La Trobe Reading Room (Dome)

This magnificent room houses the Library’s Australiana Collection. One of the Library's most spectacular heritage spaces, the La Trobe Reading Room contains a wide range of books, journals and reference materials for reading and browsing.

Where is the La Trobe Reading Room?

Located at the centre of the Library, entry to the Reading Room is via the lifts or staircases in the Library's central lobby. The exact location of this room is clearly identified on the Library floor plan.

As you enter the room through the arched double doors, a handy display map indicates where you will find the information desk and books on particular subjects. Pocket-sized guides to the room are also available.

Quiet room

This room is one of the Library’s designated quiet areas, reserved for silent work and study. Mobile phones should be switched to silent. If you wish to make phone calls, have conversations or hold group study sessions, we recommend you use other Library areas, such as the Information Centre and Redmond Barry Reading Room.

What's in this room?

The walls of this octagonal room are lined with a wide range of books and journals for reading and browsing. Covering everything from Australian literature to geography, biography and the history of Victoria, a selection of the latest publications is also on display near the entrance to the room.

Just above the shelving, a thread of engraved quotes from famous writers and thinkers encircles the room. Above this, three levels of graceful balconies rise majestically towards the domed ceiling.

Back on the ground, custom-built Queensland silky-oak desks radiate out from the centre of the room providing abundant reading and study space. Smaller study tables are also conveniently scattered throughout the room. Other facilities include:

• computers providing access to the Library's catalogue, databases and ejournals
• a wireless hotspot 
• a copier/printer
• laptop access points under each of the smaller tables
• PCs for CD-ROM database access.

Information desk

Assistance with finding what you need is available from our specialist staff at the information desk. This area houses the Library's in-house indexes, lists and the Australiana reference collection. It also contains:

• microfilm and microfiche readers
• a copier/printer
• collection and information guides. 

Inquiries about the Rare Books, Maps, Children's Literature, Australian Manuscripts and Pictures collections can be made here. These items can only be viewed by appointment in the Heritage Collections Reading Room.

Materials from the offsite collection can be requested at the information desk.

Wireless hotspot

Free wireless broadband access is available in the La Trobe Reading Room for Library users with laptops or PDAs. Known as WiFi (Wireless Fidelity) or Wireless LAN, it allows you to connect to the internet without cables or wires. For more information see Using Wireless Services at the Library.

When is this room open?

The La Trobe Reading Room can be visited during standard Library opening hours.

Venue hire

The La Trobe Reading Room is one of several spaces in the Library that is available for hire.