About the Special Collections
Established in 2006, the LRC's Special Collections initially housed materials related to the subjects taught by the Institute. Over the past number of years, the collection has focused more on Australian culinary history and culture, building its strength in collecting materials such as books, newspapers journals, manuscripts, personal collections and artefacts. Our rare culinary collections offers all staff, students and visitors to the Institute the opportunity to explore and to connect with archival material. The collections offer unique research opportunities and cultural value to the community.
Our Collections Strengths
• Pre 1900 cookbooks, both Australian and English materials
• 1900-1960 Australian cookbooks
• Pre 1900 – 1940 community cookbooks and advertising materials
• Unique and rare ephemera, e.g. menus, personal recipe cards
• Vintage culinary artefacts
• Materials related to William Angliss Institute
The Research Room
The Special Collections Research Room located in the Learning Resource Centre near the Training Room, provides secure and easy access to the major collections. The room is open to our students, staff, and visitors from Monday to Friday 10 am - 3 pm by appointment. It offers a Mac, a scanner, and a reading area for researching. It also offers a wonderful nexus of the meeting of technology with content. Through numerous digitisation projects, the research room will expand its digital representation of materials.
Exhibitions and Gallery
There are two exhibition areas. One is located at the LRC's main entrance and the other is located in the Research Room. The Special Collections holds exhibitions four times a year. Each exhibition will have different themes and topics to give our students and staff an opportunity to experience some hidden treasures from our Special Collections. Occasionally, Special Collections holds exhibitions that are incorporated within Institute events.
