Friends of the Launceston Mechanics' Institute (FOLMI)

A very successful inaugural meeting was held on 18 October to establish FOLMI. At the meeting we adopted a Constitution, elected office-bearers, established a committee, and endorsed an application to seek incorporation under the Associations Incorporation Act 1964.

The organisation currently has 34 members and we would welcome any interested people who would like to contribute to this exciting project.

Our Aims

The aim of the Friends of the Launceston Mechanics’ Institute, as set out in its Constitution, is to establish and maintain a working research Launceston Mechanics’ Institute Collection by;

i) locating, selecting, organising, cataloguing and preserving existing materials once the property of the Launceston Mechanics’ Institute between 1842 and 1929;

ii) liaising with local, state and national government agencies and with relevant interest groups to promote the significance of the LMI Collection;

iii) establishing a permanent home for the LMI Collection, in particular those parts not integrated with local and state government agencies;

iv) providing broad public access to the catalogue of the LMI Collection and enabling direct access to researchers needing to use the Collection;

Office-bearers

President: Peter Richardson

Vice-President Sue McClarron

Secretary: Mike McCausland

Treasurer: Richard Pickup

Public Officer: Prue McCausland

Committee:Peter Richardson, Mike McCausland, Richard Pickup, Prue McCausland, Sue McClarron, John Dent.

Priorities

The immediate priorities for the organisation are;

•To seek Launceston City Council endorsement for the transfer of the LMI collection to FOLMI and formalise an agreement.

•To participate in a steering committee with LINC Tasmania and QVMAG to plan future management of collection.

•To establish agreement with LINC Tasmania and QVMAG on what is to be transferred.

•To establish an agreement with the University of Tasmania regarding occupancy of an interim home for the collection (Room 007 on the University's Newnham Campus).