Our stories

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.

My life and digital preservation

My life and digital preservation

August 11, 2016

Preservation:

Over time, digital preservation has moved from a preoccupation with physical objects which embodied digital files, to online digital content.

Game-changer: collecting born-digital manuscripts

Game-changer: collecting born-digital manuscripts

August 10, 2016

Collection, Preservation:

Collecting born-digital manuscripts poses some exciting challenges for the Library’s Manuscripts Collection. Here, Dr Kevin Molloy reveals how this type of material is a game-changer for collecting institutions and peoples’ own personal records.

Digital forensics at galleries, libraries, archives and museums

Digital forensics at galleries, libraries, archives and museums

August 8, 2016

Preservation:

A rapidly growing body of materials with significant cultural value are “born digital.” Galleries, libraries, archives and museums (GLAMs) are increasingly called upon to move born-digital materials that are stored on removable media (e.g. floppy disks, flash drives, CD-ROMs, hard drives) into more sustainable preservation environments.

The Story of Miss Moppet, by Beatrix Potter, London, New York, Frederick Warne & Co., 1906. Rare J 823.912 P85M

150 years of Beatrix Potter

July 28, 2016

Our stories:

This week we celebrate the 150th anniversary of beloved author and illustrator Beatrix Potter. From Jemima Puddle-duck to Tom Kitten, we reveal some rare Potter treasures held in the Library’s Children’s Literature Collection.

The first day of the Battle of the Somme

The first day of the Battle of the Somme

June 30, 2016

Our stories:

This day saw the British Army experience the single bloodiest day in its entire history, with close to 60,000 casualties, as Lord Kitchener’s inexperienced new recruits came face to face with the brutal realities of modern warfare’s industrialised killing.