A little history of Queen’s Hall
‘The Queen’s Reading Room’ opened on 24 May 1859 when the south wing of the Library was completed. Restoration works began in 2017 and in 2019, the space was re-opened to the public as the Ian Potter Queen’s Hall.
Our stories
What’s new in eresources
Ask a librarian, New to the collection:
There have been a few new additions to our online eresources lately. These can be explored from outside the Library if you are a Victorian-resident Library member – log in with your Library member number, or sign up for membership online to begin. Let’s take a look at what’s available.
Online Collection Spotlight: Socialism on Film
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.
A-Z of Collection Care: Part 2
Collection Care, Conservation, Preservation, Tips and tricks:
Looking for some more insights into the day-to-day activities of the Library’s Collection Care team?
Part 2 of the A-Z of Collection Care series takes us from marvellous maps to pesky pests and beyond.
Uncovering treasure: our favourite Trove discoveries
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
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Archives Unbound is a Gale electronic database made up of hundreds of resources, many previously unpublished, from the Middle Ages through to 20th century political history.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
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.
Reconstructing Brockhoff’s Crispette billboard – Part 3: Digitisation
Collection Care, Conservation, Digitisation:
In part 3 of this series, which was inspired by the conservation treatment of an enormous biscuit billboard, join our Digital Production team as they share the finer details of this complex digitisation process.
Reconstructing Brockhoff’s Crispette billboard – Part 2: Conservation treatment
Collection Care, Conservation:
In part 2 of this series, follow along as our paper conservators stabilise an enormous billboard for Brockhoff’s popular Crispette supper cracker.
Reconstructing Brockhoff’s Crispette billboard – Part 1: Brockhoff Biscuits and the perfect supper cracker
Collection Care, Conservation, Digitisation:
In part 1 of this series, which was inspired by the conservation treatment of an enormous biscuit billboard, learn about Melbourne’s own Brockhoff Biscuits and their perfect supper cracker, the Crispette.
