Let there be light
Within months of our Library opening in 1856 gas lighting was installed to allow the Library to stay open in the evenings. However, there were some unforeseen problems, and the gas lights were later replaced by electricity.
Ask a librarian
Setting the curriculum: the history of Victorian school readers
Ask a librarian, Collection spotlights, Victorian history:
To mark the 150th anniversary of public education in Victoria, we take a look at school papers and Victorian school readers. What insights can these texts offer into the social, political and cultural environments of their day?
Graham Berry & the Upper House
Ask a librarian, Our stories, Victorian history:
Premier Graham Berry was a giant in the wild politics of 1870s Victoria. His battle with the Legislative Council resulted in mass sackings, freezing of budgets and a journey to London to try and woo the Imperial Government.
Journey through the collection: Georgia Metaxas
Collection spotlights, Photography:
Journey through the evocative early works of Greek-Australian photographer Georgia Metaxas, and be drawn into the world of community and performance.
Melba, Queen of Song
opera, Our stories, Victorian history:
Dame Nellie Melba was a legend in every possible way: her voice of an angelic purity and perfect pitch, her fame never equaled by another Australian singer, a fame which extended worldwide from the time of her international debut in Brussels in 1887 until the late 1920s when she staged her final performances.
Archives of Sexuality & Gender: history, changes and reality
Ask a librarian, Collection spotlights:
Join us as we explore the Archives of Sexuality and Gender. This amazing database illuminates the experiences of the LGBTIQ+ community across centuries, ethnicities, ages, religions, political orientations and geographical locations.
Online Collection Spotlight: New Oxford Shakespeare
Ask a librarian, Collection spotlights:
What exactly is ‘the wat’ry star’? What does ‘verily’ mean? And who really wrote the ‘Fly Scene’ in Titus Andronicus? Read on and discover the answers using the New Oxford Shakespeare database!
Capturing politics & protest through ephemera
Ask a librarian, Collection spotlights, Victorian history:
The Riley and Political Ephemera Collection is a wide-ranging and living collection that captures political life in Victoria through the medium of ephemera.
Australian houses and European migration: architects, designers and builders.
Ask a librarian, Victorian history:
See some of the contribution of European migrants to architecture, design and home-making in Melbourne.
Celebrating 150 years of public education
Ask a librarian, Collection spotlights, Victorian history:
This year marks the 150th anniversary of public education in Victoria, and a chance to reflect on our long-held belief that every child deserves a high-quality education, regardless of their background.
