Ask a librarian, Collection spotlights, Fashion, Our stories, Such was life:
Watch the wonders of fashion unfold with this informative and visually stunning peak into the history of clothing. This video database, with companion articles, explores historical contexts, materials, and construction methods, enabling you to see how different garments were worn, and the function that each item served.
Ask a librarian, Food, Social life & customs, Victorian history:
What are your favourite festive food memories? Have you ever enjoyed Christmas Day lunch on the beach, up a mountain or aboard a ship? Do you remember pineapple glazed ham? Would you like the 100-year-old recipe for walnut stuffing? The State Library’s historic menus, cookbooks, photos and magazines trace Christmas foods from early colonial tables to the festive flavours celebrated by our diverse migrant communities. Dive in and rediscover your favourite Christmas dishes — or find inspiration for this year’s feast.
Ask a librarian, Collection spotlights, Our stories, Painting, Photography, Recently digitised, Victorian history, Visual arts:
John Hinds, an artist, photographer and active ROAR member from 1986 to 1992 spent time capturing artists he personally knew and the spaces that they used to create their works. His photographs captured a unique and often unseen time and place, creating an invaluable insight into the art scene in Melbourne.
Ask a librarian, Our stories, Victorian history:
Today’s blog marks International Day of People With Disability. In recognition, we have chosen some images from our Pictures collection that represent disability from the 19th century to today.
Ask a librarian, Our stories, Victorian history:
After uncovering a local connection to World War 1 nurse, Kathleen Gawler, Librarian Daniel Giddens discovered the intriguing story of her husband, Reverend Herbert Edward Elton Hayes, a complex man, who was much more than his conviction for heresy, a period that has come to define him.
