All events &amp; exhibitions

30 November 2018, 6:00pm–7:00pm

The Garret LIVE at the Library

Hannah Kent, Clementine Ford and Alice Pung discuss women and writing.

Cost: Free

03 December 2018, 6:00pm–7:00pm

2018 Stephen Murray-Smith Memorial Lecture: Alexis Wright

Hear Alexis Wright deliver the 2018 Stephen Murray Smith Memorial Lecture, Censorship and telling the untold stories.

Cost: Free

06 December 2018, 11:00am–12:00pm

Clement Meadmore and mid-century Melbourne design

Join us for a behind-the-scenes viewing of treasures and rare ephemera designed by Clement Meadmore.

Cost: Free

11 December 2018, 6:00pm–8:00pm

2019 YA Showcase

Hear direct from publishers, editors and publicists on concepts and covers for the year ahead.

Cost: $25 per ticket

29 January 2019, 3:00pm–3:30pm

Cowen Gallery curator floor talk

Find out more about the renowned artworks displayed in Cowen Gallery.

Cost: Free

07 February 2019, 6:00pm–6:30pm

Dome at Dusk: Canton to Castlemaine – Chinese miners in Victoria

Explore the world of Chinese miners on the Victorian goldfields.

Cost: Free

07 February 2019, 6:00pm–7:30pm

Clement Meadmore and the modernist wave

Hear from artists, designers, collectors and dealers as they reflect on Clement Meadmore’s enduring impact on Australian design.

Cost: Free

10 February 2019, 1:00pm–2:30pm

A dog’s breakfast – celebrating the new Inside a Dog site

Join in a tour of the sites newest features and chat with YA authors.

Cost: Free

12 February 2019, 3:00pm–3:30pm

Curator talk: Peter Wille: Out driving

Join us for this special curator floor talk exploring the work and legacy of amateur photographer and architectural draftsman, Peter Wille.

Cost: Free

15 February 2019, 11:00am–12:30pm

VCE Top Talks

Maxine McKew leads this Ted Talks-style event, where past, current and future VCE students inspire each other.

Cost: Free

26 February 2019, 6:00pm–7:00pm

2019 Foxcroft Lecture: unseen art of the First Fleet

Hear Louise Anemaat, author and executive director at the State Library of NSW deliver her lecture on rare botanical and zoological drawings dating from the 1790s.

Cost: Free

28 February 2019, 6:00pm–6:30pm

Dome at Dusk: The medieval art of dying

Join this special talk on the medieval art of dying, presented by State Library curators

Cost: Free

07 March 2019, 6:00pm–6:30pm

Dome at Dusk: ‘When I was standing on the deck surrounded by my friends ...’

Hear the stunning successes to crushing hardships of immigrants who travelled to Australia looking for gold.

Cost: Free

21 March 2019, 6:00pm–6:30pm

Dome at Dusk: Women changing the world

Find out more about the history of feminist thought and writing from the 17th century until today.

Cost: Free

26 March 2019, 6:00pm–7:00pm

The Garret LIVE at the Library: The Stella Prize Shortlist

Hear about the books that made the 2019 Stella Prize shortlist

Cost: Free

03 April 2019, 11:00am–12:00pm

The mean streets of old Melbourne

Join in this walking tour and hear more about the nefarious heritage of Marvellous Melbourne.

Cost: Free

04 April 2019, 6:00pm–6:30pm

Dome at Dusk: Marvellous Melbourne – a land of promise

Hear about the Library’s collection of auction plans, colourful illustrations, elaborate fonts, cartoons and even verse.

Cost: Free

17 April 2019, 10:00am–12:00pm

International students guide to the Library

Welcoming all international students.

Cost: Free

18 April 2019, 6:00pm–6:30pm

Dome at Dusk: King Arthur through the ages

Explore the history of England's legendary King Arthur.

Cost: Free

02 May 2019, 6:00pm–6:30pm

Dome at Dusk: Ink and mercury – the art and science of the Burke and Wills expedition

Learn more about expedition artist Ludwig Becker.

Cost: Free

04 May 2019, 10:00am–12:00pm

Coffee and papers: The Saturday Paper

The Saturday Paper editor Maddison Connaughton and audio reporter and producer Elizabeth Kulas discuss the latest headlines over coffee.

Cost: Free

08 May 2019, 8:00pm–9:00pm

Shelf Life: Paul Holdengräber and Susan Orlean on Libraries.

The Wheeler Centre and State Library Victoria, present Shelf Life: Paul Holdengräber and Susan Orlean on Libraries.

Cost: $25 adults and $20 concession

09 May 2019, 6:30pm–8:00pm

Writers on Writers: Nam Le on David Malouf

Join author Nam Le in conversation with Christos Tsiolkas, discussing his new book, Nam Le on David Malouf.

Cost: Free

16 May 2019, 6:00pm–6:30pm

Dome at Dusk: Magellan, Drake and the race to circumnavigate

Find out more about intrepid navigators, Ferdinand Magellan and Francis Drake.

