AustLit

'Through the memoirs of former Library staff, this issue of the journal focuses on the history of State Library Victoria. The period covered by these memoirs is around two-thirds of the Library’s history of more than 160 years.' (Introduction)

'On his extended trip to Britain and Ireland in 1908, Edmund La Touche Armstrong was given a number of requests by the Trustees of the Melbourne Public Library Board. Armstrong was to travel – partly on extended leave and partly for health reasons– firstly to London to arrange a meeting with Sir Edward Maunde-Thompson, head of the British Library (then part of the British Museum), with a view to discussing some of the finer features of the plans for the Domed Reading Room for the new Melbourne Library building and to get some feedback from the head of one of the world’s great heritage institutions. The Domed Reading Room project, for which Armstrong will chiefly be remembered, was initiated by him and strongly supported by the Trustees. By the time of his trip in 1908, building was well under way. Armstrong’s second major task was to report on the current state of library practice in Britain, Ireland and America, and the trip enabled him to visit some of the great libraries in these countries as well as make an extended visit to European institutions. But the journey was also recreational leave; a large part of the time was spent visiting aunts and cousins in Ireland and Britain and working on the La Touche Armstrong family history, much to the amusement of his mother, then residing at the Public Library, and who had scant curiosity about such things.' (Kevin Molloy, Introduction)

'The Public Library of Victoria and the University of Melbourne were significant institutions in the life of librarian Leigh Scott (1888–1963). Scott’s early career included various roles at the Public Library during 17 years of service. Concurrently he completed his Bachelor of Arts part time from 1910 to 1915 and subsequently graduated Master of Arts in philosophy at the university. He was also a qualified accountant.' (Philip G Kent : introduction)

'Colin Alexander McCallum was born on 15 September 1895 in Geelong, Victoria, the second son of Rev. Dr Alexander McCallum, a prominent Methodist minister, and his wife Alice Martha (Booth). His Scottish and English grandparents were early immigrants to Victoria.' (Shona Dewar: Introduction)

'From glancing at Amazon’s online list of published memoirs on the market, it seems that in ‘this confessional age, in which memoirs and personal revelations tumble out in unprecedented abundance’, now ‘the flood feels like a tsunami’. I would not dare describe the following reminiscences as a memoir. Nor would I describe it as strictly autobiographical. These are random snippets about life as a staff member over nearly half a century at the State Library of Victoria, one of Australia’s major cultural institutions, rather than a life story. It is a reflection, a series of memories about people and events that occurred over a certain long stretch of time in a beloved institution where I spent a very large part of my life. While it does sound like a great deal of talking about myself, what I aim to do is to document information and impressions that might otherwise go unrecorded.' (Introduction)