A DAY AT THE LIBRARY
Visiting the State Library on the corner of Latrobe and Swanston Streets
in the city evoked memories of visits as a child to the museum. Memories of the
marble staircases and large halls with mezzanine balconies. On the upper floor
collections of coins, guns, medals, and machinery in glass boxes, and when you
looked down below, arrays of stuffed animals also in glass cabinets, or canons,
an FX Holden, and even a large dinosaur skull. Back in the day the library and
the Museum were separate parts of the main building, these days the library
takes up the whole area, or so I believe. Who knows what is still unattainable?
On this visit, everything seemed so small from my memories even the lawns and
entrance. The lawns are still full of those enjoying the lush grass, mainly
young people, and students on a lunch break or just soaking up the sun, many
from RMIT which is across the road.
Memories aside, the main reading area, The Latrobe, or as it is more commonly known: The Dome, is probably one of the most beautiful rooms in the city. With its hexagonal design and four balconies/floors surrounding it filled with ancient books. A quick elevator ride up to the top floor gives you an amazing view of the room and its surroundings and a beautiful light-filled ceiling. Actually, the view from all floors is just as spectacular just from a different height. The first floor above the reading room floor is full of displays of the library’s collection of rare and historical books.
These
displays range from biological and natural studies to Religious and popular
works and it had me dreaming of just popping open one or two of the cases and
turning some pages to see more. As mentioned earlier the old Museum area has been transformed into more
reading and research areas. The Redmond Barry room is the area I
described at the start of this piece and I find it amusing that the patron of
the library in its inception, who was also the judge that sentenced Ned
Kelly to hang, has Ned Kelly’s armour proudly on permanent display outside
the entrance of the hall.
Now that I have finally gotten around to coming back to the library (I
have been a member for a decade, but do everything online) I plan to make more
visits because the resources available are just so encompassing. Since the
museum moved to its location at the Carlton Gardens in 2000 I must have
made about ten visits but it was my last where I visited the permanent
Melbourne exhibit which featured many old exhibits from the original site that
I felt a real need to visit again, and I’m so glad I did. Knowing that it was
just the revamped library something inside wanted to climb those marble
staircases. What I found was so much more. I could get lost for months just in
the newspaper archive, let alone the Australian reference section. I nearly
forgot to mention the stunning art collection featuring large and local
paintings from the colonial area. Lovers of design and architecture will have a
wonderful time soaking up the inspiration and the atmosphere.
A trip I plan to make again soon for a much longer stay and one I
recommend to anyone.
Previously published in BBCN April 2023 Issue 320
