Library research guide: historical resources
A Student membership gives you access to a vast array of resources to help you get ahead with your studies. But with so much information available, how do you know where to start?
We've put together a guide to the Library's resources for anyone studying history, whether that be Australian history, ancient history, or anything in between.
Explore the Library’s extensive historical research guides, materials and tips below.
Plus, don’t forget to register for your exclusive Library student induction to learn how to make the most of the Library’s spaces, resources and collections.
Ergo
The Library’s Ergo website is your one-stop shop for learning how to effectively research, study and write essays.
To help you navigate Melbourne’s founding and beyond, the ‘explore history’ section in Ergo has amazing primary resources to help you get started with your research covering a broad range of historical topics that include:
- colonial Melbourne
- gold rush Victoria
- Australia and World War I and II
- criminals, bushrangers and law enforcement
- workers’ rights
- Indigenous rights
- women’s rights.
Colonial Victoria: online history excursion
Our digital excursion introduces primary and secondary aged students to a range of primary sources relating to Victoria’s colonial era.
Take an engaging and delightful trip to Victoria’s past that’ll enrich your understanding of its present.
Getting to know our online resources
The Library’s YouTube channel has several instructional videos on how to navigate its online catalogue, including videos covering Australian and ancient history.
Resources on our website
Our Search & discover page is your go-to, one-stop destination for exploring the Library’s digital resources.
There, you’ll find:
- Copyright free image search: search nearly 200,000 out-of-copyright images in our collection that you’re welcome to use in your essays or remix and recreate for creative projects
- VCE research guides: resources for every aspect of the syllabus, including Ancient history units 3 & 4 (Greece, Egypt, Rome), Australian history, and History: Revolutions (Russia, France, China, America)
- Extensive online databases
- The Library’s catalogue: hint: when searching, start broad then refine using right hand filters. E.g. search for ‘John Batman’ not ‘John Batman’s diary’.
