Merry Xmas & happy new year

Merry Xmas & happy new year

December 25, 2011

Rare Books & Arts:

Ho, ho, ho…….

Ho, ho, ho…….

December 20, 2011

Rare Books & Arts:

You didn’t think that we’d leave 2011 without something festive, did you?   Santa Claus: collection of Luca Sacchi by Luca Sacchi   For all of you Santa-philes out there (we know… Read More ›

2011 – the year that was for the Genealogy Team

2011 – the year that was for the Genealogy Team

December 16, 2011

Family matters, Uncategorized:

A year of events, acquisitions and communication : 25 February   Participation in the annual Shake Your Family Tree Day organised by National Archives of Australia May    Library began subscription… Read More ›

All aboard!

All aboard!

December 13, 2011

Photography, Rare Books & Arts, Visual arts:

A beautiful new book highlighting the railroad photography of American photographer and train enthusiast David Plowden provoked a certain train of thought (sorry, I couldn’t resist!): Requiem for steam :… Read More ›

Festive Listening Post

Festive Listening Post

December 9, 2011

Music, Rare Books & Arts:

Christmas festivity is one of the current themes on Listening Post 2 in Arts.  Titles featured include The First Nowell : a choral Christmas, The Top 20 Christmas Carols : as chosen by… Read More ›

New books in the Genealogy Centre

December 9, 2011

Family matters, New to the collection, Uncategorized:

Workhouse: the people, the places, the life behind doors, by Simon Fowler Starving families, orphans, the sick, the elderly and single mothers – for over 200 years the workhouse was… Read More ›

New Chief for State Library of Victoria

December 6, 2011

About us, Announcements, News:

The President of the Library Board of Victoria, The Hon John Cain, today announced the appointment of the State Library of Victoria’s new Chief Executive Officer and State Librarian, Sue Roberts.

Website maintenance

Website maintenance

December 2, 2011

Announcements, Library services, News:

On Tuesday 6 December, the Library website will be undergoing maintenance. You may not be able to access the website and the Library’s online catalogue between 9pm and 12am on this day. We apologise for any inconvenience.

By the pricking of my thumbs, something embroidered this way comes!

By the pricking of my thumbs, something embroidered this way comes!

December 2, 2011

Rare Books & Arts:

Today’s instalment features a guest post by Sandra who works in our Australian Manuscripts Collection. A keen needleworker, Sandra has been keeping the Arts Library “on the ball” as far as this aspect of… Read More ›

findmypast.ie now available at SLV!

findmypast.ie now available at SLV!

December 2, 2011

Family matters, New to the collection, Uncategorized:

We are very pleased to announce that the Irish edition of  the major database findmypast is now available free of charge onsite at the State Library of Victoria. This is a… Read More ›

Such was life

Online Collection Spotlight: Trench journals and unit magazines of the First World War.

Online Collection Spotlight: Trench journals and unit magazines of the First World War.

April 20, 2026 0 comments

This Online Collection Spotlight examines WWI trench journals created by units from several combatant nation between 1914 and 1919. Produced in camps and battle zones, these handmade publications reveal humour, creativity, and resilience through poems, sketches, notes and stories.

Arts

Photographic portrait by Richard Beck of Ailsa O’Connor (1921-1980), political activist, painter, sculptor, author and teacher.

Ailsa O’Connor: highlights of a life of socialist activism, feminism and art

March 23, 2026 9 comments

Ailsa O’Connor (1921-1980) was a political activist, painter, sculptor, author and teacher. Throughout her art career she was a member of the Communist Party and associated with the Socialist Realist Group.