A Detailed History
This detailed history is reproduced from Treasures of the State Library of Victoria, an illustrated hard copy publication prepared for the Library's 150th celebrations.
A group of powerful and prominent men, including Redmond Barry and Lieutenant-Governor Charles Joseph La Trobe, found a public library to commemorate the separation of Victoria from New South Wales.
The foundation stone is laid, the building constructed, and the books which form the foundation of the Library's great collection are selected and ordered. On 11 February 1856, the Library opens its doors to anyone over the age of 14 who is of respectable appearance and has clean hands!
The first librarian, Augustus Tulk, is appointed by the Board of Trustees in May 1856. He sets to work with Redmond Barry to build the Library's collections which grow rapidly over the next two decades. By the mid-1870s, the collection numbers almost 80,000 volumes.
Redmond Barry's death in 1880 and the economic downturn of the 1890s mark the end of an era for the Library. The 20th century sees the growth and consolidation of the Australiana collection, dramatic changes to the types of material being collected and services offered, and a massive redevelopment of the Library buildings.
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