National Library of Australia Trove: Indigenous Cultural Heritage National Discovery Service

Trove is a national discovery service, managed and maintained by the National Library of Australia, and providing a single point of access to a wide range of traditional and digital content held by Australian libraries, cultural heritage and research organisations.

In Australia there are over 770 Indigenous groups, each with their own cultural practices and beliefs. Trove helps bring together diverse collections relating to Indigenous culture and heritage.

One example involves the National Library of Australia sharing the work of contemporary Indigenous Australian photographers through Trove. This includes documentary photographers such as Mervyn Bishop, Tracey Moffatt, Ricky Maynard, Destiny Deacon, Michael Riley, and Brenda L Croft. The work of these photographers leads the way in Indigenous self-representation and highlights the social and political climate of Australian history.

This contemporary art incorporates humour, satire and serious reflection on the past treatment and representations of Indigenous Australians. By digitising and providing access to these collections, Trove allows Indigenous communities to reconnect with their past and engage with their present.

Over the past few decades, institutions with collections of Indigenous items in Australia have developed guidelines to ensure cultural sensitivities are met regarding access to these materials. The reasoning behind this is to share knowledge ethically (especially considering issues around provenance of some collection items), but most importantly to ensure cultural safety for Indigenous people accessing materials.

Trove is providing access to collections that help Indigenous Australians learn more about their history, families and heritage.