The Robinson brothers, Thomas, Charles and William Heath delighted in referring to themselves as the three musketeers. They spent much of their early adult life in their father’s studio and later shared studios with one another, all three establishing themselves as book illustrators.
A book about the history of mental health during the gold rush in Victoria has been awarded top prize at the 2018 Victorian Community History Awards.
When you step outside your comfort zone to explore the world, suddenly a little book is the only safety blanket you’ve got. Whether the iconic red bindings of a Murray or Baedeker, or a dogeared Lonely Planet, travel guides have been clutched in the hands of discerning travellers the world over. Discover their varied forms in our collection.
Arts & literature, Our stories:
Throughout history, when those in power have felt threatened by the ‘dangerous’ ideas contained in the pages of books, the offending books have been banned, stripped from shelves, and even burned. But censorship isn’t just a thing of the past. Take a look at prohibited and censored books, old and new.
Arts & literature, Our stories:
Kay Nielsen’s delicate illustrations combined the exquisite motifs of the Art Nouveau movement with oriental influences. The elaborate, decorative artworks bring brilliant colour tinged with a hint of eeriness to the pages of children’s fairy tales.
Exhibitions, Our stories, People & professions:
Cheering echoed throughout the streets of Sydney in November 1937 as some 60,000 people gathered along the last 80 kilometres of Hubert Opperman’s epic trans-continental ride. Once as famous as cricketer Don Bradman, endurance cyclist ‘Oppy’ is currently featured in the Changing face of Victoria exhibition. Discover objects from his career, loaned to us by Museums Victoria.
In France, in 1822, the last surviving Australian dwarf emus died. The emus had made the unlikely journey from their their homes on Kangaroo and King Islands to the splendid gardens of Empress Josephine Bonaparte’s Malmaison.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island women empower past generations and pave the way for future generations of Indigenous Australians. This selection of recent books by Indigenous Australian women reflects the literary achievements of Indigenous women and their gift of empowerment to children.
Arts & literature, Our stories:
Pop-up books enthral readers for many reasons: their ingenuity, their beauty, and because they challenge the two-dimensional nature of printed books. Explore the range of paper engineering mechanisms that have been used in books for more than 700 years.
This NAIDOC Week, be inspired by stories and voices of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women, available as ebooks. Whether you live in Melbourne or Manangatang, log in from home with your State Library card number and start reading.
