Sherlock Holmes and spiritualism: Sir Arthur Conan Doyle in Victoria

Sherlock Holmes and spiritualism: Sir Arthur Conan Doyle in Victoria

May 22, 2025

Arts & literature, People & professions, Victorian history:

Dust off your deerstalkers and polish your magnifying glasses! Today (22nd May) is Sherlock Holmes Day, where the world celebrates the birthday of this super-sleuth’s creator, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

Radical Acts

Radical Acts

May 19, 2025

Our stories, Such was life:

Radical Acts is a project to address gender bias in Wikipedia and the Library’s records by improving the representation of Australian feminist activists and movements.

Passengers On the Deck of 'SS Ballarat' Arriving a..., 1925, © Museums Victoria. Migration to New Worlds

Online Collection Spotlight: Migration to New Worlds

May 16, 2025

Family matters:

Migration to New Worlds charts the emigration experience of those who travelled from Great Britain, Ireland and Europe to Australasia and North America in the 19th and 20th centuries.

Conserving a fascinating piece of book history: Fragment of a French Bible, c. 1150-1175

Conserving a fascinating piece of book history: Fragment of a French Bible, c. 1150-1175

May 2, 2025

Uncategorized:

In 2022, State Library Victoria added a fascinating piece of book history to its growing collection of fragments held within the Rare Books Collection. The item, a 315 x 265… Read More ›

Listening to the enemy: Melbourne’s radio listening post in World War II

Listening to the enemy: Melbourne’s radio listening post in World War II

April 21, 2025

Ask a librarian, Our stories, Victorian history:

During World War II, radio broadcasts were used to convey military news and to boost morale. Radio was also the perfect medium to spread propaganda to the enemy, with the aim of belittling or demoralising enemy forces and civilian populations. Read the intriguing story of how a Melbourne short wave station recorded Japanese propaganda messages to help the allied war effort.

Make believe and misinformation: a guide for cutting through information overload

Make believe and misinformation: a guide for cutting through information overload

April 15, 2025

Ask a librarian, Research tips:

At a time when trust in news and media reporting in Australia is decreasing, misinformation is probably one of the most pressing issues for librarians today. State Library Victoria’s brand new Misinformation research guide gathers resources held in the Library’s collections, adjacent to the case studies examined in the new Make Believe: Encounters with Misinformation exhibition, as well as tools to help identify misinformation and fake news.

Online Collection Spotlight: The Making of the Modern World

Online Collection Spotlight: The Making of the Modern World

April 11, 2025

Ask a librarian, Collection spotlights, Our stories, Uncategorized:

This post explores another of our Gale databases – The Making of the Modern World – as it charts the spread of Western wealth, trade and colonial takeovers, and of knowledge and ideas.

Reconnecting with ‘The silver brumby’

Reconnecting with ‘The silver brumby’

April 2, 2025

Ask a librarian, Cities & towns, Such was life, Victorian history:

Librarian Daniel Giddens reconnects with one of his favourite children’s stories, ‘The silver brumby’, sharing what makes it so special to him, as well as exploring the background of its author, and the history and significance of its publication.

Think globally, act locally: feminist posters by Australian women artists from 1970s-1990s

Think globally, act locally: feminist posters by Australian women artists from 1970s-1990s

March 27, 2025

Such was life, Visual arts:

The feminist resurgence in the period 1960-1990, referred to as second wave feminism, had a significant impact on the art world. Political graphics were no exception. This blog explores the State Library’s rich and extensive holdings of feminist posters by women artists from Melbourne’s alternative poster collectives.

Here at last! The 1921 census for England and Wales

Here at last! The 1921 census for England and Wales

March 19, 2025

census, census records, British records, Family matters, Uncategorized:

Great news for anyone interested in British history. The 1921 census for England and Wales can now be accessed onsite at State Library Victoria through both the FindMyPast and Ancestry databases.

Such was life

Sherlock Holmes and spiritualism: Sir Arthur Conan Doyle in Victoria

Sherlock Holmes and spiritualism: Sir Arthur Conan Doyle in Victoria

May 22, 2025 0 comments

Dust off your deerstalkers and polish your magnifying glasses! Today (22nd May) is Sherlock Holmes Day, where the world celebrates the birthday of this super-sleuth’s creator, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

Arts

Think globally, act locally: feminist posters by Australian women artists from 1970s-1990s

Think globally, act locally: feminist posters by Australian women artists from 1970s-1990s

March 27, 2025 2 comments

The feminist resurgence in the period 1960-1990, referred to as second wave feminism, had a significant impact on the art world. Political graphics were no exception. This blog explores the State Library’s rich and extensive holdings of feminist posters by women artists from Melbourne’s alternative poster collectives.