Tickets on sale now for Library’s biggest-ever exhibition

Tickets on sale now for Library’s biggest-ever exhibition

February 14, 2014

Announcements, Exhibitions, News:

Tickets are now on sale for Victor Hugo: Les Misérables – From Page to Stage, a world-first exhibition and the biggest to ever be staged at the State Library of… Read More ›

Picture this: Maryborough, Victoria

Picture this: Maryborough, Victoria

February 14, 2014

Cities & towns, Such was life:

Did you know you can view over 200,000 digitised images on the State Library’s online catalogue? To find pictures of your favourite Victorian town, simply head to the catalogue, and type… Read More ›

New books: the Duke, Sydney Moderns, glorious Sargent, and some nude men…..

New books: the Duke, Sydney Moderns, glorious Sargent, and some nude men…..

February 13, 2014

New books, Painting, Rare Books & Arts, Visual arts:

Nude men : from 1800 to the present day: edited by Tobias G. Natter and Elisabeth Leopold This is the catalogue to a groundbreaking exhibition held at the Leopold Museum… Read More ›

Did your ancestor work for the Government?

Did your ancestor work for the Government?

February 10, 2014

Collections, Family matters, Research guides, Research tips & tricks:

Many of us have forebears who worked for the Victorian Government in some capacity. This may not always be obvious though, as records like electoral rolls, directories and birth, death… Read More ›

Clarice Cliff: ceramic designer extraordinaire

Clarice Cliff: ceramic designer extraordinaire

February 6, 2014

Decorative arts, Rare Books & Arts:

Serial-blogger Jane has been watching Bargain Hunt again….. If you do an internet search on Clarice Cliff, eBay is regularly included in your first page of hits.  Eminently collectable, the… Read More ›

History fellowships at the Library

History fellowships at the Library

February 3, 2014

Local history funding sources, Such was life:

This year the State Library of Victoria is offering several fantastic research opportunities for people who propose thoughtful and innovative ways of using our collections.

New Listening:  Chain, Cosmic Country & more

New Listening: Chain, Cosmic Country & more

January 30, 2014

Music, Musicals, Popular music, Rare Books & Arts:

Some recent CD arrivals feature on the Listening Posts in Arts.  They include releases in opera, classical, country,  pop, rock, blues and musical theatre. The online catalogue indicates which Listening Post the CD… Read More ›

History and people of early Ballarat

History and people of early Ballarat

January 28, 2014

Cities & towns, Such was life:

If you’re interested in the history and people of early Ballarat, then we’d like to introduce you to a classic research resource, written by journalist WB Withers.

Newspaper and Family History room changes January to April 2014

January 28, 2014

Collections, Family matters:

  The former State Library of Victoria Newspaper Reading Room is currently being refurbished and will reopen in April as the combined home of the Family History and Newspaper services.   Until… Read More ›

Vale Claudio Abbado

Vale Claudio Abbado

January 24, 2014

Music, Rare Books & Arts:

Claudio Abbado, one of the very greatest conductors of the modern era, sadly passed away this week after a long battle with illness. A true gentleman of the podium, he… Read More ›

Such was life

On the case: Detective Piggott and the development of forensics

On the case: Detective Piggott and the development of forensics

November 3, 2025 11 comments

The early 1900s was an exciting time to be a detective. Innovations in science and technology, combined with the popularity of detective stories shifted crime fighting away from the seedy world of informers, which had influenced the early years of policing, towards the detection of crime using scientific methods and forensic evidence. Find out about how one Victorian detective contributed to the development of police forensics.

Arts

Portraits of Melbourne artists in their studios

Portraits of Melbourne artists in their studios

December 8, 2025 0 comments

John Hinds, an artist, photographer and active ROAR member from 1986 to 1992 spent time capturing artists he personally knew and the spaces that they used to create their works. His photographs captured a unique and often unseen time and place, creating an invaluable insight into the art scene in Melbourne.