sspa journal index 1969-2007

Introduction | Author-Title Index | Subject Index | Name Index

Introduction

The SSPA Journal is the principal publication of the Short Statured People of Australia (SSPA). It has been published as a bi-monthly periodical since December 1969, when it began as the ‘LPAA Journal’. It is the primary resource for information on the SSPA and people of short stature in Australia. Therefore, it provides a record of not only the history but also a unique perspective on the social development of short-statured people in Australian society.

For the duration of its publication, the SSPA Journal has lacked a continuous index to all of its issues. It is hoped that this index will provide a service to the SSPA members as well as any researchers wanting to seek information on the SSPA and short-statured people in Australia. The index will provide all members with access to not only the history of the SSPA but also their personal history within the pages of individual issues. Through the identification of dates of significant events, the index will also serve as a guide to the history and development of the State Branches as well.

Origins:
The genesis of this index came about after researching the history of the SSPA using the SSPA Journal as the primary reference. However, the project to index the Journal only started around three years ago.

Structure of Index:
The main index is a comprehensive author/title listing of articles which were published in the L.P.A.A./S.S.P.A. Journal from vol. 2, no. 1, December, 1969 through to no. 200, December, 2007. It includes a total number of 3792 entries, with 2789 entries covering the period from 1969-1999, and 1003 from 2000-2007. The subject index includes 613 subject headings and keywords for topics, places, and organisations and is extensively cross-referenced with links to referenced headings. The name index includes 743 headings for personal names, place names and corporate names, including organizations.

Scope:
The index covers the following:

Albury Sporting Weekend reports
Annual General Meeting notices and minutes
Biographies, profiles and obituaries of members
Book & film reviews
Conditions of short stature – types and research
Conference and symposium reports
Consumer advice
Constitution changes and amendments
Disability issues
Editorials
Letters to the Editor
McHugh-Henderson Award nominations and winners' details
Members' achievements & honours
Membership statistics
National and International Convention reports and updates from past years
National Council Meeting notes and minutes
National Council sub-committee reports
New member details
Notices of births, deaths, marriages and engagements
Office-bearers’ reports
Poetry and verse
Reports from overseas LP associations.
Reprints of articles from overseas LP Association publications
Reprints of media reports from newspapers and magazines
SSPA history
State Branch reports
Travelogues

It does not cover advertisements or photographs.

Methodology:
The project has involved the collating, reading and recording the contents of each issue of the Journal. The aim has been to provide index entries of quality and consistency, and thus to enhance the accessibility of the index.

Future of the Index:
It is hoped that with the SSPA’s continued support that the project will be completed by the end of 2008. By that time, it is envisaged that the index itself will be digitised so that users of the index will have online access to the articles that the index has identified. As well, both printed and CD-ROM versions will be produced in due course.

Francis Kelly
Index compiler

Return to Top