The ancient art of bellringing
Social life & customs, Such was life:
The ancient art of bellringing is harder than it looks. Bellringers require confidence and stamina, not to mention an excellent memory.
Such was life
Banned books
Arts & literature, Our stories:
Throughout history, when those in power have felt threatened by the ‘dangerous’ ideas contained in the pages of books, the offending books have been banned, stripped from shelves, and even burned. But censorship isn’t just a thing of the past. Take a look at prohibited and censored books, old and new.
Illustrated children’s books: Kay Nielsen (1886-1957)
Arts & literature, Our stories:
Kay Nielsen’s delicate illustrations combined the exquisite motifs of the Art Nouveau movement with oriental influences. The elaborate, decorative artworks bring brilliant colour tinged with a hint of eeriness to the pages of children’s fairy tales.
Beauty spots: from facial flaws to fashion statements
Social life & customs, Such was life, Theatre:
Under the eye or the corner of the mouth? Does the position of your beauty spot mean you are a flirt, engaged or just cheeky? Stars, pigs and horses; from the eighteenth century onward, the beauty spot has an alluring past.
Are you being served?
Step back in time to the old-fashioned servo, where consumer choice was de rigueur, and service was king.
The breaking of the drought: silent movies and photography
Arts & literature, Such was life:
The Library has digitised some wonderful photographs taken during the filming of the 1920 Australian silent movie, ‘The breaking of the drought.’ Melodrama, song, dance, water ballet, seduction, ruin and redemption; this movie has it all. And a happy ending too.
Australia’s golden age of cycling
Exhibitions, Our stories, People & professions:
Cheering echoed throughout the streets of Sydney in November 1937 as some 60,000 people gathered along the last 80 kilometres of Hubert Opperman’s epic trans-continental ride. Once as famous as cricketer Don Bradman, endurance cyclist ‘Oppy’ is currently featured in the Changing face of Victoria exhibition. Discover objects from his career, loaned to us by Museums Victoria.
Early history of movable and pop-up books
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.
The dais in the dome
Once upon a time a staff member sat in the dais in the La Trobe Reading Room, watching over any chattering public. I asked two long term SLV librarians how this used to work.
On a visit to the Cremorne Gardens
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.
