State Library Victoria's political ephemera collection is an invaluable resource for understanding Victoria's social, political and community history.  

The significant collection of more than 78,000 items is named the Riley and Ephemera Collection after Frederick J Riley, a unionist and politician who donated his political ephemera to the Library in the 50s and 60s. 

Explore the collection through the Library catalogue and find material relating to conscription, land rights, trade unions, women's rights, referendums, peace movements, political parties and more from the mid-19th century to now. 

The collection includes ephemera such as how-to-vote cards, flyers, leaflets, posters, badges, t-shirts, stickers and even fortune cookies from a broad spectrum of political, community and advocacy groups – the kind of items handed out on the street and put in your letterbox; temporary items that over time become powerful records of our shared history.  

Today, many of these materials are created and distributed digitally through email, websites and social media.  

That's where you can help.

In the lead-up to the 2026 state election, the Library is collecting material from right across Melbourne and regional and rural communities, capturing the diverse issues and concerns important to people around Victoria. 

With so much political campaigning happening online, the Library is actively collecting campaign emails, websites, digital newsletters and social media content.  

Rather than letting these records disappear into the recycling bin or digital trash, donate them to the Library to help preserve Victoria's political and social history. We need your support so future generations can understand the issues, movements and moments that shaped our state.

How to donate your election ephemera

As you pick up your democracy sausage, keep your election paraphernalia and donate them to the Library via reply-paid post. We're also collecting ephemera from past elections, rallies, protests, political parties and advocacy groups year-round.  

If you receive printed ephemera, please put it in an envelope and address it to: 

Riley & Ephemera Collection 
Legal deposit 
State Library Victoria 
328 Swanston Street
Reply Paid 69565 
Melbourne Vic 3000 
Australia 

If you receive a digital link or newsletter that has been emailed to you or you find a website or PDF from a new advocacy group or political party, please forward it to legaldeposit@slv.vic.gov.au with the subject line ‘Political ephemera’. 

People can also drop in election material to their local public library anywhere in Victoria and it will be sent to State Library Victoria in Melbourne. 

Information for political parties and publishers

Political candidates, parties, community groups and organisations should deposit all published state election content with the Library. This includes newsletters, newspapers, how-to-vote cards, candidate posters, flyers, badges, signs and pamphlets from rallies, protest movements or political campaigns. Plus, digital campaign content such as e-news, websites and social media. 

Hardcopy publications can be posted to the address above and electronic publications can be uploaded to the National Library's e-portal, NED (ned.gov.au). If in doubt, contact us at legaldeposit@slv.vic.gov.au. 

Help us to build and preserve this significant resource for the benefit of Victorians now and into the future.