In 1951, The West Australian newspaper designated him as the Principal librarian and secretary of the Public Library, Museum and Art Gallery of Western Australia.

[2] James Sykes Battye was born at Geelong, Victoria, on 20 November 1871.

[5] Battye came to Western Australia from Victoria in 1894 to take up the position which he held until his death in 1954.

[6] Although not directly within his professional role, he developed a strong interest in Western Australian history and began collecting material from early in the century.

Battye was involved in a number of publishing projects – the Cyclopedia of Western Australia before the First World War, and the History of Western Australia, as well as the commemoration of the state's centenary in 1929 he was involved in the organising committee.