Guide to the Records of ANZAAS
MS 9173
National Library of Australia View Catalogue Record
Collection Summary
- Creator
- ANZAAS
- Title
- Records of ANZAAS
- Date Range
- 1959-1993
- Collection Number
- MS 9173
- Extent
- 5.32 metres (26 boxes and 3 cartons + 3 folios)
- Language of Materials
- English
- Repository
- National Library of Australia
Introduction
Scope and Contents
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.
Conditions Governing Access
Please refer to the collection's catalogue record for the access conditions (http://nla.gov.au/nla.cat-vn1742217).
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Copying and publishing of unpublished manuscript material is subject to copyright restrictions.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 Copying of unpublished material for research purposes is permissible 50 years after the death of the creator of the material.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], Records of ANZAAS, National Library of Australia, MS 9173, [box number and series and/or file number]'.
Provenance
The records were donated by the Head Office of ANZAAS to the National Library in May 1994 and May 1998.
Related Materials
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).
Related collections held by the National Library include:
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
Arrangement
The records have been kept in good order and in most cases the original arrangement has been preserved by the Library.
Administrative History
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.
Item Descriptions
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.