You might want to throw those pamphlets, corflutes and How to Vote Cards in the bin at the end of the Election on 21 May, but the National Library of Australia (NLA) has other ideas.

The NLA is calling on Australians from far and wide to help collect campaign material produced in the 2022 federal election.

Collecting political ephemera is a part of the National Library’s role to collect, preserve and share the history of Australia.

National Library curator Bronwyn Ryan said the Library’s election ephemera collection covers every Australian federal election since Federation in 1901.

“Thanks to donations from people living in every electorate in Australia, we’ve built the largest collection of political memorabilia in Australia,’ Ms Ryan said.

“Our collection has evolved over time from purely print related material to include digital material. We’ve got everything from how-to-vote cards and posters, to badges and t-shirts.

“Now an important part of our collection is election related websites and webpages.”

This political ephemera provides a unique perspective into Australia’s social life and political landscape—the rise and fall of policies, issues, parties, and careers.

You can help the National Library collect the stories from your community by donating your local election material.

The Library aims to collect items from every Federal electorate as well as from every candidate, party and lobby group during the 2022 federal election campaign. Items include, printed federal election campaign material including letters, ‘how to vote’ cards, posters, pamphlets, badges, stickers, T-shirts, hats and any other printed material to promote a party or candidate, or to lobby an election issue.

The Library is particularly interested in material from marginal electorates, independents, rural and regional communities, material from Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Communities and Indigenous communities and candidates. 

They also want material that records current issues of the day from health services, cost of living, Covid and industrial relations, to education, the environment, climate change and others.

If you have items you think they will be interested in go to this website for details : Federal election campaigns | National Library of Australia (nla.gov.au)

The State Library of Queensland has also put out a call for election ephemera. They are focussing on election material from the regional Queensland. See more here: https://www.slq.qld.gov.au/blog/2022-federal-election-help-us-collect-political-ephemera

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