About the Archives of Australia sectoral network

Australian archival organisations looking for ways to take advantage of the resources the World Wide Web offers were quick to develop the first Archives of Australia network. They have been just as keen to take part in the internetworking opportunities offered by what was the Australia's Cultural Network (ACN) with 'sub-networks' of libraries, museums, and archives but is now the Culture and Recreation Portal.

The Culture and Recreation Portal has been developed from the platform of Australia's Cultural Network (ACN), which has been available since 1997. Most of the sites listed and indexed by ACN are now listed and indexed by the Culture and Recreation Portal. With the expansion of scope to include recreation, we now list and index many additional sites relating to the sport and recreation sectors.

The National Archives of Australia is responsible for the ACN Archives of Australia sectoral network project, set up in 1997. The aim of the project is to assist archives large and small, whether they already have web sites or not, to explore the opportunities offered by the web. In addition, the project is intended to provide more information for the public on archives and on their place in the nation's cultural life.

For archival organisations with existing websites the purpose is to: ·

• provide the means to enhance their presence on the web ·
• develop their expertise in providing online services

For those not yet using the web the project is geared to: ·

• assist interested organisations to develop a web presence ·
• encourage the development of a self-help online archival network

The advantages of an effective web presence are significant ones for archives - promotion of services, publications and special events, and an international presence at no added cost. A well designed and maintained web site means researchers are able to familiarise themselves with procedures and plan searches ahead.

Archival practice also benefits from the ease of search and communication across the web, and both the profession and archival institutions themselves achieve improved public awareness.

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CAPTION:
The chrome detail of the original (48-215) Holden motor car reflects a century of stories. Of James Holden and his son Edward, who turned their sixty-year-old Adelaide saddlery and coach-building firm into a motor vehicle manufacturer in 1917 and later merged with the US firm of General Motors. Of engineer Laurence Hartnett and of Prime Minister Ben Chifley who launched this first Australian car in 1948. Then there are the stories of the million motorists who were driving Holdens fourteen years later.