Asa Letourneau

Author: Asa Letourneau

Online Engagement Officer

PROVisualizer helps you explore the Victorian Government Archive through an interactive visual interface. 

We’re excited to announce that you can now use it on your mobile devices.
 

Victorian Government Archive as a bubble chart 

The tool allows you to search for collection items by function or by keyword in an interactive bubble chart. Start by selecting a government function (Health or Education) as the central blue bubble. This then shows you additional branches of government agencies responsible for delivering those services. They are displayed as yellow bubbles.  

You can select a date range you’re interested in from the agency titles and then be linked to relevant record collections (known as series) within the collection. 
 

Example screenshot of the PROVisualizer tool.
Fig 1. The screenshot shows the PROVisualizer interface with a search term entered and a network-style visual display of related records and agencies.

 

The tool also offers an easier way for you to explore by subject, particularly when you aren’t sure of the name of the government agency responsible for the delivery of services related to a ‘function’ or responsibility of government. You can search by keyword to see if there’s been an agency or series created which includes that term.
 

Fig 2. An example screen shot of the PROVisualizer tool shows the interface with the Function dropdown list.
Fig 2. An example screen shot of the PROVisualizer tool shows the interface with the Function dropdown list.
Fig 3. The screenshot shows the PROVisualizer interface with a search term entered and a network-style visual display of related records and agencies.
Fig 3. The screenshot shows the PROVisualizer interface with a search term entered and a network-style visual display of related records and agencies.


It also helps you find relevant records across a variety of government agencies, even when government agencies have changed over time. You’ll find PROVisualizer at the very bottom of the Explore the Collection page on our website. 

You can read more about PROVisualizer on our blog post.
 

PROVisualizer also offers a help screen

There’s always the help screen if you need it. The help text scrolls within the dedicated box and closes when you no longer need it. 

To see the PROVisualizer in action check out this short video below.

Fig 4. screenshot of PROVisualizer showing help screen that is fully scrollable.
Fig 4. screenshot of PROVisualizer showing help screen that is fully scrollable.

Material in the Public Record Office Victoria archival collection contains words and descriptions that reflect attitudes and government policies at different times which may be insensitive and upsetting

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples should be aware the collection and website may contain images, voices and names of deceased persons.

PROV provides advice to researchers wishing to access, publish or re-use records about Aboriginal Peoples

Learn more