Libraries are a great place to wander... especially in the digital world !
I already discussed that point 18 months ago, but I'm pleased to realize that the quantity and quality of early rugby documents available online is continuously improving... as well as technical interfaces... as well as legal framefork which usually allows non-commercial use of documents (when copyrights have expired)
I regularly visit the collections of National Library of New Zealand (and their newspapers archive PapersPast ), of State Library of New South Wales and French National Library (Gallica... great improvement since 2009... a lot of fine early French rugby photographies... I'll come back later about it). I'm afraid that the National Library of South Africa and the famous British Library are lagging behind - rugby-wise, of course!
I'm displaying today sample pictures of a fine Australian brochure, "Illustrated Football Annual, 1909", owned by State Library of New South Wales, which brings a nice blend of coloured comic illustrated pictures (i like that!), team pictures (such as 1908 Moran's Wallabies) and rugby action...
Picture above (I want the same at home!) advertises for Zam-buk embrocation ("the great herbal balm") whereas picture below (previously published in British Chums magazine) shows all aspect of a rugby game...
By the way, this brochure also features Rugby League "superstar" Dally Messenger... the very same advertisement shared here four years ago (!! time flies !!) by our friend Sean Fagan (rl1908.com, colonialrugby.com.au, tribe13 and jottingsonrugby.com - no less!).
Let's also mention that State Library of NSW is a contributor to Flickr's project "The Commons" where various international institutions share early photographies of historical or cultural interest. Great initiative !
Here are two sample pictures from State Library of NSW gallery with a sporting interest...
Here are Australasian (Australia + NZ) team in Stockholm, Olympic Games 1912, and an anonymous Women Rugby Union team in Sydney, c1930 (Sam Hood collection at NSW State Library)...
Legal stuff : the "Copyright rules" of State Library of NSW website reads "unless otherwise stated, you may access, download, print, reproduce and distribute content on this website for individual or non-commercial use provided that the copyright ownership is acknowledged.". Thank you!
