other speeches from Harrison Bryan's funeral ceremony.

Comprises 1 packet.


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