A well attended Inmagic Museum User Group meeting was held at the new premises of the Prahran Mechanics Institute on 15 July.  As well as the Prahran Mechanics Institute, the building is the home of the Cinema & Theatre Historical Society of Australia (CATHS) and the Australian Railway Historical Society (Vic.).

After the opportunity for some networking amongst the approximately 30 or more attendees, the group was treated to a jam-packed program from a range of speakers.

• Judith Dwyer, Secretary of the Mechanics’ Institutes of Victoria opened proceedings. The Mechanics’ Institutes Resource Centre (MIRC) collection includes photographs, building plans, correspondence, and digital files of primary documents such as minutes, correspondence and annual and financial reports. The “Big Mech” database of entries for over 1,000 mechanics’ institutes in Victoria is now searchable on DB/TextWorks.
• Don Barker from the Australian Railway Historical Society (Vic.).spoke about their experience moving from a warehouse to the new premises ….? The Australian Railway Historical Society’s collection comprises books, Australian railway journals and a selection of US and UK journals. It is still to be fully catalogued.
• Mike Trickett from Cinema & Theatre Historical Society of Australia (CATHS) discussed and demonstrated their database of past and present cinema and theatre venues in Australia that is available online as well as databases of personalities who worked in the industry, and architects who designed the cinemas.
• Pam Millist from Maxus presented on some of the exciting developments in the latest verions (v15) of DB/TextWorks including new Rich Text field type, email enhancements, etc.
• Jodie Boyd from RHSV discussed developments at RHSV and services for local historical societies including the revamp of the Victorian Local History Database.

Attendees then had an opportunity to tour the premises and review the collections of 3 organisations located on the premises:, the Cinema & Theatre Historical Society of Australia (CATHS) and the Australian Railway Historical Society (Vic.).