Ask a librarian, Victorian history:
“Believe me, my young friend, there is nothing – absolutely nothing – half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats.” Ratty, Wind in the Willows. A relic of a time when much of early Melbourne’s leisure and recreational activity revolved around the Birrarung | Yarra river, the Studley Park boathouse is the oldest continually operating boathouse on the Yarra, possibly the oldest in Victoria.
Ask a librarian, Collection spotlights:
The Gale Literature database draws together full text reviews and analysis of literature from around the world. It is exceptionally useful for students, bibliophiles, book clubbers or the casual reader.
Ask a librarian, Victorian history:
A lion wandering down Little Collins Street? Not something you see every day, but this is exactly the scene that Melburnians witnessed on the 11th of February 1911 after a magic trick did not go quite as planned.
Ask a librarian, Collection spotlights, Tips and tricks:
Explore Sands & McDougall’s directories with Collection Discovery. Find out what’s new and how to view and download in the image viewer.
Ask a librarian, Our stories, Victorian history:
There were several ‘sea baths’ at St Kilda in the 19th century, but none were more famous than Captain Kenney’s bathing ship, the Nancy.
Exhibitions, Rare Books & Arts:
The internationally significant Michael Abbott Collection of South-East Asian manuscripts is now on display as part of the World of the book 2022 exhibition.
It seems like LEGO bricks have been around forever, but in fact, they didn’t hit the market until 1949! Read on to discover more about LEGO’s amazing history …
Whether you are a child or an adult, the Library has often been a place of wonderment and fun. This summer, Library staff have put together a display of collection material encapsulating all forms of children’s play.
Ask a librarian, Victorian history:
A stronger, more inclusive society. This was the vision for the Lord Somers and Lord Mayor’s camps, bringing children from all corners of Victoria, and all walks of life together for summer seaside adventures.
Ask a librarian, Collection spotlights:
In Mozart’s opera ‘The marriage of Figaro’ who married Figaro?
The world at your fingertips! Explore the riches of the Oxford Reference Online collection.
Madame Weigel’s Journal of Fashion became a staple of Australian life for those interested in being well dressed, well presented, and well informed. This treasure trove has recently be digitised and made available online.
To celebrate the Children’s Book Council of Australia Week, we pay tribute to the life of children’s literature collector, Ken Pound, and the collection he has left for us all.
