The State Library of Victoria Has 19,000 Ebooks You Can Download and Read for Free

It also has 170,000 historical images of Victoria — including of Ned Kelly and adorable doggos — that you can spend hours virtually exploring.
Samantha Teague
July 09, 2020

Australia's oldest public library is one of the many venues that has had to close again in a bid to contain COVID-19. So, you can't check out its new $88.1 million transformation, but you can still access its 4.1 million digital items, including books, music, photos, magazines and more.

Part of that collection are the State Library of Victoria's 19,000 ebooks. The likes of Maxine Beneba Clarke's Growing Up African in Australia and Stranger Country by Monica Tan are available to read online or download for seven days for free — all you need to do is sign up for a free library membership over here. Once you've done this, you can also take part in the library's Instagram bookclub #SLVBookClub, where you'll find staff tips and book recommendations.

Those interested in Victoria's history will find hours and hours of entertainment in the library's digital image pool. It's home to 170,000 historical pics, including some serious (such as Ned Kelly and architecture), some adorable (good dogs) and some hilarious (moustaches).

Elsewhere on the library's website, you'll find online galleries, archival videos, family history research tools, music and magazines.

Sign up to become a State Library of Victoria member over here and explore its digital collection.

Top image: State Library Victoria Ian Potter Queens Hall by Patrick Rodriguez

Updated July 9, 2020.

Published on July 09, 2020 by Samantha Teague
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