Cost: Free

21 May 2019, 6:00pm–7:00pm

The Garret LIVE at the Library

Hear award-winning writer and poet Maxine Beneba Clarke in conversation with host Astrid Edwards.

Cost: Free

01 June 2019–31 July 2019

Dome at dusk

Join us under the Dome at dusk for a series of specialist collection talks.

Cost: Free

04 June 2019, 6:00pm–7:15pm

The Policy Pitch

Grattan Institute presents: How governments can help struggling Australians with rising housing costs – Melbourne

Cost: Free

06 June 2019, 6:00pm–6:30pm

Dome at Dusk: ‘Who so shall telle a tale …’ – Chaucer at the Library

Hear Chaucer’s language brought to life with medieval literature expert Professor Stephanie Trigg.

Cost: Free

12 June 2019, 10:30am–12:00pm

Accessing ebooks

Learn everything you need to know about searching and downloading ebooks to a PC or your own device.

Cost: Free

20 June 2019, 6:00pm–6:30pm

Dome at Dusk: Feed your land and it will feed you

Join curator Bethan Johnson to explore how the hopes of modernity shaped farming in Victoria.

Cost: Free

20 June 2019, 7:00pm–8:00pm

Ways of listening

Join Emerging Writers’ Festival’s three Melbourne Recital Centre Writers-in-Residence for a night of discussion, performance and live music.

Cost: Full price $30, concession $25.

22 June 2019, 9:00am–5:00pm

Emerging Writers’ Festival National Writers Conference

Join 70 artists across two days of panels, discussions, workshops and more!

Cost: Early bird full price $80, concession $60 for a limited time only.

04 July 2019, 6:00pm–6:30pm

Dome at Dusk – Australian Gothic: Picnic at Hanging Rock

Hear Dr Catherine Padmore explore material relating to the book and it's author Joan Lindsay’s life.

Cost: Free

06 July 2019, 3:00pm–3:45pm

World of the book curator tour

Join our curators for a special Rare Book Week tour of State Library's permanent exhibition, World of the book.

Cost: Free

08 July 2019, 6:00pm–7:00pm

Second-hand or rare? A tale of two private libraries

Hear Shane Carmody's special talk for Rare Book Week.

Cost: Free

09 July 2019, 11:00am–11:45am

Library magic: The WE Alma Collection

Hear unexpected delights from the The WE Alma Collection for Rare Book Week.

Cost: Free

10 July 2019, 11:00am–11:45am

The John Emmerson Collection

Hear about one of the world’s largest collections of rare English printed works for Rare Book Week.

Cost: Free

11 July 2019, 11:00am–11:45am

Medieval and early modern marginalia

Explore examples of curious marginalia from medieval and early modern books for Rare Book Week.

Cost: Free

Booked out

12 July 2019, 11:00am–11:45am

The search for the Great Southern Land

Discover the legends about this fictional southern land through the Maps Collection for Rare Book Week.

Cost: Free

18 July 2019, 6:00pm–6:30pm

Dome at Dusk – Georgiana McCrae: linguist, painter and diarist

Find out more about the sketches, paintings and aretafcts of Georgiana McCrae.

Cost: Free

24 July 2019, 6:00pm–7:00pm

2019 Redmond Barry Lecture – Ballet: not just tutus and tiaras.

Join acclaimed ballet dancer David McAllister AM as he delivers the 2019 Redmond Barry lecture Ballet: not just tutus and tiaras.

Cost: Free

Booked Out

26 July 2019, 10:00am–1:00pm

VCAA Plain English Speaking Award State Final

Watch as students aged 15–18 years from government, Catholic and independent schools battle it out at the state final of the Plain English Speaking Awards (PESA).

Cost: Free

01 August 2019, 6:00pm–6:30pm

Dome at Dusk: Poetry for the eye

Learn more about concrete poetry’s beginnings through to the diverse methods used today.

Cost: Free

06 August 2019, 2:00pm–4:00pm

Finding families

Learn the principles of family history, access research resources and tour the Family History collection in this introductory workshop.

Cost: Free

15 August 2019, 10:15am–11:15am

Newsworthy

Learn how to find our newspapers in hard copy, online and microfilm, and to search for individual articles.

Cost: Free

15 August 2019, 6:00pm–6:30pm

Dome at Dusk: The Bells Beach pilgrimage

Discover the history behind the world’s longest running surfing competition.

Cost: Free

22 August 2019, 7:00pm

White Night Melbourne

Introducing White Night 'Reimagined' Melbourne's spectacular festival presented over 3 consecutive nights!

Cost: Free

26 August 2019, 2:00pm–3:00pm

Welfare records for family historians

Discover what kinds of records the Library holds, what they contain, who can access the records and how.

Cost: Free

29 August 2019, 6:00pm–6:30pm

Dome at Dusk: Australian Book Design

Join guest speakers from Australia’s thriving book design community.

Cost: Free