Lyric, [2017]

New listening in Arts: holiday selections

December 20, 2018

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

Find out what’s new on the listening post in the Arts reading room. We’re featuring a holiday season selection of festive, popular, opera and film music on CD.

The Myer Christmas windows

The Myer Christmas windows

December 19, 2018

Social life & customs, Such was life:

The Myer Christmas windows hold a special place in the heart of most Melburnians. The brainchild of Fred Asmussen (1913-1974), who began his career at the Myer emporium in 1928 as a ‘wheeler’ boy, moving products from one place to another in wicker cart, the much-loved tradition is now approaching its 70th year.

Illustrated children’s books: Willy Pogany (1882-1955)

Illustrated children’s books: Willy Pogany (1882-1955)

December 18, 2018

Our stories:

Willy Pogany (born Vilmos Andras Pogany) was a prolific contributor during the Golden Age of children’s book illustration, whose career broadened from children’s book illustration to portraiture and set designs for opera and ballet.

2018 in eresources

2018 in eresources

December 13, 2018

Our stories:

Take a look back at the 2018 additions to the Library’s eresources collection, as well as the most popular eresources for the year. Registered Victorian State Library members can access over 267,969 full text eresources – many from home.

Five splendid workers of No 8 General, c 1917,  Traill is second from the right, MS 7975

Jessie Traill: An artist at war

November 29, 2018

Our stories, War:

During World War I Jessie Traill spent five years serving as a British Voluntary Aid Detachment. Her war experience is recorded through photographs, sketches, written accounts and letters to friends.

[Victoria Hotel, Colac] H96.200/1498

Attention all descendants of country publicans

November 28, 2018

Family matters, People & professions:

Great news for family historians with publican ancestors – the index to the Robert K Cole Victorian hotels collection (1841-1949) has been expanded, with a total of over 37,000 entries now searchable online!

H.G. Wells in Australia

H.G. Wells in Australia

November 20, 2018

Arts & literature, Such was life:

In January 1939, HG Wells visited Australia and raised the ire of the Australian Prime Minister Joseph Lyons. His visit was brief, controversial and created international news.

Life On Goldfields website

Look inside PANDORA to reveal a history of lost websites

November 12, 2018

Collection, Our stories:

The Library has been contributing PANDORA, Australia’s web archive, since 1998. Explore the weird and wonderful websites that have made their way into the collection over the past 20 years.

Remembering the Armistice, 100 years on

Remembering the Armistice, 100 years on

November 9, 2018

Our stories, War:

Guns on the Western Front fell silent one hundred years ago, at 11am on 11 November 1918, bringing to an end what we remember as the First World War. 

Armistice Day, corner of Collins and Swanston Streets, Melbourne 1918

Armistice Day captured in WWI diary

October 31, 2018

Our stories:

With the announcement of the World War I armistice on 11 November 1918, many soldiers felt both joy and disbelief. Stretcher-bearer Percy Samson captured it in his diary.

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.