Ask a librarian, Collection spotlights, Fashion:
Fashion! Fascinating, addictive, rejected, embraced. Take a closer look at all the layers that make up this phenomenon in the Fairchild Books Library database.
Collection, Digitisation, Performing Arts, Recently digitised, Social life & customs, Theatre:
George Selth Coppin, an indefatigable powerhouse, was responsible for much of the popular culture that entertained theatre going audiences in the second half of the 19th century. State Library Victoria has recently digitised more than 1200 theatre playbills from its comprehensive Coppin Collection – a highly significant archive of theatrical history.
Ask a librarian, Health, Such was life, Victorian history, Visual arts:
Let’s explore the advertising history of Victorian winter tonics that were promoted through captivating campaigns, featuring everything from racing cars to bombing planes and involving everyone from VFL footballers to Indian Maharajas!
Ask a librarian, Collection spotlights, Our stories, Rare Books & Arts:
To celebrate Trans Awareness Month 2025, we turn our attention to one of the fascinating volumes in State Library Victoria’s Rare Books Collection: Leslie Feinberg’s ‘Stone butch blues.’ The book brings with it stories of struggle — both within and beyond it’s pages — along with questions about control, artistic ethics and the ways we find (and too often don’t find) the stories we seek: stories of people like us.
Arts & literature, Ask a librarian, Buildings & streets, Music, Performing Arts, Theatre, Victorian history:
Take a trip through the State Library archives to remember the many incarnations of the Metro Nightclub and Palace Theatre from 1854 until it closed its doors in May 2014.
The feminist resurgence in the period 1960-1990, referred to as second wave feminism, had a significant impact on the art world. Political graphics were no exception. This blog explores the State Library’s rich and extensive holdings of feminist posters by women artists from Melbourne’s alternative poster collectives.
Ask a librarian, Painting, Victorian history:
Cavalacde of Transport, The Story of Fire and The history of Australian thoroughbred racing are some of Melbourne’s largest and most seen artworks. These were from the hands of Harold Freedman, locally born and bred, whose exploration of monumental art came later in his life.
Ask a librarian, Photography, Preservation:
In ‘Broken Glass (part 1)’, we looked at how the Library captures glass plate negatives, and explored some interestingly damaged photographs from the Library’s collection. In this – part 2 – we look at how the Library houses the negatives and show some more examples of unexpected beauty.
We are always looking for that perfect image of the past. While often seen as a detriment, broken glass and chemical emulsion damage on early photographic glass plate negatives can have their own particular beauty. Explore a selection of interestingly damaged photographs from the Library’s collection.
Ask a librarian, Collection spotlights, Rare Books & Arts:
In honour of Sylvia Plath’s 92nd birthday, we explore the resources available at the Library for exploring the themes and context of Plath’s only published novel: The Bell Jar
