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Friends’ bulletin board
The Future TurnbullThe Alexander Turnbull Library's chief librarian, Chris Szekely, delivered the annual Friends of the Turnbull Library Founder Lecture to the Friends on 18 June 2009, discussing the challenges ahead for the Library and the giant steps already being taken to meet them. We have pleasure in presenting the full text of his lecture (click here) which poses and answers vital questions about how the Library will look in ten years time and beyond.2009 FoTL Research GrantA joint award of the Friends' research grant for 2010 has been made for two separate projects involving extensive research at the Alexander Turnbull Library. Paul Meredith, of Wellington, is working on an account of the Maori King's visit to the United Kingdom in 1914, and Philip Simpson, of Takaka, is researching the history and uses of the iconic totara tree. The research grants are worth $10,000 each. Paul Meredith, of Ngati Maniapoto lineage, is a speaker of te reo and has written extensively on Maori law and institutions. He has won a number of awards for his scholarship, including the Sir Peter Buck Memorial Prize and the Ngarimu VC Award. Philip Simpson is the author of Pohutukawa and Ti Kouka, prizewinning books with comprehensive coverage of all aspects of these widely known native trees, from their growth and habitat to their significance in Maori lore and European settlement. Previous recipients of the FOTL Research Grant have been:Jennifer Shennan of Wellington (2008), for research towards a biography of Poul Gnatt; Paul Diamond of Wellington (2007), for research towards his book, Makereti: Taking Maori to the World; Dr Alex Bremner of Edinburgh (2006), for research towards a book on Anglican colonial architecture; Emeritus Professor Tim Beaglehole of Wellington (2005), for a biography of his father, the historian J C Beaglehole; Dr Philip Norman of Christchurch (2004), for a biography of Douglas Lilburn. No Research Grant in 2010No FoTL Research Grant will be offered in 2010, because access to the Turnbull's collections could be affected by the building renovation programme (see following item).National Library renovationsAs was announced last year, a major redevelopment of the National Library is scheduled to start shortly, which would affect the Turnbull Library and also the activities of the Friends of the Turnbull. The government has announced that this redevelopment is among projects now under review in order to trim expenditure, but in the meantime, the big move of collections out of the Molesworth St building is on track, with relocation plans to be announced soon. National Librarian Penny Carnaby advises that because of the size of the collections, several different locations are required, and access to the collections will change. For more details of the planned redevelopment as shown on the National Library's site, click here.Membership renewalsWe invite members to be in early with membership renewal for 2009-10. Your membership is greatly valued and we thank you for your support. You can help us by paying in advance of the new financial year, which commences on 1 April 2009. Please use the form mailed to you to supply an email address (if you have one). This will enable us to advise you of important news and developments such as changes of dates in our public programme. There were two such last-minute date changes last year, to our great regret. As advised at the 2008 AGM of the Friends, there is a small increase in membership fees this year. This chiefly reflects rising costs - particularly postage - that can no longer be absorbed. We seek your understanding and support for this decision, which was not taken lightly. It has been 10 years since the last increase.Farewell to Philip RainerLong-serving senior staff member Philip Rainer has left the Turnbull Library after almost 25 years' service. A tribute to him from the Friends noted his excellent service to the Alexander Turnbull Library, its researchers and supporters in the key roles of editor of NRAM, National Reference Librarian, Keeper of Printed Collections, Assistant Chief Librarian and Manager Research Centre. We particularly record our thanks for his highly professional relations with the Friends, demonstrated notably in his constant support of our programmes, projects and publications, his high standards of editing and production, and his generous sharing of his extensive knowledge of the collections of the Library and its users. The Friends extend best wishes to Philip, and are pleased to honour his fine record with an award of Life Membership.Milton 400 ConferenceA conference to mark the quatercentenary of John Milton's birth was held at the National Library on 5-6 December, supported by the Turnbull Library and organised by Friends committee