Posted on
22 May 2024
As we celebrate National Volunteer Week (20-26 May 2024), we'd like to thank all our wonderful volunteers.
State Library volunteers assist visitors with their family history research, correct newspaper articles, index collection documents and transcribe or summarize oral histories. We thank our volunteers for supporting us with client services, events and promoting a love of literacy and learning to our youngest visitors.
The volunteers' work not only supports our researchers and visitors but also helps us share Western Australian stories to the community. A huge thank you to each and every one of our volunteers for your ongoing commitment, work and support.
“I enjoy doing something and still being involved in the library. Some articles are most interesting, some are most boring (laughs).”
– Dolores, volunteer at the State Library for 10 years
When we visited Dolores at her desk, she was correcting newspaper articles from a Women’s Magazine from 1908. She used to work as a Library Technician and did some relief work around high schools before she started volunteering at the State Library 8 years ago.
Correcting newspapers on Trove helps to improve the accuracy of search results of digitised newspapers.
“I’m retired, and I just enjoy coming to the library once a week. I come in and make sure that everything is in order in the board game area, checking that all the games are complete. I’m cleaning and tidying everything.”
– Louis, volunteer at the State Library since April 2023
Louis started volunteering at the State Library helping with surveys. Now he is looking after the recently established board game area, Board at the Library. He does enjoy playing some board games and admits that he’s really good at Monopoly.
“We can help with where to look, where to start. People are quite pleased when they find this volunteering desk”.
– Janet, volunteer at the State Library for 10 years
Marilyn and Janet are volunteering at the Family History WA Desk. They found their way to the State Library as members of the WAGS (Western Australian Genealogical Society), now Family History WA. The fruitful partnership between the State Library and Family History WA has been ongoing for 38 years. Janet likes talking to other people and helping them with their research on their families.
"It’s the friendships you build with people that make the volunteering so enjoyable”.
– Marilyn, volunteer at the State Library for 31 years
Discover more...
Nearly 900 WA newspaper titles are held by the State Library. From the manuscript newspapers of the early 1830s up to currently published titles. Newspapers are valuable sources of information, reflecting social, political and cultural history.
If you are a beginner starting to trace your family history or a seasoned researcher looking to dig a little deeper, access our resources.
Want to volunteer or work at the State Library?
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