Growing up loving public libraries, I really appreciated the specialised collections which librarians produced. These specialised collections provide an easy way to find information which suited a local clubs and groups such as gardening or woodworking literature and media. As we passed into the digital age, libraries have struggled to keep up with the volume of information available on media such as YouTube. It’s common to say just ‘Google’ it. It’s really amazing what you can find of value from people who publish really good quality self-help information on all manner of topic. But, we also know how much material is questionable unless the URL is a government publication or an NGO which provides information which is unbiased and evidence-based.
Increasingly, as well, many government agencies have stopped publishing hard copy information guides, preferring to develop websites and online PDF documents. This includes federal, state, and local government. In many cases, the quality is excellent but often it is difficult to get specific answers because the each government body only produces content related to their own department, agency or council.
The Missing Library is a website which provides curated collections of content. It is an attempt to assemble information in a way that can be accessible in an easy to use format. Like all collection libraries, it is limited to specific topic areas. We are interested in what’s happening in South Australia, bringing information about community, sustainability and conservation as well as specific technologies which help organise our thoughts in the digital world.
Society
The Society collection contains topics of interest to understand better how our business community, governments and civil society are structured and how they interact with each other to provide the wide variety of services available within our communities.
Being part of a society means that we are bound by social norms which define our we interact with each other. Government codifies some of these norms into law. It writes legislation and policy to regulate many facets of our lives such as business activity, land and resource management, education, and civil society. Our federal, state and local governments play an important role in providing essential services such as funding the important arterial infrastructure, as well as education and health services.
Civil society has its origins in our democratic tradition, where the people of all walks of life have created organisations for the benefit of its citizens. Civil society, in the form of charities and not for profit associations provide local services such as independent schools, sporting facilities and social clubs.
Business operates for profit and is regulated by government legislation. It is an important provider of services such as food production and distribution, places where we meet to socialise such as coffee shops, restaurants and hotels.
Subdivision includes:
- Legislation relating to all three tiers of government: federal, state and local impacting society
- Government services relating to all tiers of government
- Local councils in South Australia
- Civil society including not-for-profit, charity, supporting services which enhance the quality of life for South Australians
- Local community services provided by not-for-profit organisations
Villages, towns and cities within councils - Council services such as libraries
- Businesses and business services which play a role in providing community services
Natural environment
The Natural Environment collection offers curated content to describe the various landscapes which can contain land-based ecosystems such as grasslands and forests, aquatic ecosystems such as rivers and wetlands, and coastal and marine ecosystems such as mangroves and sea-grass meadows.
Subdivisions include:
- Natural history of South Australia
- Eco-systems
- Natural landscapes
- Australian Flora and Fauna
- Lakes and river systems
- Underground water
- Oceans and fisheries
Sustainability
Since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution over 200 years ago, our quality of life has grown by leaps and bounds. But, this success has had a detrimental impact on the planet. Soil erosion owning to extensive agriculture, air and water pollution through our industrials processes, and greenhouse gases threaten to change our climate, threatening our very existence. Fortunately in the past 30 years, governments, communities and businesses have recognised that we must achieve a balance between our economic pursuits and the preservation of our environment.
Subdivisions include:
- Renewable technology
- Electric Vehicles
- Water management
- Land care
- Conservation
Know-How
The Know-How collection provides information which can help not for profit organisations develop their digital skill levels but learning from knowledgeable people who post articles, video and podcasts on the internet. The collection also provides references to traditional user guides from free sources such as the local council library.
Subdivisions include:
- Technology (in general)
- Software technologies
- Web based tools
- Automation
- Building technologies
- Information management
- SketchUp (3D design)
- Developing online journals or magazines
- WordPress technology
Living well
The Living Well collection provides information related to nurturing ourselves. This includes information about our wellbeing, including great sources of recipes, cuisines from around the world, as well as how find peace of mind in the pleasures of company and the natural environment.
Subdivisions include:
- Gardening
- Health
- Medical online resources
- Healing arts
- Cultural activities such as music, painting, etc
- Food