Did you know that the State Library provides access to over 16,000 eBooks on a wide range of topics?  Our eBooks can be accessed by anyone within the Library and, if you are a registered State Library member with a verified Victorian address you can also read our eBooks anywhere, at any time, and download them to your own device to read offline.

For family historians there are some fascinating eBook titles available. They include starting your research, DNA testing, publishing your family history, convict ancestors, military history, Aboriginal heritage and migrant experiences. Here’s a small selection of titles to give you an idea as to what’s available.

Australian gypsies: their secret history, by Mandy Sayer.
Mandy Sayer weaves together a history that begins with the roots of the Romani culture, tracing the first Gypsy people to arrive in Australia (including James Squire, the colony’s first brewer) through to Gypsy families today, who share the stories of their ancestors and their lives.

Convicts in the colonies: transportation tales from Britain to Australia, by Lucy Williams.
Covering everything from crime and sentencing in Britain and the perilous voyage to Australia, to life in each of the three main penal colonies, this book narrates the history of convict transportation to Australia.

The Family Tree guide to DNA testing and genetic genealogy, by Blaine Bettinger.
Provides guidance on what DNA tests are available, advice on choosing the right test for you and information on how to interpret DNA test results.

The Family Tree historical maps book – Europe: a country-by-country atlas of European history, 1700s-1900s, by Allison Dolan.
Contains more than 200 reproductions of 18th-century, 19th-century and early 20th-century maps.

The Family Tree Scottish genealogy guide: how to trace your ancestors in Scotland, by Amanda Epperson.
This book will help you uncover your Scottish heritage, from identifying your immigrant ancestors to uncovering records in online databases and archival collections.

How to write and publish your family story in 10 easy steps, by Noeline Kyle.
Shows readers how to shape a story, develop a narrative, establish characters, construct chapters, edit text and ultimately, publish and promote their book so it reaches the widest number of readers possible.

In defence of country: life stories of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander servicemen & women by Noah Riesman.
This book presents a selection of life stories of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander ex-servicemen and women who served in the Australian Army, Navy and Air Force after World War Two.

Organize your genealogy: strategies and solutions for every researcher, by Drew Smith.
Shows you how to use tried-and-true methods and the latest tech tools and genealogy software to organize your research plan, workspace, and family-history finds.

Private journal of a voyage to Australia by James Bell.
This diary written by James Bell, sailor on the voyage of the ship Planter to Australia in 1838, provides a unique insight into the experience of sailing to Australia in the middle of the nineteenth century.

Referencing for Genealogists: sources and citation, by Ian G MacDonald.
This publication gives you the means to write clear, unambiguous references which will allow other researchers to follow in your footsteps.

Tracing history through title deeds: a guide for family and local historians by N. W. Alcock.
This handbook explains why title deeds are so useful, where they can be found and how to use the details to reveal family, social and financial relationships.

The Scots in Australia, 1788-1938, by Benjamin Wilkie.
This book illuminates the many experiences of the Scots in Australia, from the first colonists in the late-eighteenth century until the hopeful arrivals of the interwar years.

Be sure to check our catalogue regularly as new titles are added each month.

For information on how to find and access our eBooks take a look at our Ebooks: using our ebook collection research guide. You can also browse through some popular general interest books by going to our  Ebookshelf archive.

This article has 5 comments

  1. How do you join the State Library to borrow E – books?

    Thank you

  2. how can i become a member of the state llibrary.
    I am interested in borrowing the E-books.
    I live in Bendigo.

    • Hi Ray, Thank you for your inquiry. You can become a member of the State Library by going to the Become a library member link on our website. Enter your details and when you get the screen that says Access eresources from home, be sure to tick the box that says Yes you would like to access eresources from home. You will then be sent a library membership number. You can use this number together with your surname, to sign in to the library and access our eresources from home. Regards Ann.

  3. Hi Ray, Thank you for your inquiry. You can become a member of the State Library by going to the Become a library member link on our website. Enter your details and when you get the screen that says Access eresources from home, be sure to tick the box that says Yes you would like to access eresources from home. You will then be sent a library membership number. You can use this number together with your surname, to sign in to the library and access our eresources from home. Regards Ann.

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