State Library Victoria, home to the State Collection, is a place where millions are welcomed into a ‘great emporium of learning’ each year, just as our founders envisaged over 160 years ago. Established in 1854 as the Melbourne Public Library, State Library Victoria is Australia’s oldest public library and one of the first free public libraries in the world. The idea of a public library, open to all, was radical in the mid-19th century, when literacy and education were the preserve of the privileged few. Our founders believed that access to knowledge was critical for the development of a civil and prosperous society. Today we remain just as committed to foundational ideals of universal education, social justice, freedom of expression, sustainable communities, economic growth and participative democracy.
