Melanie Nolan: The ADB’s Story

In this episode of Biographers in Conversation, Gabriella chats with Melanie Nolan about her book, The ADB’s Story, the history of the Australian Dictionary of Biography she co-edited with Christine Fernon. Melanie is the general editor of ADB, which is widely recognised as an Australian cultural institution and national treasure. She is also Director of Australia’s National Centre of Biography.

Here’s what you’ll discover in this episode: 

• Melanie Nolan introduces us to the Australian Dictionary of Biography, a vibrant and versatile digital tool that enables us to understand our nation’s past and to think hard about the present moment and our future as an inclusive nation that celebrates diversity.
• Melanie reveals why she felt compelled to write The ADB’s Story and why it was vital to create it while the ADB team was imagining the next phase of the dictionary’s future.
• Melanie explains why ADB is considered internationally as innovative compared with similar publications in other countries.
• Melanie shares her vision for the dictionary, which is to showcase the multisensory experiences of Australians at different stages of their life through photographs, audio and video recordings. 
• She also reveals ADB’s ambitions to reimagine itself over future decades by tracing networks and connections between biographical subjects and how these revelations will enable each of us to better understand our past, present and future.

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