Monash Memo - 18 July 2001

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Indigenous rights campaigner honoured

The Centre for Australian Indigenous Studies (CAIS) unveiled an upgrade of the Elizabeth Eggleston Memorial Library at the Clayton campus during National Aboriginal and Islander Day of Observance Committee (NAIDOC) celebrations last week.

The library is named in honour of Dr Eggleston, who was director of the then Centre for Research into Aboriginal Affairs at Monash for five years. By the time she died in March 1976, she was recognised as Australia's foremost expert on Indigenous Australians and the law.

Dr Eggleston's collection of books, pamphlets, papers and other materials form the foundation of the library, which now holds about 4000 monographs, journals and audio-visual material.

The library is housed in recently refurbished offices, and the collection catalogue, previously contained on a card system, is now on computer.

Centre library consultant Ms Gayle Whyte said the collection was a fitting monument to the life work of Dr Eggleston.

"As I was working through the library catalogue, I would come across items from Elizabeth's own collection. Looking at these items, I could see beyond the books and journals and gain a sense of her thought processes and a reflection of her personality," she said.

According to Ms Whyte, the project also involved creating a website to allow access to the collection for those outside Monash.

"The website enables people from all over the world to access this unique and comprehensive collection. It provides a link between the resources at Monash and those who need them,"she said.

The library is available to university staff, students and the public during opening hours in room 204, building 55. The online catalogue can be found at www.arts.monash.edu.au/ cais/library/.

Caption: Ms Gayle Whyte (centre) paid tribute to all staff involved in the project including (from left) Mr Grant Drage, Mr Gerry Watts, Mr Wes Lal, Ms Marie Barry and Ms Val Campbell (not pictured).