About
the Pacific Manuscripts Bureau
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The Pacific Manuscripts Bureau,
known as Pambu, was formed in 1968 to copy archives,
manuscripts and rare printed material relating to the Pacific Islands.
The aim of the Bureau is to help with long-term preservation and
accessibility of the documentary heritage of the Pacific Islands.
The Bureau is based in the Research School of Pacific and Asian Studies at The Australian National University. It is a non-profit organisation sponsored by an international consortium of libraries specializing in Pacific research. It is a rare example in the world of an on-going archival project involving this high level of international cooperation and commitment. The current PMB member libraries are:
The Bureau has built up an archive of Pacific documentation consisting of over 3,300 rolls microfilm and related published indexes which is recognised as a key resource for time-based studies of the Pacific Islands. In recent years it has extended its collecting to records of contemporary organisations. The Bureau has also commenced accumulating an archive of recorded audio interviews, oral histories and speeches. Complete sets of the microfilms and audio recordings are held in the major Pacific research libraries which sponsor the Bureau. The Bureau welcomes –
The Pacific Manuscripts Bureau helps to preserve Pacific records of all kinds (paper and digital documents, audio recordings, photographs) on all subjects, in all languages. The Bureau is particularly interested in documents relating to the political and social aspirations of Island peoples in the contemporary Pacific and records which are at risk of loss or destruction, or are difficult to access: • letters, diaries, notebooks, genealogies and other personal or family records; • unpublished novels, stories, plays, poems, songs, music and drawings, especially by Pacific Islanders; • grammars, vocabularies and dictionaries; • mission and church records; • plantation, mining, trading, shipping and other business records, including cooperatives; • papers of political parties, trade unions, environmental organisations, women’s groups, youth groups and other community associations and NGOs; • papers of Pacific regional organisations; • scientific, technical and medical papers, including semi-published ‘grey literature’; • newspapers, newsletters and other serials. Copying The Pacific Manuscripts Bureau copies records, leaving the originals with their owners or custodians. Copying is usually done at no cost to the owner or custodian either on-site, using Pambu’s portable 35mm microfilm camera, or in the Pambu studio at the ANU. Access to the microfilms is determined by the owner/custodian of the original documents. Where appropriate, the original records are arranged, listed and packed for storage by the Bureau’s experienced archivist. Arrangements for institutional custody of the original documents can also be made, if necessary. The microfilm master negatives are held in the National Library of Australia. Digital images of the documents can be scanned from the microfilms if required. Sponsorship Inquiries and/or expressions of interest from libraries, archives or other institutions which have an interest in becoming members of the Bureau are very welcome. The current annual subscription is AU$15,000. Member libraries direct the Bureau’s programs and projects through their representatives on the Bureau’s Management Committee which meets at least twice each year. Please contact the Bureau for further information. [top] |
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