From Moonahculla to Melbourne: The life of Auntie Marge (Margaret) Tucker
Auntie Marge Tucker was a changemaker, author and activist who campaigned for the rights of Aboriginal women.
Our stories
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.
Preserving Marvellous Melbourne
Collection Care, News, Our stories:
William Butterfield’s original drawings of St Paul’s Cathedral are in urgent need of conservation treatment. Learn how the Library’s working to preserve the plans for the State Collection, and how you can help.
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.
Evolution of the people’s forecourt
Ask a librarian, Our stories, Victorian history:
State Library Victoria was not always a popular venue for rallies, protests and public speakers in the Melbourne CBD. So when did it become the norm?
The Collected Works bookshop: Melbourne’s hidden treasure
Ask a librarian, Our stories, Victorian history:
For years, writers from around Australia and across the globe, made beelines to Melbourne’s ‘hidden treasure,’ the Collected Works Bookshop in the Nicholas Building. Entering it felt like reaching ‘heaven,’ with Kris and Loretta Hemensley its warm, generous hosts.
Autumn delights: Trial databases on travel, trailblazers and more!
Ask a librarian, Collection spotlights, Collections:
From new content in the Food and Drink in History database to three new databases available on trial, there’s plenty to discover online this Autumn. Trial databases cover empire studies, travel adventures of women in the 19th and 20th centuries, and trailblazing female forerunners in history. Explore and share your feedback!
Humans of Melbourne, 1930s style
Ask a librarian, Collection spotlights, Our stories, Victorian history:
The Library holds a set of images with a particularly intriguing name – Street characters: a series of photographs taken of Melbourne street personalities, about 1930. They are compelling snapshots of the social fabric of Melbourne at that time, images of characters long gone, likely long forgotten, their stories spent.
Searching through time: Melbourne newspaper card indexes
Ask a librarian, Collection spotlights, Research tips:
The newspaper card indexes at State Library Victoria can provide vital clues when researching Melbourne’s not so distant past.
