Alert

North Rotunda will close at 5pm on Tuesday 19 March for a Library event. You'll be able to access Melbourne Out Loud in Victoria Gallery via the Russell Street Welcome Zone.

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Your home under the dome

Under the love umbrella

Join us under the roof of the storied dome – our very own 'love umbrella' that's sheltered thoughts, learning and daydreams for more than 100 years.

This video is narrated by our wonderful Library staff reading from the Australian picture book Under the love umbrella by Davina Bell and Allison Colpoys, Scribble, 2017.

Here for you, always

Whether you’re entering our front doors or exploring online, State Library Victoria is here for you, always.

Come inside, make yourself welcome!

Lose yourself in our incredible collections. Nourish curious minds with our inspiring programs for all ages. Bring your burning questions to our trusted experts, who’ll point you in the right direction.

You’ll always be at home under the dome.

Photo credit

Photo © Carmen Zammit

Access All Areas

A smiling woman in a black dress sits in a timber dais in a large, elegant room

Join former CEO Kate Torney for an all-access tour of the Library – from the dizzy heights of the rooftop to the atmospheric depths of the catacombs!

You'll gain a new appreciation for the Library's architectural wonders and the legacy, legends and lore which infuse this marvellous heritage building.

Free programs

Colour photo of State Library Victoria facade and lawn on a sunny day

Whether you want to launch a new business, entertain the kids or find your new favourite author, explore our calendar of free, world-class programs to connect with the Library from home.

Find out what's on

Digital collections

As well as books, our collections include thousands of photographs, personal manuscripts and diaries, maps, old magazines and journals, newspapers, comics, and even old advertising and theatre programs!

Check out our popular digitised collections.

Begin your research project with help from our research guides - compiled by our expert librarians - on topics from food to fashion, Victorian migration and a perennial favourite, 'What it used to cost'.

Dive into our image pool to see Victoria's history brought to life in more than 170,000 amazing, copyright-free images, including maps and architectural drawings.

Ask a Librarian

Two women laugh at a service desk in an art gallery

Direct from the State Library Victoria reference desk is the inside story you've been asking for: our Ask a Librarian series of videos and blogs.

Join our expert librarians for stories, resources and research tips, as well as their responses to some of your fascinating queries.

Got a question you'd like our wonderful librarians to answer? Get in touch and let us know!

Access ebooks, newspapers & music

ebooks on a tablet

Victorian members can stream music, read newspapers and choose from over 200,000 ebooks: all for free, and from the comfort of your home!

Not a member yet? Get your free access membership today.

Gems of the Library

A woman with a scalpel gently prods some historic documents

Join us behind the scenes of the Library!

These short videos celebrate the treasures in our Collection and the dedicated and talented staff who care for them.

Skill up and stay curious

One boy points to a map while another listens on an old analogue phone

Check out our free online webinars, talks and programs to stay engaged, inspired and inquisitive. 

Whether you're interested in learning more about our rich collection or want tips for taking better photos on your phone, you'll find something here to pique your interest.

For babies, preschoolers & younger kids

A girl smiles as she writes with pencil on paper

Explore our programs and experiences to inspire, entertain and engage toddlers, preschoolers and school-age children.

Writing & writers

A woman reaches up to a bookshelf to take hold of a book

Books and stories, writers and writing are the bedrock of State Library Victoria. Explore our many programs bringing writing and writers straight to you.

Stories

A woman and man play guitar in a grand, two-storeyed Victorian room

Discover curiosities, treasures and the latest inspiring stories from our community and inside the Library, including:

Take a look at our Stories.

Video & audio archives

Headshot of Erik Jensen on grey and black background

Erik Jensen

Catch up on some of the exceptional talks, lectures and events we’ve hosted at the Library over the years in our video and audio archives.

Here's a few suggestions to get you started:

Browse our extensive video and audio archives.

Family history resources

Harold Leopold Godden, W.W.W. Wylie & family & house [picture] 1892-1972

This is the perfect time to discover your family tree!

Make it happen with our online family history research tools and resources that include ebooks, research guides, video recommendations and more.

Victorian State Library members can log into Ancestry from home, for a limited time.

Learning materials

Smiling boy and girl in an audience of secondary school students

Looking for learning resources for secondary students?

La Trobe Journal

Three issues of the scholarly La Trobe Journal periodical

The La Trobe Journal, produced by the Library, features articles that draw on the Library’s rich and varied collections as source material. Whet your appetite with these articles:

Browse all issues of the La Trobe Journal.

Online galleries & exhibitions

Man lying on black and white pattered ground

Chehehe, Shannyn Higgins, 2020

We have online galleries of select images from many of our exhibitions, past and present, including:

  • World of the book: celebrating the unique place that books hold in our hearts and minds, from the Middle Ages to today
  • Behind the paint: Shannyn Higgins' energetic portrait series of Victoria's renowned street artists
  • Story Island: much-loved images from some of Australia's favourite children's illustrators and authors
  • Velvet, Iron, Ashes: surprising connections in Victorian history, from the iconic Ned Kelly armour to the famous Ashes Urn
  • Love & devotion: exquisite Persian illustrated manuscripts from Oxford University's Bodleian Libraries

Explore all our online galleries.

From the Vault

Black and white photo of two horses in front of a tram

Courtesy of Coburg Historical Society

Watch these short films for a window into the surprising, poignant and sometimes funny stories behind the unique archival images in our catalogue.

Memory Bank: The Collective Isolation Project

During 2020's physical isolation and lockdown period, we invited you to respond to prompts for our Memory Bank: The Collective Isolation Project.

Your contributions of the mundane, the ephemeral and the magical cemented this moment and will bring it to life for those who come after us.

Daily life looked very different for each of us during that period. Re-visit it in Memory Bank: The Collective Isolation Project.