Monday 28 July 2025
I arrived early at State Library of Victoria for the first event and did a few sketches outside.
Judging a Book by its Cover:Fine bindings from State Library Victoria’s Rare Books collection
Speaker: Daniel Wee
We’ve all heard the saying “never judge a book by its cover”– but when it comes to the world of fine bindings, aesthetics are everything. From luxurious leathers to bespoke intricate gold tooling, fine bindings invite us to engage with books on another level. Judging a book by its cover, in this case, is not shallow–it is a way of honouring craftsmanship, context, and the enduring power of beauty in bookmaking. Join Daniel Wee, Senior Collection Curator, History of the Book as he shares a selection of
beautiful fine bindings from the Library’s Rare Books collection.
Presented by: State Library Victoria
at State Library Victoria, Digital Laboratory, 328 Swanston Street
Meet at the Swanston Street Welcome Zone
Picturing the World of Jane Austen: An examination of the illustrations of Austen’s novels
Speaker: Professor Emeritus Chris Browne
Jane Austen has painted in our imaginations a vision of the English world that she inhabited over 200 years ago. The original editions of her six novels had no illustrations, but from the late 19th century, many artists have attempted to enhance her words with pictures drawn from their own imaginations. Professor Browne will discuss a selection of these images, mainly drawn from his extensive collection of illustrated editions of Austen. He will ask the audience to judge whether a picture is worth a thousand words of her writing in this, the 250th anniversary year of her birth.
Presented by: City of Melbourne Libraries and Jane Austen Society of Melbourne
at East Melbourne Library, Meeting room, Level 1,122 George Street, East Melbourne
