Burke and Wills and Strutt.
Such was life, Victorian history:
William Strutt’s painting of the Burke and Wills expedition captures the daunting task facing the explorers.
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Pigeon messengers of World War I
Ask a librarian, Collection spotlights, Our stories:
It may be hard to believe today, but the humble pigeon played a heroic role as messenger in World War I, braving heavy artillery fire and poisonous gas to deliver messages between the front line and headquarters.
Robert Vere Scott’s photographic panoramas
Ask a librarian, Collection spotlights, Victorian history:
Panoramic photographs have been around since the mid years of the 19th century when photographers strived to produce the arc of a wide vista in a single image. Check out some spectacular examples from the collection.
Catalogue upgrade: QR codes and search suggestions
Ask a librarian, Research tips & tricks, Tips and tricks:
Create QR codes, see recent search suggestions and view up 50 results at a time with these new features recently added to the Library catalogue.
Voices from the Great War
Ask a librarian, Collection spotlights:
Our Library has a vast collection of material relating to World War 1 including many original diaries and photographs. Two notable diaries were written by (Victor) Rupert Laidlaw and Alice Kitchin. Both were eyewitnesses to history and their diaries speak eloquently of their experiences, and reflect the horrors of the conflict.
Dancing above the tracks: The VRI Ballroom at Flinders Street Station
Ask a librarian, Victorian history:
Many Melburnians are surprised to learn that high above the bustle of Flinders Street Station sits a ballroom that has been largely unused since the early 1980s.
New online collections
Ask a librarian, Collection spotlights, Our stories:
With 20+ new additions to our databases, there’s something for everyone – always available online.
Fanfare for a new Dome
Ask a librarian, Our stories, Victorian history:
Brass instrumentalists from the Victorian College of the Arts were positioned in the upper galleries of the State Library’s La Trobe Reading Room (‘the Dome’), and the composer, George Dreyfus, stood on the podium below. There was a sudden, hushed silence. It was Tuesday, 8 July 2003, and the Dome was about to come alive with a bold, bright fanfare written to mark the occasion of its re-opening.
Shonky celebrants and wonky marriages ….. Holt’s matrimonial agency and the Free Christian Church
Ask a librarian, Victorian history:
The Free Christian Church and Holt’s Marriage Agency first operated in Melbourne in the late 19th century. They were never far from controversy and the law.
Armchair travel with State Library Victoria
Ask a librarian, Collection spotlights, Our stories, Research tips:
After over a year of international travel restrictions and domestic border closures, many of us are longing for a holiday. State Library Victoria collections can take you to faraway places – and back in time – without leaving your home.
