Articles by: Alex Gionfriddo

Victoria’s State Artist: Harold Freedman

Victoria’s State Artist: Harold Freedman

December 10, 2024

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.

William Hellermann: Visible Musics, 1976: ‘To the Last Drop’
William Hellerman, New York (1976)

Online Collection Spotlight: Oxford Music Online and Grove Musical Library

April 12, 2024

Collection spotlights:

State Library Victoria members can access hundreds of databases from home (if your home is in Victoria). That’s millions of articles, magazines, archives, ebooks, videos, songs, audiobooks and more, available… Read More ›

Melbourne’s first horse race

Melbourne’s first horse race

June 2, 2023

Ask a librarian, Victorian history:

Horseracing is an industry strongly associated with Melbourne, but it took almost three years after colonial settlement for the first horse race to be held. Like many of today’s horse racing carnivals, the reporting was more focused on what happened off the racetrack than on it. 

The treasure that is Trove: why reference librarians love it

The treasure that is Trove: why reference librarians love it

March 15, 2023

Ask a librarian, Reference desk, Research tips:

On any given day here at State Library Victoria you may hear librarians wax lyrical about the wonders of Trove. Yet for many library users it can be a bit of a mystery. So what is Trove, how do librarians at State Library Victoria use it and why should you use it, too? (Hint: it’s free!) 

Christie's auction house. [199-]. Photo by Rennie Ellis. This work is in copyright; H2011.150/2778

Online Collection Spotlight: Australian Art Auction Records

November 11, 2022

Ask a librarian, Collection spotlights:

Are you curious about the value of an artwork or piece of furniture that you own? Or perhaps you are interested in what it might cost to buy a piece by Lisa Roet or Brett Whiteley? The Australian art auction record database can shed some light upon what works have sold and for how much.

Strongman John A Rice displaying muscle definition H93.406/12

Physical Culture in Melbourne with Weber and Rice

September 9, 2022

Our stories:

After seeing legendary showman and strongman Eugen Sandow, two suburban Melbourne lads devoted their lives to the business of strength, fitness, and ‘physical culture’.

Searching through time: Melbourne newspaper card indexes

Searching through time: Melbourne newspaper card indexes

April 12, 2022

Ask a librarian, Collection spotlights, Research tips:

The newspaper card indexes at State Library Victoria can provide vital clues when researching Melbourne’s not so distant past.

The early days of television in Victoria

The early days of television in Victoria

November 19, 2021

Ask a librarian, Collection spotlights:

A brief look at the preparation and early days of television broadcasting in Victoria, how ‘the box’ was made and became a part of everyday life.

The Sunday question

The Sunday question

February 25, 2021

Ask a librarian, Our stories, Victorian history:

For most of its history, the Library was closed on Sundays. The battle to open was a hotly contested issue, not just at the Library, but all over Melbourne.

The punk and alternative music scenes of St Kilda (and Melbourne) in the 1970s and 1980s

The punk and alternative music scenes of St Kilda (and Melbourne) in the 1970s and 1980s

November 30, 2020

Ask a librarian, Collection spotlights, Our stories, Victorian history:

The Seaview Hotel in St Kilda became a spiritual home of Melbourne’s punk and alternative music scene in the 1970s and 1980s, initially due to an administrative error.