Our stories

Inside the lab: How we prepare for an exhibition

Inside the lab: How we prepare for an exhibition

January 24, 2017

Collection Care, Conservation, Our stories, Registration and loans:

The Library’s Conservation department works behind-the-scenes to ensure all collection and loan material selected for an exhibition is prepared and installed to a museum standard. The recent installation of ON AIR: 40 years of 3RRR was no exception.

The last residential caretaker

The last residential caretaker

January 20, 2017

Our stories:

George Swain, the State Library’s last residential caretaker sadly passed away this week. A WWII veteran, he brought up a family of six children in an apartment on the roof of the Library’s dome, living there until the early 80s. In a post he wrote for the dome centenary in 2013, George reminisces about bringing up his family on the roof of the Library.

Hack Christmas with State Library Victoria’s collection

Hack Christmas with State Library Victoria’s collection

December 16, 2016

Our stories:

Searching for the perfect Christmas wrapping paper? Dreaming of DIY decorations with a literary twist? We’re here to help! We’ve combed the collection for festive images, prints and patterns to remix into Christmas crafts.

Preservation: caring for our collections

Preservation: caring for our collections

December 1, 2016

Collection Care, Our stories, Preventive conservation:

The Library’s Preservation team work to ensure the ongoing care, preservation and access of our collections. Here the team bring you inside their work, from the quarantine room where items are checked for pests and mould, to the preservation studio where an average of 50,000 items are re-housed in any given year.

Rhonda Senbergs

The Rhonda Senbergs photographic collection

October 18, 2016

Our stories:

In this guest post, Jes and Selena Senbergs share the story behind the remarkable collection of photographs taken by their mother, Rhonda Senbergs. Rhonda Senbergs photographed Melbourne’s art world scene for… Read More ›

The Return fancy dress ball at the old Exhibition Building, Samuel Calvert, IMP27/10/66/357

150 years of The Press dress

September 20, 2016

Our stories:

On 20 September 1866 Mrs Matilda Butters attended the Mayor’s Fancy Dress Ball in the new exhibition buildings as ‘The Press’. Designed by local dressmaker Mrs William Dobbs, the costume was constructed of silk panels printed with the front pages different Melbourne newspapers.

Henry Lawson: Mementos of a difficult man

Henry Lawson: Mementos of a difficult man

September 2, 2016

Our stories:

In mid-2003 the State Library formally acquired the Australian writer Henry Lawson’s walking stick and shirt. On the anniversary of his death, we take a closer look at these items.

"Bruce Fletcher ... in the attic-like studio ... in Howard St., Glen Iris" Herald & Weekly Times Limited portrait collection. This work is in copyright. H38849/5350.

Long Tan at 50

August 18, 2016

Our stories:

Half a century has now passed since Australia’s most well known battle of its decade long involvement in South Vietnam. 18 diggers were killed and another 24 were wounded in the dramatic fighting that took place in the rubber plantation near the village of Xa Long Tan on the 18th August 1966.

Electronic Game - Sunwing UFO, Source: Museum Victoria, Copyright Museum Victoria

Save the Game.

August 12, 2016

Preservation:

Videogames have a preservation issue. The perpetual and profitable march ‘forward’ by technology renders videogames obsolete within years of their release.

Alligator North Australia, ca. 1900-ca. 1914, H91.93/112

Long-term thinking for your born digital legacy

August 11, 2016

Preservation:

Recently my attention was captured by the clickbaity headline, “The couple who rescued their iPhone from the jaws of an ALLIGATOR to save their photos of their ten-month-old son”, because it’s a great starting point for thinking about personal digital archiving.