Title deeds to property. Unpublished information can be difficult to find, although, with developments in image software, material is now appearing on the World Wide Web. Archives are special, organised collections of unpublished material. They often have special storage conditions and expert staff to organise and preserve the items and firm guidelines about what they collect and who can see the material. Organisations and members of the community often donate their own 'archives' to add to the information about social, community and political life collected for researchers and for future generations.
Archives can be government institutions or located in universities or private organisations.
Some images of letters, newspaper clippings, photographs and government documents can be viewed on the ERA database. Western Australian Documentary Heritage Services are found in the J.S. Battye Library . Together with the Archival and Records Management Services of the State Records Office, the Battye Library is the source of valuable original material, including a large collection of old photographs of Western Australia and its people. This Web site links you to the National Archives of Australia and other Australian Commonwealth and State Archives. See links for access to The Archives of Australia Network.