library - State Library Victoria in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

With live music still on our minds post-weekend, we're delving into the Library's Rare Books (and music) collection to bring you some 80s nostalgia. This colourful collection is Fast Forward, Australia's first regular cassette magazine. The brainchild of 3RRR presenters Bruce Milne and Andrew Maine, Fast Forward documented the post-punk scene of the early 80s.... In the pre-internet era, the tapes were packaged with printed artwork and distributed through local record stores. Thirteen issues were produced from November 1980 to October 1982. Fast Forward helped to spread music, interviews, serials and skits through local and international music communities. More here: https://bit.ly/2Lt34pH See more

Is current technology sufficient enough for our children and future leaders? In the latest episode of The future of ... we passed the mic () over to you! Tune in as Santilla Chingaipe and Bridgette Engeler (Swinburne academic and futurist) answer the burning questions you had - as you pondered the distant future. ... Listen here: slv.vic.gov.au/stories/future-of

As people, we all have the capacity to be futurists. When we make decisions, we are often making them on behalf of generations to come. - Bridgette Engeler In the latest episode of The future of ..., Santilla Chingaipe and Bridgette Engeler explore how we can think about a better distant future and how we can create it. Find it here: https://bit.ly/2Jca2Pf

Need a little retail therapy? Melbourne and shopping have been hand in glove since the 1880s, and at its peak, the city flaunted more than a dozen department stores. In the lead-up to the holiday shopping season, we take you back to the golden era of Melbourne retail to hear about the rise and fall of department store empires such as Foy and Gibson, Manton's, and George's.... Discover more about Melbourne's shopping culture through our collection here: slv.vic.gov.au/stories/from-the-vault-department-stores

Explore Victoria from the sky through the work of aerial photographer, William Hansom, who went by the name of Airspy. Airspy hired ex-military pilots to capture unique bird's eye views of Melbourne and regional Victoria. Their work covered suburbs and rural locations, from Coburg to Lakes Entrance, and documented many of Melbourne's iconic landmarks including: ... Luna Park The Melbourne Cricket Ground Queen Victoria Market Airspy was passionate about capturing the progress of Melbourne over time and did it with incredible precision and quality. The Library's stunning collection of Airspy photography contains over 1800 digitised images for you to explore online. Discover more: slv.vic.gov.au/stories/from-the-vault-aerial-vic

Today is #InternationalMountainDay and how fitting, with our wintry week of December snow (). Here, you can spot similar scenes from the late 1930s. Victoria's second highest mountain, Mount Feathertop, sits snowcapped - spied from the Ovens River, between the townships of Harrietville and Bright. ... What better sign to gather your hiking gear and enjoy Victoria's beautiful High Country this weekend? Happy Friday! Mt. Feathertop from bridge over Ovens, between Bright and Harrietville, Gerard Stanislaus Wardell, 1937-1938, H2009.38/7.

On this day in 1932, a crowd converged in Lorne to celebrate the opening of the newly completed Great Ocean Road. Over a 13-year construction period, 3000 returned servicemen built the road, largely by pick, shovel and barrow. Now a popular road trip for Victorian locals and visitors alike, the 'greatness' of the Great Ocean Road has never diminished.... Learn more about the challenges and champions of this incredible build via our latest blog: blogs.slv.vic.gov.au/our-stories/road-of-a-thousand-charms/ The Great Ocean Road, Cape Patton, Lorne. H90.160/74

Good news! The number of visitors we can safely welcome inside the Library has increased The booking system has been updated and we're ready to welcome you with open arms (from 1.5 metres away) Daily opening hours are in two sessions: ... 10.00am-1.30pm Closed for cleaning 2.30pm - 6.00pm Book your visit here: slv.vic.gov.au/partial-reopening/ David Caird

