The WASG library is a significant and diverse collection of literature about caves, karst, caving, and cave-related topics.
The collection is very broad and contains WASG and ASF publications. It also includes books, periodicals, and literature from other speleological organizations, both in Australia and overseas.
It is a useful source of information for both new and experienced cavers, and is available for the use of all WASG members.
A selection of books are often available for borrowing at club meetings. Alternatively, borrowing of items from the catalogue (coming soon to the Members Only area of the website), or viewing of the library can be arranged by contacting the Librarian
JOURNALS:
Caving related journals including newsletters and publications from many of the Australian caving clubs, plus selected overseas publications, notably the US National Speleological Society (NSS) These publications contain varied information ranging from trip reports, accident reports, conservation, climbing techniques, cave research ... They contain invaluable information for the caver planning a trip to other regions of Australia, or overseas. It should be noted that several of these journals cover a time period dating back to the 1960s.
NB many of these publications have become available online in recent years, so we no longer receive hard copies of a number of them.
BOOKS:
A large selection of books (around 200 of them), covering a very wide variety of topics. The books are categorised under following broad listings (some of which can be quite subjective):
• AustCaves - Guides to Australian caves and caving areas
• Biography – stories of early cave explorers, cave divers etc etc ; also mountaineering
• Conservation
• Fauna
• Fiction, including children’s
• General interest - eg includes cave life, general books about caves etc
• Geology
• Miscellaneous
• Overseas - relates to specific overseas cave areas or systems (eg Carlsbad caverns)
• Science - includes archaeology, biology, bones etc
• Technical - techniques, roping, mapping, surveying etc
WESTERN CAVER:
The library contains a complete record of our club journal, dating from 1960. The journal is awaiting computer indexing, as previous attempts have been lost…Volunteers would be most welcome!
CAVES AUSTRALIA – publication of the ASF:
The library holds the majority of the issues of Caves Australia and Australian Caver (formerly the ASF Newsletter). Other important Australian journals held include the ACKMA journal (cave managers), and Helictite (speleological research)
REPRINTS and CONFERENCE PAPERS:
The library contains a selection of technical papers covering all areas of relevance to caving and speleology. Includes ASF conferences.
SLIDES/PHOTOGRAPHS:
The library contains a selection of photographs and slides taken by various club members in earlier years. The slide library contains some 600 slides, well-labelled, but in need of scanning to preserve them. Volunteer help would be welcome! The club aims to hold a reasonably complete photographic record of our WA caves and karst areas.
TRAINING MANUALS and material:
Covering Cave rescue; abseiling; various competencies etc etc
ARCHIVAL MATERIAL:
Includes some CDs of the Western Caver past issues; plus other material
HISTORICAL NEWSPAPER CLIPPINGS dating from the 1960s (mainly WA, some Aust., minimal overseas)
MANAGEMENT PLANS for various WA National Parks
