Stories
Discover curiosities, treasures and the latest inspiring stories from our community and inside the Library
Revealing The Ian Potter Queen's Hall
19 December 2019
Watch the stunning transformation of the Library's original 1856 reading room into the majestic The Ian Potter Queen's Hall.
One object many stories: The Ashes
17 December 2019
Listen to a fascinating talk on the stories, history and significance of cricket's 'sacred soot'.
Discover your transformed Library
05 December 2019
Your new sanctuary in the city is here to discover!
Designing a world-class library
03 December 2019
Learn how world-class libraries are designed in this talk by Morten Schmidt, whose firm SHL co-led the design of the Library's new spaces.
The women who invented The Ashes Urn
30 November 2019
Howzat! Gideon Haigh tells of two Australian women's pivotal contribution to a gentleman's game.
An eyewitness account of the Eureka Stockade
30 November 2019
Read about historian Clare Wright's painstaking efforts to identify the anonymous author of a rare goldfields diary.
The Orbweavers
30 November 2019
Watch a video with 2016 Creative Fellows Marita Dyson and Stuart Flanagan from the Orbweavers, discussing their inspirational research into West Melbourne's waterways.
Ned Kelly's armour
29 November 2019
Step inside the iconic suit of armour worn by Ned Kelly on the day he was arrested at Glenrowan.
The dais in the dome
28 November 2019
Go behind the scenes to learn what the dais in the heart of the La Trobe Reading Room was used for.
The Chief Librarian and the soap thieves
28 November 2019
Learn how the Library's Chief Librarian tracked down a gang of soap thieves in the 1880s.
Melbourne's lost department stores
28 November 2019
Mourn the loss of Melbourne's famous department stores, in particular Manton's and Georges.