member Dr Brian Opie. It had the title and theme Miltonic Origins/Miltonic Innovations: Milton's poetry and thought in New World societies and cultures. The keynote speaker was John Rumrich, Thaman Professor of English at the University of Texas at Austin, who has maintained a research involvement with the Turnbull since the early 1990s. His entertaining address, Reading Him Now, gave a vivid picture of Milton as a daring, radical, republican poet, who could even make a comeback to new audiences - thanks to digital technology - in a kind of karaoke presentation. Dr Juliet Lucy, a practising lawyer who is honorary research adviser at the University of Queensland, used her topic Milton and Ecology to draw a picture of Milton as an "early hippy" in his ideas on the inseparability of spirit and matter, and the centrality of his understanding of his environment. Other speakers included Dr John Hale (University of Otago) and Associate Professors Peter Whiteford and Heidi Thomson (Victoria University of Wellington). For the benefit of those unable to attend, Jim Traue's excellent paper, That Serpent Milton: Creating a 'minds-on' book exhibition has been reproduced in full in Turnbull Library Record 2008 (Vol. 41).Milton Essay Competition winnerAlexander Simmonds of Devonport, Auckland, and a student at Auckland International College, was judged the winner of the secondary school essay competition held by the Friends of the Turnbull Library to mark the 400th anniversary of the birth of John Milton. The judges, Dr Brian Opie of Victoria University and Dr Ruth Lightbourne of the Turnbull Library, commended Alexander for his thoughtful presentation, his development of its argument and its command of a fluent, articulate and expository prose. Alexander won the $1,500 prize for his essay entitled "John Milton: Why does he matter to teenagers today?" The Friends' Committee congratulate Alexander and are pleased to feature his essay on this web site. The Turnbull Library has a special association with John Milton, as it contains one of the world's most notable collections of his works and of reference materials relevant to him.Bequest to assist conservation workThe Friends have been successful in obtaining a grant of $10,000 from the National Library's Macklin Bequest to be used towards the restoration of several oil paintings in the Turnbull Library's collections. The first painting to be restored is a portrait of Walter Turnbull - father of Alexander Turnbull - which was part of Alexander's own collection. Some 40 years after Alexander's death, the painting suffered water damage while stored in the attic of the old Turnbull House.Bequests and DonationsBequests and donations are very effective ways of supporting the Alexander Turnbull Library. The Library always welcomes bequests that may be of historical value, including books, documents, paintings, drawings, family papers and photographs. Financial bequests - made direct to the Alexander Turnbull Library Endowment Trust or to the Friends of the Turnbull Library - are used to support the Library's work of collecting, preserving, and improving the dissemination of knowledge of New Zealand's heritage. The Friends of the Turnbull Library also seeks donations to assist in special projects. In 2006, members made generous contributions towards the cost of commissioning a bronze portrait of the late historian, Michael King, which was then presented to the Library. In 2007, donations were received to assist in the conservation of one of the oil paintings in the Drawings and Prints Collection. In 2008 the Friends of the Turnbull Library was registered by the Charities Commission (registration number CC22660), confirming our eligibility to issue tax-deductible receipts for charitable donations.Turnbull's classic yacht Rona purchasedThe yacht Rona, built for Alexander Turnbull by Robert Logan in Auckland in 1892, has recently been purchased by a charitable trust set up by members of the sailing fraternity to ensure her continued maintenance and preservation in sailing condition as the centrepiece of a classic yacht fleet in Wellington. She was offered for sale in meticulously restored condition by her Nelson owner. Rona is still in top sailing condition and participated in an Auckland regatta in 2003.Call for papers: Turnbull Library RecordThe Turnbull Library Record is a peer-reviewed scholarly journal in the humanities, published annually by the Alexander Turnbull Library in association with the Friends of the Turnbull Library. Contributions that have not been previously published are welcomed and, before acceptance, will be evaluated by independent referees. For details of forthcoming issues and submission requirements, contact: The Editorial Board, Turnbull Library Record, PO Box 12 349, Wellington, New Zealand.Friends of the Turnbull Library 2009 |