The Greek archives at La Trobe University are already being used, even before the cataloguing process is complete.
Project manager, Eva Fisch said there are a number of existing projects using the archives, and she expects that number to rise as more archives get catalogued.
Currently, a Master of Information Studies student is working with the archives project team on devising a display on subjects such as Greek local community history and global citizenship later this year.
“The display will draw links between decisions made by a family deciding to step foot on a boat in search of a better life, and major changes in our society,’ Ms Fisch said.
A steampunk-like industrial relic, a typesetter modified by a Greek printer to deal with the differences between the English and Greek alphabets, is the subject of another research project.
Even before the archives were moved, there was demand from students and academics.
An article published earlier this year for Neos Kosmos by Nick Kitsakis was researched at the archives. The article traced the origins of the Hellenic (soccer) cup in Victoria from the 1960s.
The archiving process is an expensive one, and is something La Trobe University has stated is worth the investment.
More than 5,500 archive boxes, 80 metres of bound newspapers, costumes, newsreels, films, art objects, as well as material stored on 60 computers, have been donated to the archive over the past 13 years.
Previously called the Dardalis Archives of the Hellenic Diaspora, after Melbourne businessman and Greek community philanthropist Zissis (Jack) Dardalis, the archives haven’t seen the love and attention they’ve deserved for years.
After the National Centre for Hellenic Studies and Research (EKEME in Greek) ceased operations in 2007, the archives were left, collecting dust.
The Greek Archives project was inspected last week by the Greek Ambassador to Australia, Mr Haris Dafaranos and Consul-General for Victoria, Mrs Eleni Lianidou, showing their support for the project.
The Greek Consul for Education Mr Vasileios Gkogas, three Greek community members of the La Trobe University Greek Archives Project Committee, Tassos Revis, Spiros Rombotis and George Papadopoulos, as well as Dr Maria Herodotou and Dimitris Gonis from La Trobe’s Modern Greek Studies Program, also joined the dignitaries to tour the archives.
Chairman of the committee to the archives project and La Trobe Head of Humanities, Professor Chris Mackie also voiced his appreciation for the project, and hopes more students will take the opportunity to use the archive.
Mr Dafaranos, a strong campaigner for the archives, noted how important the project is in preserving history.
“The Greeks of Melbourne feel strongly about this archive,” he said.
“What we have here now is a solid basis for the future.”
Currently the archive project is housed in the La Trobe Library, and is being sorted by a three-person bilingual team. The project is expected to be catalogued in three years.