Stuart Kells’s speech at the launch of From Convict Printers to Book Arcades: The History of the Book in Australia Volume 1. Acknowledgement of country. Distinguished guests and representatives of Melbourne’s book community. It’s great to be back at the Athenaeum Library. Thanks for the opportunity to launch this important book – the definitive publication…
Tag: history
PMI Library: Much loved library is a legislative curiosity
After a long history of evolution, legislative changes mean the Prahran Mechanics Institute is poised for an even brighter future. In 1799 the physician and philanthropist Dr George Birkbeck gave a series of free lectures for the working men of Glasgow. Extremely popular, the lectures led to more permanent facilities dedicated to workers’ education: the Edinburgh…
A Gem in the Heart of Norway: Ålesund Library
A Library Planet post by Rosine Rigot Bingol In the middle of the picturesque Scandinavian city of Ålesund in Norway is the largest public library in the county of Møre og Romsdal, Ålesund Bibliotek. Ålesund Bibliotek serves as a vital community resource for residents and visitors alike. The library is located on the second floor of…
All the Will in the world: Four centuries of the First Folio (State Library of New South Wales)
The 1623 volume, Mr William Shakespeare’s Comedies, Histories & Tragedies, aka the ‘First Folio’, was 400 years old in 2023. Why is it so special? I should begin by putting all my cards on the table. I’m fascinated by Shakespeare and his books, including the First Folio. In the immediate pre-Covid years, I took my…
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