OCLC PICA now offers on free access a digital copy of a rare English translation of the journal of Abel Tasman (published in 1898 by Frederik Muller & Co.), with thanks to Strata Preservation and the National Archives in The Hague who made the book available for digitisation.
To celebrate the partnership between OCLC PICA and the National Library of Australia and the implementation of the CBS software that was taken into production in Libraries Australia last year, OCLC PICA had the original journal of Abel Tasman digitised through Strata Preservation. Tasman discovered Tasmania in 1642 and his journal belongs to the Dutch National Archives in The Hague. A digital copy of the original journal in old Dutch is available online via the National Archives. It is remarkably well illustrated with maps, drawings of coastlines as Tasman passed them on his journey, as well as of natives of the new lands and islands that he visited.
The National Library of Australia features an exhibition South Land to New Holland: Dutch Charting of Australia 1606–1756 to celebrate early Dutch exploration of the Australian coast, drawing on the rare maps and other resources from the collections of Australia's National, State and Territory libraries.
For more information, please contact OCLC PICA Communications by e-mail or by telephone at +31-(0)71-524 65 00.
