The National Library of Australia’s online resources have much to offer teachers and lifelong learners during lockdown.
“There’s so much in the Library’s collection that can support your interests,” says education program manager Ben Pratten. “The building might be closed, but we’re always open online.”
The Digital Classroom has free resources for teachers to use, ideal for remote learning; it covers a wide range of curriculum learning areas (English, history, geography, social studies, and science) from Year 3 to senior secondary.
Topics include Indigenous connections to country, Captain Cook in the Pacific, European arrival, frontier conflict, convicts, the gold rush, the Chinese in Australia, Federation, World War I, and the 1967 referendum. Students can also learn about sport, advertising, feminism, and children’s literature. But there is also much on world history, such as the Angkor Khmer Empire or Japan under the Shogun.
During lockdown, many people are taking up new hobbies, or wanting to find out more about their interests.
“Throughout the pandemic, we’ve seen a rise in interest in genealogy,” Mr Pratten said.
August is Family History month, and the NLA has plenty to help people dig into their ancestors’ lives.
A blog highlights Library resources that can help people: historic newspapers, digitised images, printed items, and oral history.
“It’s a really practical research guide to help people get started with their family history research, particularly if they’re new to it,” Mr Pratten said.
With people spending more time at home, some people are tracing the history of those homes. “Thinking about the story your house might have that you’re not aware of is another interesting angle.”
Other digital content is related to the NLA’s exhibition programs; there are online gallery tours, curated talks, and learning webinars where people can find out how the Library’s collections can help them.
Short discovery videos highlight parts of the collection, including Cold War politics in East Asia, the colonial heritage of Norfolk Island, or the history of Australian aviation.
A webinar on Wednesday, 25 August, is an introduction to the Asian language collection. This will particularly interest people with a cultural background in Asia who are curious about their family history, or who have research interests in Asian history, politics, and culture.
“It’s a part of the collection that is really well-known in the professional researcher world, but we know it has relevance and value to lots more people than academic researchers,” Mr Pratten said.
A back catalogue of webinars is available on YouTube.
To keep abreast of the Library’s digital content, follow the NLA on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.
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