 Originally, it was planned that the Western Australian Biographical Index would be copied and made available in a limited number of locations including the J S Battye Library and some major country towns.As the information and interest grew it was decided to produce it in published form.Using the "Western Australian Biographical Index" its source, the "Dictionary" series was produced in five volumes, the first three of which were published in time for Western Australia's sesquicentennial year of European settlement in 1979.