The Grove Library located in the Shire of Peppermint Grove was announced as the 2014 winner of the Library Board of Western Australia Award for Excellence for their local history “apps”.
The apps impressed the judges with their use of existing local history material, donated by the community, and presenting it in an accessible and interesting way.
Developed by Community History Librarian, Sindy Dowden, the Grove’s app “History in your Pocket”, which was also recognised at the Museums Australia Multimedia and Publication Design Awards 2012, draws on the Grove’s extensive photographic and oral history collection to present snippets of interest about Cottesloe, Peppermint Grove and Mosman.
The most popular of which is Jean Crowe’s recollections of the 1920s shark attack at Cottesloe Beach.
The ‘Peppermint Grove Heritage Tour’ utilises the latest geo-locational technology and is a downloadable-guided walk through the suburb, with audio and photographs describing significant landmarks and historic houses along the route.
People without a mobile Internet device who want to follow the trail can also borrow a dedicated viewing/listening unit from the Library.
The Award comes with a $5,000 prize, which is earmarked for further digital history projects, including a series of iBooks on aspects of local interest about each of the three suburbs, and helping local people capture and narrate their own stories using low cost internet tools.
