providing access to Australia's scientific,
medical & technological heritage

What is ASAP? Our Aims Our Objectives A Brief History Safeguarding our Scientific Memory Archives and Records Services Information Services Research and Development Outreach and Collaboration Further Information Our Aim To improve access to Australia's scientific, technological and medical heritage by helping to preserve records and artifacts and communicating the existence of this heritage to a wide audience. Our Objectives Identification and Preservation ASAP aims to play an active role in the identification of records and artifacts of historical value that add to our understanding of the history of Australian science, technology and medicine. ASAP is proactive in the identification of valuable materials and in acting to prevent their loss. Documentation ASAP provides professional archival, historical and records management services, with the aim of helping to manage and document those records significant to our scientific, technological and medical heritage, for both individual clients and the wider community. Communication ASAP communicates the significance of Australia's scientific, medical and technological heritage to both the general and research communities, and aims to present the history of Australian science to an international audience. ASAP also promotes the importance of sound records management and archival practice to scientists and technologists to further their understanding of the importance of their own records and heritage. Participation ASAP works to encourage cooperative links between heritage institutions with the aim of fostering understanding, interaction and the development of shared goals. We also seek to develop international relationships with related bodies in order to ensure that our work meshes with similar work being performed overseas, and to assist the professional development of our staff. A Brief History The Australian Science Archives Project (ASAP) was established in 1985 at the Department of History and Philosophy of Science, The University of Melbourne. ASAP established a Canberra office in 1993 to enable it to fulfil its national mission. ASAP is an organisation that aims to provide access to Australia's scientific, technological and medical heritage. It has links with Australia's major scientific and cultural institutions including the National Library of Australia, Australian Archives, the Australian Academy of Science and the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering. ASAP's products and services are designed to meet the specific needs of its individual and corporate clients, within the framework of its national cultural responsibilities. As a professional archival body, ASAP uses leading-edge database and computer technologies to ensure that our products are efficient and effective and match current archival and business needs. ASAP makes information about Australia's scientific heritage widely available and acts as a national resource centre. Our Internet site (ASAPWeb) provides a variety of resources relating to the history of science, technology and medicine. ASAP promotes the use of the World Wide Web within the archival and heritage communities and offers guidance and support to related organisations seeking to develop their own online resources. Safeguarding Our Scientific Memory What is scientific memory? What is corporate memory? What is cultural memory? What are the archives of science? ASAP believes that information about the people, context and history behind scientific achievement is vitally important. Without this knowledge, it is impossible to accurately trace the development of scientific ideas, changes in practice, and institutional structures and organisation. Unfortunately, the survival of such knowledge cannot be assumed, and its loss may have an enormous impact on future scientific endeavour, along with broader cultural, legal and financial ramifications. The preservation of memory has to be tackled at all levels of society, from the individual, family, corporate, and government, to the broad national and international levels. ASAP is proactive in the identification and preservation of records and artifacts important to Australian scientific, technological and medical heritage and undertakes archival and historical work on the records of individual scientists and scientific, technical and medical societies. ASAP communicates the significance of this heritage to both the general and research communities, and aims to present the history of Australian science to an international audience. However, awareness of preservation issues needs to be instigated at the time of records-creation so ASAP also promotes the importance of sound records management and archival practice to scientists and technologists. This in turn helps to further their understanding of the importance of their own records, heritage and contributions to society. Archives and Records Services ASAP offers professional advice and project management across the full spectrum of archives, records management and information services. ASAP services include project planning and management, surveying, backlog processing, appraisal and scheduling, establishment of in-house archives and records programs, imaging of records, provision of software, and on-going advice and support for clients. These services are based on the ASAP Archives and Records Program model (ARP) and the ASAP Archival Data-management System (ADS). The ARP provides the conceptual and strategic framework that enables the systematic documentation of records. The ADS, a combination of methods and database software, provides the tools to implement an Archives and Records Program. This flexible methodology can be applied equally well to detailed descriptions of records of individuals or societies through to the management of records holdings within complex environments. ASAP has successfully completed projects for archival repositories, scientific institutions, a variety of heritage organisations, families and individuals as well as some of the largest single archives and records projects ever attempted in Australia for the power and pharmaceutical industries. Information Services ASAP is constantly looking at new ways to provide imaginative, informative and accessible resources for the history of Australian science, technology and medicine. The Internet, through ASAPWeb, enables these resources to reach both local and international audiences, and ASAPWeb has become one of the principal sites in the world for information on the history of science, technology and medicine. ASAP's central WWW resource is Bright Sparcs which is based on the Register of the Archives of Science in Australia. Constantly growing, Bright Sparcs incorporates biographical and bibliographical details about Australian scientists with links to related articles and images. The WWW Virtual Library for the History of Science, Technology and Medicine provides hundreds of links to information resources in these fields, while the Directory of Archives in Australia provides access to information on over 400 archival repositories around Australia. ASAPWeb also provides a virtual home for a number of Australian scientific, technical and medical societies, including the Association of Science Communicators, the Australasian Association for the History & Philosophy of Science & the Social Sciences, and the Australian Society of Archivists. Research and Development ASAP maintains an active research and development program funded through industry collaborations and the Australian Research Council. It is designed to develop innovative archive and record-keeping products and services that not only meet current industry and business needs but also promote the practice of responsible and accountable science. Recent studies have shown that although sound record-keeping practices are essential to the successful conduct of science, few scientists or science administrators take adequate care or have sufficient knowledge to implement workable archives and records programs. The advent of electronic records keeping has made this an especially urgent task. Outreach and Collaboration ASAP works to encourage cooperative links between heritage institutions with the aim of fostering understanding, interaction and the development of shared goals. This extends to the development of international relationships with similar bodies to ensure that our work meshes with that being performed overseas. These activities assist the professional development of ASAP staff and help ensure that ASAP is aware of the latest advances in archives and records management ASAP is a member of the Australian Council of Archives, the Society of American Archivists and AusHeritage (a national export enterprise network of heritage industry practitioners which provides heritage consultation services to the Asia-Pacific region). ASAP staff also hold memberships of the Australian Society of Archivists and the International Council on Archives. ASAP is a main contributor to the Science, Technology and Medicine Archives (STAMA) special interest groups of both these organisations. Further Information Further information can be obtained by contacting ASAP's Head Office in Melbourne, or the Canberra Office. Details can be found in ASAP's Staff Directory.

	ASAPWeb | About ASAP | Statistics Search | Site Index | Site Map Published by: Australian Science Archives Project on ASAPWeb, 9 September 1996 Comments or questions to: ASAPWeb (asapweb@asap.unimelb.edu.au) Prepared by: Tim Sherratt Updated by: Elissa Tenkate Date modified: 25 February 1998