Realizing that many people knew very little about the Mitchell Library’s broad and eclectic collections, they decided to launch their very OWN Alphabet as a part of their centenary celebrations. Each letter was created using items and media sourced from the Mitchell Library’s collection—with wonderful results. Some of the letters and numbers are accompanied by videos explaining the origins of their constituent parts. This unique alphabet engages the audience on a journey through the treasures of the collections of the State Library of New South Wales and the Mitchell Library.
For fantastic explanation of the components that comprise the letter “O” is as follows:
- the Holey Dollar, Australia’s first distinctive coinage, c1813;
- a picture of Cecil Healey, 100 yards Freestyle champion, c1904;
- a beautiful picture by Sarah Stone of a perspective view of Sir Ashton Lever’s Museum London 1785;
- a watercolour of Sydney by Joseph Fowles, 1840;
- Jean Garling, a dancer, arts critic, passionate family historian, and a great benefactor to the State Library; and
- a watercolour by Irishman Kenelm Digby.