Bigger, better Trove launches new website

The National Library of Australia has launched a new-look website for the digital heritage portal Trove and added millions of new pages after a four-year modernisation program.

Dr Marie-Louise Ayers

The online culture and research portal brings together content from the National Library and other libraries, archives, galleries, historical societies and research institution around the country via single entry point.

Trove offers free access to some 6.5 billion records including 1,500 digitised newspaper titles, and also contains a digitised copies of historical documents including Banjo Paterson’s Waltzing Matilda manuscript and an architectural model of the Opera House. It also provides access to a wide range of audio recordings, radio reports and websites.

The site, first launched in 2009 and funded since 2016 with public service modernisation funds, is accessed by almost 70,000 users each day.

The launch of the new website comes after a $16 million modernisation and digitisation project led by the library, during which millions of pages were added to the portal, Director-General Dr Marie-Louise Ayres says.

‘The global COVID-19 pandemic has brought the way we access information into sharp focus. Trove has proven to be invaluable to its visitors now more than ever,” she said.

“With a new design and improved search options the updated Trove provides easier access to knowledge for everyone.”

The revamped website was created in consultation with more than 3,000 members of the public and includes new measures to improve cultural safety for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

The federal government this week announced $8 million to support the continued development of the website.

A new audiovisual excellence centre

The government has also revealed a plan to digitise all audio and video tape held by the National Film and Sound archive by 2025, with the announcement of $5.5 million for a National Centre of Excellence in Audiovisual Digitalisation.

The funds are available over four years for the NFSA to digitise historic audiovisual material from the three million items in its collection which include more than 400,000 analogue audiovisual items including film, tape and sound recordings – ranging from episodes of Young Talent Time to historical Melbourne Cup Coverage and the Logie awards.

“Only 14 per cent of this material has been digitised, putting it at risk of deterioration and permanent loss,” arts and communication minister Paul Fletcher said.

“The Government funding announced today will help address issues of material longevity, fragility and equipment maintenance, enabling the NFSA to digitise at-risk video five times faster – as well as doubling the digitisation rate of audio and film material.”

The NFSA will also help the ABC and the National Archives of Australia digitise at-risk materials.

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3 thoughts on “Bigger, better Trove launches new website

    1. Yes, I find the new format complex and clumsy. Apparently its supposed to run on JavaScript, and one is lead, by Trove, to download JavaScript one can’t do it.

  1. Been using Trove for many years now but since the change I can’t access anything. System just goes round in circles. Not user friendly at all.

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