eScholarship Research Centre (ESRC), University of Melbourne (disestablished June 2020)

eScholarship Research Centre (ESRC), University of Melbourne (disestablished June 2020)

• Australian Science Archives Project (ASAP), University of Melbourne, 1985-1999
• Australian Science Archives Project (ASAP), Canberra, c1993-1999
• Australian Science and Technology Heritage Centre (Austehc), University of Melbourne, 1999-2006
• Australian Science and Technology Heritage Centre (Austehc), Canberra, 1999-2006
• eScholarship Research Centre (ESRC), University of Melbourne, 2007-2020

• University

The Centre was disestablished in June 2020. For further information about accessing information assets etc, see https://library.unimelb.edu.au/esrc#archival-guides
The history as noted in this entry before 2020 was as follows:
The eScholarship Research Centre (ESRC) is a social and cultural informatics research centre within the University of Melbourne Library, with a focus on archival science, metadata, and contextual information. The research aims to advance the discovery and interpretation of archival records, published literature, and research data for the benefit of the academic community and the greater public good. The Centre produces online public knowledge resources.

The genesis of the Centre dates back to initiatives in 1985 lead by Associate Professor Gavan McCarthy.

1985–1999: Australian Science Archives Project (ASAP):
The Australian Science Archive Project was launched at the University of Melbourne in 1985 with the objective of developing new programs to foster the preservation, promotion and development of the heritage of Australian science, technology and medicine.

To meet this objective, ASAP developed an early online encyclopedia named Bright Sparcs, an archives-based digital resource and fostered a network of associations with academic, government and private organisations and individuals.

In about 1993, a Canberra office was opened, located in the Basser Library in the Australian Academy of Science. It acted as a Canberra home for the Project and a focal point for the curation of data for 'Bright Sparcs'.

1999–2006: Australian Science and Technology Centre (Austehc):
In 1999, the work of ASAP became the foundation for the Australian Science and Technology Heritage Centre (Austehc), established within the in the Department of History and Philosophy of Science, Faculty of Arts, University of Melbourne.

The ASAP Canberra continued as Austehc, Canberra from 1999 to 2006.

Austehc produced a range of authoritative information sources to support the history of science, technology and medicine in Australia. It continued to offer database and web publication tools to the public under open licences, and at no cost if used for non-commercial, heritage and public good purposes.

In 2003 the 'Bright Sparcs' database and an Austehc project, the Australian Science at Work database were combined to form the online Encyclopedia of Australian Science.

2007– [2020]: eScholarship Research Centre (ESRC):
The ESRC was established in 2007 as part of the University of Melbourne Library. All the project records of the Australian Science and Technology Heritage Centre were transferred to the custody of the eScholarship Research Centre in 2007.

The role of the Centre was:
The eScholarship Research Centre works with collecting institutions, and directly with organisations and individuals who have created or stored records, to catalogue undocumented archives and find homes for collections that are in danger of being lost.

See website for residual functions.

Revised 10 December 2021

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