In France, in 1822, the last surviving Australian dwarf emus died. The emus had made the unlikely journey from their their homes on Kangaroo and King Islands to the splendid gardens of Empress Josephine Bonaparte’s Malmaison.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island women empower past generations and pave the way for future generations of Indigenous Australians. This selection of recent books by Indigenous Australian women reflects the literary achievements of Indigenous women and their gift of empowerment to children.
Arts & literature, Our stories:
Pop-up books enthral readers for many reasons: their ingenuity, their beauty, and because they challenge the two-dimensional nature of printed books. Explore the range of paper engineering mechanisms that have been used in books for more than 700 years.
This NAIDOC Week, be inspired by stories and voices of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women, available as ebooks. Whether you live in Melbourne or Manangatang, log in from home with your State Library card number and start reading.
Film, Music, Musicals, Popular music, Rare Books & Arts:
Warm up the coldest winter with some great new arrivals in pop, rock, jazz, musical theatre and film soundtracks featuring these wonderful additions to the Library’s music collection.
Cities & towns, Exhibitions, People & professions:
Opened in 1853 on the banks of the Yarra River, the Cremorne Gardens was Melbourne’s first amusement park. Featuring fireworks displays, tightrope dancers and Australia’s first hot air balloon ascent, the gardens brought theatre and spectacle to the newly established British colony.
News:
Victorian creativity and business nous are set to combine with the announcement of Foundry658, a new Victorian Government business development program aimed to kickstart the next generation of creative and cultural businesses.
Right now, everywhere you look in the Library, you’ll find students knuckling down for intensive study in the lead up to exams. Students make up one-third of our visitors, so we’ve put together this list with you in mind. We hope it helps you to find what you need (and maybe didn’t even know you needed) so that you can make it through this busy time.
Our greeters come from diverse backgrounds and have unique reasons for deciding to join the Library as volunteers. To celebrate National Volunteer Week, let us introduce you to four members of the first ever cohort!
People & professions, Such was life:
The rich goldfields of Victoria attracted thousands of migrants and prospectors from all corners of the globe, but they were not rich for everyone.
What are your favourite festive food memories? Have you ever enjoyed Christmas Day lunch on the beach, up a mountain or aboard a ship? Do you remember pineapple glazed ham? Would you like the 100-year-old recipe for walnut stuffing? The State Library’s historic menus, cookbooks, photos and magazines trace Christmas foods from early colonial tables to the festive flavours celebrated by our diverse migrant communities. Dive in and rediscover your favourite Christmas dishes — or find inspiration for this year’s feast.
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.
