The National Centre of Biography to launch online edition
The Australian Dictionary of Biography is edited by staff at the National Centre of Biography at ANU.
The Australian Dictionary of Biography (ADB) is the largest and longest-running collaborative project in the arts and social sciences in Australia. Since it started in 1959, over 4,000 authors have written the 11,500 entries which comprise the Dictionary. Hundreds of academics throughout Australia have also given freely of their time over the years to sit on the ADB’s working parties and editorial board.
On 6 December, Queensland Governor Penelope Wensley will launch volume 18 of the ADB, which includes articles on 669 individuals with surnames beginning with L to Z who died during the 1980s. Author Patrick White, whose centenary was celebrated this year, has an entry, as do artist Fred Williams and patrons of the arts, John and Sunday Reed, who established an influential art commune at their rural home, heide, near Melbourne, in the 1930s. Politicians William McMahon, Billy Sneddon, Enid Lyons and Dorothy Tangney are also included, as is former Governor-General William McKell, scientist Julius Sumner Miller (famous for his TV show Why is it so?), the first Aboriginal commissioned officer, Reg Saunders, war historian Alan Moorehead and prominent feminist Ruby Rich.
Vice-Chancellor Professor Ian Young will launch the online version of volume 18 on 11 December. The online version allows users to search for people associated with particular groups or organisations, such as ANU.