Richard Divall, By Londonopera (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

Remembering Richard Divall

January 18, 2017

Rare Books & Arts:

A good friend to State Library Victoria, Maestro Richard Divall sadly passed away on the weekend after a long battle with cancer.

It’s just not cricket… or is it?

It’s just not cricket… or is it?

January 10, 2017

Sport, Such was life:

On Wednesday 23 March, 1895 a large crowd gathered at the East Melbourne cricket ground for an unusual event – a ladies’ cricket match. The ladies had been practising in secret and speculation was rife over what they would wear…

Cherry Red Books, 2015

New books in Arts, more fun than a barrel of Monkees

January 6, 2017

New books, Rare Books & Arts:

Monkees, movies and a bit of glam, welcome to 2017 in the Arts Library.

Hack Christmas with State Library Victoria’s collection

Hack Christmas with State Library Victoria’s collection

December 16, 2016

Our stories:

Searching for the perfect Christmas wrapping paper? Dreaming of DIY decorations with a literary twist? We’re here to help! We’ve combed the collection for festive images, prints and patterns to remix into Christmas crafts.

$13 million boost to State Library an early Christmas present for Victorians

$13 million boost to State Library an early Christmas present for Victorians

December 14, 2016

News:

A partnership between the Victorian State Government and the John and Myriam Wylie Foundation is delivering a funding boost of $13 million to State Library Victoria and is set to reinvigorate an historic Melbourne precinct.

Artist impression of Seadragon's Lair

State Library Victoria underwater for White Night Melbourne

December 12, 2016

News:

On Saturday 18 February, Melbourne will be wowed by an epic underwater adventure set against the State Library’s magnificent domed reading room as part of White Night Melbourne.

Umbrella Entertainment, 2014

Festive Sights and Sounds: Bandstand, Shakespeare, Mozart, Carols and much more.

December 7, 2016

Music, Rare Books & Arts:

The sounds of Melbourne Music Week may be fading into the distance, but there’s still lots to listen to here at the State Library.

Preservation: caring for our collections

Preservation: caring for our collections

December 1, 2016

Collection Care, Our stories, Preventive conservation:

The Library’s Preservation team work to ensure the ongoing care, preservation and access of our collections. Here the team bring you inside their work, from the quarantine room where items are checked for pests and mould, to the preservation studio where an average of 50,000 items are re-housed in any given year.

A cargo of fallen angels

A cargo of fallen angels

November 30, 2016

People & professions, Such was life:

Children in detention. Stopping the boats. You’d be forgiven for thinking it was recent times but in fact, it was the 19th century.

Alison Lester awarded the 2016 Dromkeen Medal

Alison Lester awarded the 2016 Dromkeen Medal

November 22, 2016

News:

State Library Victoria today awarded the 2016 Dromkeen Medal to celebrated children’s author Alison Lester and the Dromkeen Librarian’s Award to Sarah Steed from Libraries ACT.

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: 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.