"A Start Must Be Made": An Evaluation of the Published History of Women in Australian Libraries

This article discusses the history and experience of women librarians in Australia as identified in the extant literature and historic record. It seeks to explore the broader context of women librarians in Australia since white colonization, including issues of equity, employment, and suffrage, in an attempt to provide greater insight into the forces that have shaped the experience of women in Australian libraries. The article identifies key issues, significant individuals, and gaps in the published record of Australian women librarians. It identifies some key political, social, and cultural factors that may have influenced women's contribution to Australian librarianship and explores the often-complex nature of understanding this history in a country that was established not as a unified nation but as a group of loosely related colonies. The article finally serves to raise questions about how Australian library history has been framed and who may have been forgotten or ignored and provides suggestions for future research opportunities.