Celebrating 170 years
One hundred and seventy years ago, on 11 February 1856, our Library first opened its doors to the public. The colonial government had allocated £10,000 for the building and £3,000 for the purchase of books and expenses, with the new institution to be led by Sir Redmond Barry as President of the Trustees and Augustus Tulk as Chief Librarian.
While the Library took inspiration from the great libraries of Europe, it was also unique among them. Rather than a hallowed hall of privilege for academics, it was conceived as ‘the people’s university’ that was open to everyone, regardless of class or status. Access was as simple as possible and readership available to anyone over 14 years old.
For the first few months, the Library was open from Monday to Saturday daily, but with the introduction of gas lighting in 1856, those opening hours were extended until 9.00pm. It wasn’t until 1972 that the Library began opening on Sundays.
Over the years, the Library grew in size and scope, with new buildings like the South Wing, Domed Reading Room and La Trobe Library added until eventually the site spanned an entire city block. Discover the fascinating evolution of the site and see how the original Melbourne Public Library of 1856 has evolved into today’s State Library Victoria in this virtual 3D reconstruction.
The Library has always been a research collection, only purchasing single copies of books. To broaden the collection’s reach, the Library established the Travelling Library Scheme, which saw cases of books circulated to libraries and mechanics institutes across Victoria. This service ran from 1860 to 1965 and was reputedly the first of its kind in the world.
In 1892, the Library established a lending collection to complement the research collection – this service existed in various forms over the decades, including the Country Delivery Service, which saw books packaged and sent to remote patrons. With the rise of municipal libraries, the Lending Library slowly decreased in patronage and was eventually closed in 1971.
In 1997, the Library launched its first website and the catalogue became available online for anyone with an internet connection to access. Today, the Library offers online access to a vast database of ebooks, audiobooks, newspapers, magazines, journals articles, primary sources, images, music and more. These are available anywhere to any Victorian resident who is a member of the Library. If you’re not yet a member, you can sign up for free or choose a paid membership for exclusive benefits.
Since the Library’s opening in 1856, the 3846 original volumes in the collection have expanded to more than 4.5 million items, including 4,135,581 physical items and 403,828 electronic resources. Our rich collection includes books, manuscripts, serials, photographs, artworks, maps and ephemera, which connect generations of Victorians both to their heritage and to the wider world.
As we celebrate the Library’s 170th anniversary, we remember the words of former President of the Trustees, Sir George Verdon, who perhaps best summed up the purpose of our Library in an 1886 address:
‘There is one fundamental consideration, of which we must never lose sight. This building and all it contains belong to the people of Victoria. It exists for their benefit.’