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Online Collection Spotlight: Socialism on Film

Online Collection Spotlight: Socialism on Film

May 5, 2023

Ask a librarian, Collection spotlights:

Snapshots of the past, documented by films. From the birth of Karl Marx through to the Russian Revolutions and into the1980s, explore the communist world through the eyes of socialist film makers.

Uncovering treasure: our favourite Trove discoveries

Uncovering treasure: our favourite Trove discoveries

April 20, 2023

Ask a librarian, Our stories:

Rarely a day goes by that State Library Victoria’s librarians don’t consult Trove – it is an indispensable resource for a wide range of research. We put a call out to State Library Victoria staff to share their favourite discoveries on Trove. From articles that revealed previously unknown details of their family history, to a bizarre ad for the film Frankenstein, their discoveries reveal what a rich resource for research Trove can be.

Online Collection Spotlight: International Relations, Archives unbound

Online Collection Spotlight: International Relations, Archives unbound

April 14, 2023

Ask a librarian, Collection spotlights, Our stories:

Archives Unbound is a Gale electronic database made up of hundreds of resources, many previously unpublished, from the Middle Ages through to 20th century political history. 

Mapping the past with Victoria’s historical plans

Mapping the past with Victoria’s historical plans

April 4, 2023

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

The Historical Maps and Plans Collection is a boon for researchers, containing everything from descriptions of what the landscape was like when Europeans arrived, to the locations of early buildings and houses, pastoral runs, and even shipwrecks.

Dome to Catacomb

Dome to Catacomb

March 24, 2023

Ask a librarian, Victorian history:

Step behind-the-scenes as we tour the Library from Dome to Catacomb. We invite you to explore the layers of history that make up the Library. 

Paris is always a good idea

Paris is always a good idea

March 17, 2023

Ask a librarian, Cities & towns, Photography, Reference desk:

Read about the time Paris lost itself in Melbourne. Good thing we found it and gave it back to the world! Here’s the fascinating story of a collection that everyone believed to be lost.

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!) 

Jane Austen – new acquisitions

Jane Austen – new acquisitions

March 8, 2023

Ask a librarian, Collection spotlights:

To celebrate International Women’s Day, we took a look at a recent acquisition to our collection – a first edition copy of Jane Austen’s Northanger Abbey and Persuasion in a four-volume set.

Pro abortion march, May 1979, 1979. Photo by Lyn McLeavy. This work is in copyright; H2012.7/6

Online Collection Spotlight: Women’s Studies Archive

March 6, 2023

Ask a librarian, Collection spotlights:

Where can I find first-hand accounts of bush nurses working during the 1956 Murray River floods? Who was the first lesbian rights organisation in the US and where can I find their newsletter? And does anyone have a good recipe for sheeps’ head pie anymore? If any of these questions have sparked your interest, the Women’s Studies Archive has got you covered!

Pram Factory theatre posters and the Australian Performance Group

Pram Factory theatre posters and the Australian Performance Group

March 5, 2023

Ask a librarian, Collection spotlights, Victorian history:

The Pictures collection at State Library Victoria contains many gems such as a posters collection of over 6,000 items, including 237 posters from Melbourne’s legendary Pram Factory.