State+Library

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 * The State Library began in February when Melbourne was 20 years old. The opening of the library was a remarkable achievement, particularly for a city that was in many ways, still a frontier settlement.

Even more remarkable was the fact that this library was entirely funded by government and offered free of charge to patrons. The idea to build a world class public library was thought up by a club of important men who were worried about the social upheaval caused by the gold rush.

The main founder of the State Library Sir Edmund Barry envisaged an antipodean treasure house that would hold the best of everything and become an emporium of learning and teaching, science, literature and art.

Designed by celebrated colonial architect Joseph Reed, the State Library has been an architectural landmark for almost 150 years. The state library of Victoria is one of the biggest libraries in Australia. The library contains Australia's biggest collection of magical tricks and illusions which is only available to the Magic Circle members. The man who donated the equipment was a world known magician William George Alma.

It contains over 3500 books on magic, 60 magazine titles,1500 photographs, 250 posters, over 400 detailed research files based on individual magician's, scrapbooks, newspaper clippings, programs, letterheads, business cards, letters, postcards and other magic equipment. Members of the public cannot view this collection of magical memorabilia it is restricted to view and use only to Magic Circle. The oldest painting in Melbourne is home to the State Library, as well as the original Ned Kelly armour and some of the items from the first convict settlement in Australia Sydney cove. ** The original part of the library was built in 1856 but they update the library every 10 years or so. So it is always changing. Sir Edmund Barry the founder of the State Library and the Melbourne Art Gallery selected the first books to be placed into the library like the dictionary of Greek Roman geometry. The State Library is one of the biggest libraries in Australia.
 * Sixty years ago Melbourne was the same city in a sense Flinders Street Station was still there also the art gallery and Botanical Gardens and much more.

Books in the State Library are kept forever and are rarely thrown away, that is a good policy to have so they will harbour historic books that changed Melbourne and also maybe in the year 2700 they might have the oldest book in Australia.**