Here on the blog over the last few weeks, I’ve been highlighting adventures from my road trip through Australia’s red centre. So far I’ve shared photos from my first ever trip to Uluru and Kata Tjuta , followed by the drive out of Alice Springs along the West MacDonnell Range…

But this week, we’re taking a break from travel, as my attention has been taken by an Annual Report that came through my letter box yesterday.

An Annual Report?  I hear you utter.

Yes, and when you look below you may see why…

It’s not often that I (or for that matter, you) see a Journey Jottings map gracing the cover of an annual company report (other than our own!). But, as part of our corporate social responsibility, Journey Jottings is a partner to the ‘Our Page in History’ project and is permitting the use of our pictorial map of Western Australia as part of our contribution to its on-going success 🙂

The W.A. State Library Foundation was created a little over two years ago (mid 2009) and supports a variety of projects (this year includes activities around the National Year of Reading 2012)

The Executive Director, Bronwyn Lewis approached me regarding the use of Journey Jottings Australia map as the basis to their on-line Our Page in History project.

“Our Page in History collects Western Australian history and also captures what life looks like today for future generations.”

Click on the image to see the book come to life 🙂

“Our Page in History is an interactive web based project encouraging indviduals, families, groups and businesses to record their histories by lodging their photos and stories on a digital platform. We want you to record and digitise your history through the creation of your own personal “Page” in history.”

The website was awarded a Highly Commended in the MAPDAs (Museums Australia Multimedia & Publication Design Awards, which celebrates excellence in design and communication in the museum and collections sector across Australia) in 2010.

And when launched in November 2009, the invitation to the launch party won the 2010 Museums Australia Publications and Design Award.

At this stage the uploading of personal histories is confined to just WA based stories, however the long term plan is to roll out the project right across Australia so all states and territories can participate.

It’s exciting to be a part of history in the making.

Also fun to be connected to a State Library initiative as we supply our Journey Jottings Map Journals and Mail-It Maps to so many of the State Library bookshops ~

• Here in Brisbane we supply the Queensland State Library Bookshop (that was voted Queensland’s Specialist Bookseller of the Year 2011 at The Australian Book Industry Awards)
• In Perth the State Library of Western Australia shop
• In Melbourne the State Library of Victoria shop operated by Readings
• In Sydney the State Library New South Wales shop

The State Libraries run fabulous programmes and exhibitions.

Do you make the most of them?

 Tell me in the comments below…

Do you use your local library?