Today I started with an event with the oldest books and finished at a brand new book launch. !

Medieval and early modern marginalia State Library Victoria
Dr Anna Welch
A face peeping through golden foliage, an inscription to a loved one, an inky fingerprint: marginalia takes many forms. Marks made by individuals in their books are of increasing interest in our digital world; they represent material connections with the past. Anna Welch explained and explored examples of curious marginalia from the SLV’s rich collection of medieval and early modern books.

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Parliament of Victoria
Sarah Edwards Heritage Collection Officer

Rakish Plundering or Scientific Enquiry Parliamentary Library
Explorer, naturalist and buccaneer William Dampier was the first Englishman to map parts of Australia. Overlapping the careers of Sir Francis Drake and Captain James Cook, Dampier’s exploits combined the rakish plundering of the former with the scientific enquiry of the latter. We looked at the rare books held in Parliament of Victoria’s Library that showcase cartography and descriptions from early exploration. The maps, instruments and issues of nautical explorers were explained

Australian Toys by Luke Jones 
The Melbourne book launch
Douglas Stewart Fine Books Australian Toys is an illustrated history of Australian manufactured toys from 1900-1965, drawing on the author’s authoritative collection. Luke Jones’ carefully structured collection has been assembled with passion and commitment over a period of more than thirty years, and is unrivalled for its breadth and quality. It provides an ideal platform to illustrate a history of twentieth century Australian manufactured toys, a history which has not previously been substantially documented. A lovely launch of a beautifully produced publication, and lots of interesting people to meet.

The Extraordinary and the Ephemeral: Rare books of the PMI Victorian History Library
PMI Victorian History Library
Ellen Coates
All stories are shaped by the documents that survive to tell them. Founded in 1854, the Prahran Mechanics’ Institute, has accumulated a collection that not only covers the history of Victoria and contains many hidden gems. We were introduced to the treasures of the PMI including letters, ephemera, invitations, dance cards, petitions, plans, and, of course, books.