Education in Colonial Victoria: a new collection for Trove

Education in Colonial Victoria: a new collection for Trove

July 2, 2020

Our stories:

By Paul Dee, Senior Librarian Victorian and Australian Collections Trove is the National Library’s online portal to more than 6 billion artefacts, curiosities and stories from Australia’s cultural, community and research institutions.… Read More ›

Discovering Diener’s Ice Works: part two

Discovering Diener’s Ice Works: part two

June 21, 2020

Buildings & streets, People & professions, Research guides, Research tips & tricks, Social life & customs, Such was life, War:

The second and final part of a blog about flâneurs and research in the time of covid-19 As you can read in part one, this blog was inspired by daily… Read More ›

Time travelling with Sands & McDougall

Time travelling with Sands & McDougall

June 16, 2020

Buildings & streets, People & professions, Such was life:

Bell hangers and nightmen, leech merchants and lightermen; these are just some of the nineteenth century characters you may find lurking within the pages of a Sands & McDougall directory.

Transcribing the diaries of Joseph Jenkins from home

Transcribing the diaries of Joseph Jenkins from home

June 15, 2020

Our stories:

Joseph Jenkins (1818–98) was a farmer and poet from Tregaron, Wales. From his early twenties until his death, he kept a diary, written in both Welsh (his mother tongue) and… Read More ›

Discovering Diener’s Ice Works: part one

Discovering Diener’s Ice Works: part one

June 8, 2020

Buildings & streets, People & professions, Research guides, Research tips & tricks, Social life & customs, Such was life, War:

This is the first of a two-part blog about flâneurs and research in the time of covid-19 A daily walk has become an essential part of many people’s routines in… Read More ›

Ledger recording details and placement of seed varieties sewn in the gardens at Sunnybrae, 1984-2005 (YMS 16267, Box 62)

The archive of a pioneer ‘slow’ food restaurant

May 29, 2020

Collection Care, People & professions, Preservation, Social life & customs, Such was life:

Coinciding with the reopening of many of Victoria’s restaurants after lockdown, we celebrate the story of Sunnybrae, a much-loved regional restaurant ‘in the middle of a paddock’, and the early innovations in food provenance and seasonal, sustainable produce that it became known for.

Collection Care from home

Collection Care from home

May 26, 2020

Collection Care, Conservation, Our stories, Preservation, Preventive conservation:

The majority of the work undertaken by Collection Care staff requires physical access to the collections. The recent Library closure as a result of COVID-19 has meant staff are unable to access studios and labs for the time being, prompting a re-imagining of how they normally approach their roles.

Meet Gwenda Robb, Tour Guide

Meet Gwenda Robb, Tour Guide

May 22, 2020

Our stories:

It’s National Volunteer Week, so we’re celebrating all the dedicated, talented and inspiring people who volunteer with State Library Victoria, and we want you to meet some of them! Today… Read More ›

Meet Eril Wangerek, Collections Volunteer

Meet Eril Wangerek, Collections Volunteer

May 21, 2020

Our stories:

It’s National Volunteer Week, so we’re celebrating all the dedicated, talented and inspiring people who volunteer with State Library Victoria, and we want you to meet some of them! Eril… Read More ›

Meet Sally Hall, Collections Volunteer

Meet Sally Hall, Collections Volunteer

May 20, 2020

Our stories:

It’s National Volunteer Week, so we’re celebrating all the dedicated, talented and inspiring people who volunteer with State Library Victoria, and we want you to meet some of them! Sally… Read More ›

Such was life

Online Collection Spotlight: Bloomsbury Historic Dress in Detail

Online Collection Spotlight: Bloomsbury Historic Dress in Detail

December 23, 2025 0 comments

Watch the wonders of fashion unfold with this informative and visually stunning peak into the history of clothing. This video database, with companion articles, explores historical contexts, materials, and construction methods, enabling you to see how different garments were worn, and the function that each item served.

Arts

Online Collection Spotlight: American Music

Online Collection Spotlight: American Music

February 6, 2026 0 comments

From Willie Nelson to Dinah Washington, Muddy Waters to Flaco Jimenez, you can enjoy a journey across the diverse musical roots of America with the Music Online: American Music database. Hosting an astonishing array of talent the collection consists of almost 7000 albums and 120,000 songs.