Media Release

Library of the Future?

A new space called Experimedia will be officially launched tomorrow by the Hon. John Brumby MP, Treasurer and Minister for Innovation at the State Library of Victoria. Experimedia is an area where users are able to work with the latest computer technology to access the Library’s collections in exciting and innovative ways. Seven plasma screens and 15 LCD monitors and a large media wall are features of the new online technology that is available.

Victoria’s leading-edge computer games will be showcased at the launch using state-of-the-art display and multimedia technology supplied by Panasonic and Sun Microsystems. Last year the Experimedia concept was acknowledged for innovation winning the B2Bcafe Black Box Innovation Award.

‘Experimedia is an exciting new concept in content and information delivery and aims to challenge the traditional view of what a library is, while offering a glimpse into how the library of the future may be,’ says Anne-Marie Schwirtlich, CEO and State Librarian.  

Panasonic Australia has provided the State Library with more than $220,000 worth of leading-edge display and multimedia technology. ‘ The media wall in Experimedia combines state of the art Panasonic visual and audio equipment, including two cinema-quality DLP projection systems, an audio mixer, speakers and a DVD player. Content can be streamed from the Library’s Sun Microsystems server to our projection system, or played from sources such as DVD or digital cameras,’ says Brendan Trewartha, Director of Panasonic’s Business Systems division.

‘Sun technology helps the Library make learning more fun using multimedia technologies. Smart cards and Sun Ray thin clients enable them to do this without compromising the security of the Library’s core data. Both Sun and the State Library of Victoria share a commitment to learning and innovation, and Experimedia is a wonderful alignment of these values,’ says Jim Hassell, Managing Director, Sun Microsystems Australasia.

One of Experimedia’s aims is to introduce the State Library’s collections to visiting schoolchildren who will be able to access the collections via digital media. The Library, in partnership with Sun, has produced the Learning and Studio Pods systems: a creative, educational activity for school groups using advanced Sun multimedia technology.

The Hon. John Brumby MP, Treasurer and Minister for Innovation, will open Experimedia at 11am on Wednesday 14 April 2004, State Library of Victoria, Entry 1, 328 Swanston Street, Melbourne.