Papers Past turns 21: Panel discussion — Auckland

Celebrating 21 years of Papers Past

This year marks the 21st anniversary of the initial release of Papers Past. It is regarded as a go-to site for researchers, genealogists, students, and all with an interest in our history. The range of uses and impact the website has had on research in New Zealand is vast.

Join us for a panel discussion with speakers from a variety of careers and backgrounds, who each has a unique perspective to share on using Papers Past.

Light refreshments will be served from 12pm and the discussion panel will begin at 12:30pm.

This event is one of three discussion panels to celebrate the 21st anniversary of Papers Past.

Papers Past

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About the speakers

Paul Diamond (Ngāti Hauā, Te Rarawa, Ngāpuhi) was appointed as Curator, Māori at the Alexander Turnbull Library in 2011. He is the author of three books (A Fire in Your Belly, Huia 2003; Makereti: taking Māori to the World, Random House NZ 2007; and Savaged to Suit: Māori and Cartooning in New Zealand, Fraser Books 2018), and has also worked as an oral historian and broadcaster. In 2017 Paul was awarded Creative New Zealand's Berlin Writer's Residency to complete a book about Charles Mackay, a mayor of Whanganui who was killed in the 1929 May Day riots in Berlin. Downfall: the destruction of Charles Mackay will be published in November by Massey University Press, and made extensive use of Papers Past.

Caroline Daley is a Professor of New Zealand History and is the University of Auckland’s Dean of Graduate Studies. Her historical work focuses on gender relations and the history of the body in twentieth-century New Zealand. Her sole-authored, prize-winning books include Girls & Women, Men & Boys: Gender in Taradale 1886–1930, and Leisure and Pleasure: Reshaping and Revealing the New Zealand Body 1900–1960, and her co-authored books include Suffrage and Beyond: International Feminist Perspectives and The Gendered Kiwi. Caroline and the research postgraduate students she supervises have been avid users of Papers Past since its inception.

Seonaid (Shona) Harvey (RLIANZA BA IL Dip RIM) has been senior research librarian, family history specialist, for more than 12 years, and is based at Research Central, Central Auckland Library. She looks after the international family history collection, helps customers with the research which includes Book a Librarian appointments, provides training for staff and customers, and organises events like the Auckland Libraries HeritageTalks and the Auckland Family History Expo. She has spoken at various libraries around New Zealand, as well as for the NZ Society of Genealogists, Australasian Federation of Family History Organisation, and Unlock the Past conferences.

Carmen Parahi (Ngāti Kahungunu, Ngāti Hine, Rongowhakaata) is part of Stuff’s executive team and leads the company’s Pou Tiaki fair representation strategy which prioritises te ao Māori and focuses on all underrepresented communities. Strategic actions include Pou Tiaki becoming one of Stuff’s four core business priorities, the introduction of a company charter and use of Treaty of Waitangi principles, various Pou Tiaki roles created including the executive position, increased use of te reo Māori, and the investigation; Our Truth, Tā Mātou Pono which led to Stuff’s historic public apology to Māori in November 2020. Of which, Papers Past was integral to the investigation. In 2021, Carmen won Executive of the Year at the 2021 Voyager Media Awards and was the Runner-Up Reporter of the Year in 2021 and 2019. The project received the Best in Asia/Pacific 2021 INMA Global Media award and Best Project/Campaign at the 2021 Voyagers and Carmen was named a PRovoke Media Innovator 25: Asia/Pacific. In 2020, she won Best Story in English at the 2020 Massey University Ngā Kupu Ora Māori Journalism Awards.

David Reeves Director of Collections & Research at the Auckland Museum leads the team of curators, collection managers, conservators, librarians, and other specialists who contribute their expertise across the wide range of disciplines and subjects represented in the Auckland Museum collections. David joined the Auckland Museum in January 2011 after a time at the Alexander Turnbull Library as Associate Chief Librarian, Research Access. David's career also includes roles at the Auckland Art Gallery and at Te Papa where he managed logistics, storage, and documentation of collections. He holds a Bachelor of Building Science from Victoria University of Wellington and Diplomas in Professional Photography and Museum Studies.

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Photo 'Unidentified schoolgirls looking at results of school certificate examinations, which have been published in the newspaper, in the Evening Post newspaper front offices, Willis Street, Wellington', 1957. Ref:
EP/1957/0192-F. Alexander Turnbull Library.