Collection spotlights

Online Collection Spotlight: Popular Culture in Britain and America, 1950-1975

Online Collection Spotlight: Popular Culture in Britain and America, 1950-1975

April 9, 2022

Ask a librarian, Collection spotlights:

The women’s movement, the advent of television, rock and roll, the gay rights movement, the Vietnam War: explore photographs and documents bringing the turbulent 50s, 60s and 70s to life.

Edna Walling: wild at heart

Edna Walling: wild at heart

April 2, 2022

Ask a librarian, Collection spotlights, Victorian history:

Edna Walling was a trailblazing Australian garden designer of the 20th century. Her passion, uncompromising vision and way with words changed the way we think about our gardens.

The Gerritsen Collection & Dr Aletta H. Jacobs: a pioneer of women’s history & visionary

The Gerritsen Collection & Dr Aletta H. Jacobs: a pioneer of women’s history & visionary

March 28, 2022

Ask a librarian, Collection spotlights:

There are many names in the history of feminism and women’s rights but, unlike Mary Wollstonecraft, Vida Goldstein or Emmeline Pankhurst, the name Dr. Aletta. H. Jacobs (1854-1929) is little known, even though many of her papers have been collected by UNESCO in their Memory of the World archive.

Stephanie Alexander in her kitchen, photographer unknown (MS 13338, Box 16, File 7)

A culinary archive: discovering Stephanie’s

March 25, 2022

Ask a librarian, Collection spotlights, Victorian history:

The 1970s and 80s saw a dramatic change in Melbourne’s restaurant scene. One of the most influential restaurants of this period was Stephanie Alexander’s restaurant, Stephanie’s. Through menus, photographs, recipes, notebooks and more, the Stephanie Alexander collection provides a taste of what it was like to eat at Stephanie’s in its heyday.

World Poetry Day

World Poetry Day

March 21, 2022

Collection, Collection spotlights, Events, Exhibitions:

If you listen to a poem, in any language, you understand it. Why?! Because it speaks the universal language of human emotion.

Elizabeth Gould (1804-1841): Artist, traveller, wife and mother

Elizabeth Gould (1804-1841): Artist, traveller, wife and mother

March 18, 2022

Collection spotlights, Our stories:

This year in our World of the book exhibition, we celebrate the life and work of the artist Elizabeth Gould with a display including one of three rare original watercolours by Elizabeth from the Library’s collection. 

Family group, ca. 1870 to 1880. Families of five or more children were common in the Victorian era. [H2005.34/2086]

Online Collection Spotlight: The Malthusian, a collection in the Women’s Studies Archive

March 13, 2022

Ask a librarian, Collection spotlights, Our stories:

Overpopulation was a huge social problem in 19th century Britain. Trailblazers like Annie Besant were tireless campaigners for the improvement of living conditions, birth control, and women’s rights. The Malthusian gives us a vivid lens into the living conditions of the poor, and a fascinating insight into the population issues from 1879 to 1921, which laid the groundwork for social reform in the twentieth century.

Lina Bryans & Melbourne’s modernist art scene

Lina Bryans & Melbourne’s modernist art scene

March 12, 2022

Ask a librarian, Collection spotlights, Victorian history:

Discover the work of artist Lina Bryans and the modernist art scene in Melbourne.

Goodbye to Shirley Hughes

Goodbye to Shirley Hughes

March 7, 2022

Ask a librarian, Collection spotlights, Our stories:

Farewell to Shirley Hughes, English author and illustrator of beloved children’s books Dogger and the Alfie series.

Committee Groups of the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom with Disarmament Petition ready to go to Geneva, 1931, Herald Feature Service; MS9377/PHO4

Female writers, forbidden books and a fascinating romp through history: Trialling new Gale databases

February 28, 2022

Ask a librarian, Collection spotlights, Collections, Our stories:

Our latest trial databases are treasure troves of historical material which surface stories of and by traditionally underrepresented and marginalised people. Should these form part of our collection? Let us know what you think.