Libraries and Mechanics' Institutes

NATIONAL LIBRARY OF AUSTRALIA

This was established in 1901 as the forerunner of today's Commonwealth Parliamentary Library. The National Library of Australia was formally created in 1960. Under the Copyright Act 1968 material published in Australia was legally required to be deposited with the library. A library card allows onsite access to the library's collections as well as online eResources; this is available to all Australian residents.

https://www.nla.gov.au/

PANDORA, Australia's Web Archive is a collection of historic online publications relating to Australia and Australians which was established by the National Library of Australia in 1996.

http://pandora.nla.gov.au/

Trove originated in 2008 and was launched by the National Library of Australia. Its aim was to build a portal for all of the Library's online discovery services, including the Register of Australian Archives and Manuscripts, Picture Australia, Libraries Australia, Music Australia, Australia Dancing, PANDORA web archive, ARROW Discovery Service and the Australian Newspapers Beta service.

https://trove.nla.gov.au/

STATE LIBRARY OF VICTORIA

This was established in 1853. Under the Copyright Act 1869 and successive acts, material published in Victoria was legally required to be deposited with the library. A library card allows onsite access to the library's collections as well as online eResources; this is available to all Victorian residents. The library has more than 200,000 free ebooks.

https://www.slv.vic.gov.au/

The State Library of Victoria has the Australiana Index. This includes a number of smaller indexes such as the Local History Index and the Biography Index.

http://australiana.slv.vic.gov.au/cgi-bin/Pwebrecon.cgi?DB=local&PAGE=First

MUNICIPAL LIBRARIES

A local library card allows onsite access to the library's collections as well as online eResources; they are available to local residents.

PUBLIC LIBRARIES VICTORIA NETWORK

There are 47 library services in Victoria. This website has a list of Victorian public libraries.

https://www.plv.org.au/

LIBRARY LINK VICTORIA

This links all the databases of public libraries in Victoria.

https://llv2.vdxhost.com/zportal/zengine?VDXaction=Navigation

KEW LIBRARY

This library is part of the Boroondara Library Service. It specialized in collecting genealogical material and it holds a large collection of family histories published in Australia. The Boroondara Library Service website is located at:

https://www.boroondara.vic.gov.au/libraries

MECHANICS' INSTITUTES

These were the precursors of adult education and libraries in Victoria. There are 562 remaining today.

MECHANICS' INSTITUTES OF VICTORIA INC.

This was established in 1998. Prahran Mechanics' Institute holds the collection of the Mechanics' Institutes of Victoria Inc. The website includes a list of Victorian mechanics' institutes.

http://mivic.org.au/index.html

PRAHRAN MECHANICS' INSTITUTE

This was established in 1854. It specializes in the history of Victoria. Books may be loaned by members. It also holds the collections of the Mechanics' Institutes of Victoria Inc., the Cinema and Theatre Historical Society and the Australian Railway Historical Society (Vic.).

https://www.pmi.net.au/

ATHENAEUM LIBRARIES

https://www.melbourneathenaeum.org.au/

CHILTERN ATHENAEUM TRUST

https://www.chilternathenaeum.com.au/