The QVMAG Library and Archives

The Library is primarily based at the Museum at Inveresk and houses a unique collection of special and rare book collections and staff working collections (books and journals), as well as large collections of maps, plans and architectural and engineering drawings, a number of these collections being held on behalf of the City of Launceston and Archives Tasmania.

The library collections are open to the public by appointment only. Visitation can be arranged by contacting enquiries@qvmag.tas.gov.au

For Library-specific enquiries, the QVMAG Librarian/Archivist can be contacted on 6323 3728 or via the above email. 

The supply of items to other institutions via Inter Library Loan is welcomed, with the exception of items held in the Library's special and rare collections, as well as maps and architectural and engineering drawings.

The QVMAG Library catalogue

Use the catalogue to explore the QVMAG Library's unique collection of books, journals, reports, videos and DVDs.

Indexes to drawings and maps

Use this link to explore the QVMAG Library's unique collection of architectural and engineering drawings and maps. 

 

The Archives and the History Centre research room
The Archives, with its History Centre research room, is based at the Museum at Inveresk and houses the following collections: Photographs, Oral Histories, Manuscripts, Community History Series (CHS), Cosmic Ray Project Archive (COS) and QVMAG Records (QVM). It also holds the Launceston City Council (LCC) and Launceston Mechanics' Institute (LMI) collections on behalf of Archives Tasmania.

The Archives and History Centre are open to the public by appointment only. Visitation can be arranged by contacting enquiries@qvmag.tas.gov.au

Photographs can be viewed online at QVMAG Collections Online. For the time being, and until they are also available via Collections Online, brief system extracts are available for Oral Histories(XLSX, 71KB) and Manuscripts(XLSX, 78KB) .

The CHS, COS and QVM archival collections of QVMAG

The Community History Series (CHS) collections of QVMAG include records of local government, businesses, community organisations and individuals. 

The Cosmic Ray Project Archive (COS) contains data recorder charts from eight cosmic ray recording stations which, from 1957 to 2001, contributed to the Short Duration Solar-Related Cosmic Ray Intensity Change Data program.

The CHS and COS collection guides listed at the drop menu below are finding aids that provide information about the creation, historical context, arrangement and content of these collections. Researchers are requested to consult the guides before placing item requests with staff at the QVMAG History Centre.

Starting with CHS135 Theatre North, CHS collections are no longer listed in a guide but registered directly into QVMAG's Content Management System. Until this system is fully available online, researchers are asked to contact QVMAG Archives for a collection print-out.  

QVMAG's own institutional records (QVM) consist of general correspondence and curatorial and administrative records. The following collections are available to the public on request:

1. Correspondence files, 1889 to 1974 (QVM001 and QVM002)

2. The Curator of Zoology's files, 1960 to 1990 (QVM004)

3. The Herbarium records of Mary Cameron, Hon. Botanist, 1972 to 2000 (QVM006)

4. The files of HH Scott, Curator from 1897 to 1938 (QVM007)

5. The files of EOG Scott, Curator from 1938 to 1942 (QVM008)

6. Research files compiled by Therese Mulford on Tasmanian frame makers, 1830 to 1930 (QVM012).

The following collections are not available to the public:

1. Personnel files dating from 1946 (QVM003)

2. Administration and correspondence files dating from 1975 to the present (QVM005)

3. Display labels (QVM009)

4. Staff diaries and journals (QVM010).

Please see our opening hours for information on access procedures. Collections will be available at the QVMAG History Centre at Inveresk.