Happy #Chanukah! (or Hanukkah) The eight-night festival celebrating the rededication of the Temple in Jerusalem with nightly lighting of the chanukiah begins tonight. A big thank you to our friends at the Jewish Museum of Australia for kindly loaning us this Torah to display in our World of the Book exhibition. ... The Torah contains five sacred texts later adopted by Christians as part of their Old Testament. As God’s covenant with the Jewish people, it is the basis for Jewish religious, political, and social life. The Sefer Torah is handwritten on parchment made from the skin of a ritually killed animal, then placed on a scroll for public reading in the synagogue. The reader uses a yad (a rod with a hand and extended forefinger) to avoid touching the text. Torah, Eastern Europe, mid-19th century. Manuscript on vellum, with wooden rollers; with silver pointer. Courtesy of the Jewish Museum of Australia, Melbourne

What is a photobook? The photobook is a particular kind of photography book, in which images prevail over text, and the joint work of the photographer, editor, and graphic designer helps build a visual narrative. Since the 1960s, photobooks have evolved into an experimental form of publishing with the potential to offer a radically personal lens on different themes, from the national marriage equality movement to the changing face of outer suburbia.... Principal Librarian, Des Cowley, shows us some of the striking Australian examples on display in our World of the book exhibition. Discover more about photobooks in our collection: slv.vic.gov.au/stories/photobooks

2020 has been the year for a special type of kindness. We've been baking banana bread for our neighbours, painting rainbows to place on our window sills, saving our warmest hellos for the postie and (hopefully) offering our loved ones a little extra help around the house! This #WorldKindnessDay we're saying thank you for the good deeds already done and random acts of kindness yet to be delivered. ... Be kind, Victoria! Looking after Dad, H2004.100/1375.

Melbourne Music Week kicks off today, local music lovers! This year's marathon event (Melbourne Music WeekExtended) features an all-local line-up and will run from today until the 28th of Feb. Keep an eye on our socials in the coming weeks, as we share some standout music memorabilia from our collection.... And enjoy this (pre-covid) #throwback to 2016 when the Library transformed into a Melbourne Music Week Hub.

In 2015, we acquired a breathtaking collection of rare ballet photos from the 1930s to 1950s, generously donated by extraordinary Melbourne photographer, Jean Stewart. Jean had an intuitive eye for capturing the magical and fleeting moments when dance and theatre connect while shooting from the darkness of rows E and F. Take a glimpse into the ballet world she was so passionate about, and discover some of the innovative and creative ways she captured her shots.... Special thank you to our Voiceover, David McAllister of The Australian Ballet. Discover more about this collection: slv.vic.gov.au/stories/from-the-vault-jean-stewart

Movie lovers rejoice (and pass the popcorn!) With cinemas open again, we’ve been flicking through our archives of historic Hoyts around Melbourne. This Cinema was located on Bridge Road, Richmond and If you look close enough, you can spot the clock tower of the Town Hall. ... Hoyts Theatre, Richmond, Harold Paynting Collection, 1944.H2009.177/54

We’re delighted to announce the Library will reopen to the public from Thursday 19 November. Our daily opening hours will be: 10am1.30pm 2.30pm6pm ... Details about available spaces, services, collection access and pre-bookings will be available on our website on Monday 16 November: bit.ly/3eXWwdC After the longest closure in the Library’s 164-year history, we can’t wait to welcome you back soon! David Caird (July 2020)

Plans for tomorrow evening? Celebrate #NAIDOC2020 at home by joining local singer-songwriter, Bart Willoughby, as he demonstrates 40 years' experience in the music industry. Bart Willoughby is a Pitjantjatjara man of the Mirning dreaming, known for pioneering a distinctive fusion of reggae with Indigenous Australian musical influences.... 7pm 12 November Free Register here: https://www.facebook.com/events/2818611038420338

Remembrance Day, 2020. This year marks the 75th anniversary of the end of the Second World War. Today, we honour the memory of homecoming, reunion and sacrifice by pausing for a minute’s silence at 11am.... Commemorate from home via the livestream presented by the Shrine of Remembrance at 10.45am: https://bit.ly/3p9HeHr Shrine of Remembrance, Victorian Railways, photographer, ca. 1945-ca. 1954, H91.50/144.