State Library Victoria
State Library Victoria (SLV) is the state library of Victoria, Australia. Located in Melbourne, it was established in 1854 as the Melbourne Public Library, making it Australia's oldest public library and one of the first free libraries in the world. It is also Australia's busiest public library and, as of 2023, the third busiest library globally.
| State Library Victoria | |
|---|---|
State Library Victoria | |
| 37.809801°S 144.964787°E | |
| Location | Melbourne, Victoria, Australia |
| Established | 1854 |
| Collection | |
| Size | 3,892,523 collection items electronically registered |
| Legal deposit | Legal deposit library for the State of Victoria |
| Access and use | |
| Access requirements | Free to access |
| Population served | 2,113,118 |
| Members | 87,073 |
| Other information | |
| Director | Paul Duldig (CEO) |
| Employees | 311 FTE |
| Website | slv |
| Official name | State Library of Victoria |
| Type | State Registered Place |
| Designated | August 20, 1982 |
| Reference no. | H1497 |
| Heritage Overlay number | HO751 |
The library has remained on the same site in the central business district since it was established fronting Swanston Street, and over time has greatly expanded to now cover a block bounded also by La Trobe, Russell, and Little Lonsdale streets. The library's collection consists of over five million items, which in addition to books includes manuscripts, paintings, maps, photographs and newspapers, with a special focus on material from Victoria, including the diaries of Melbourne founders John Batman and John Pascoe Fawkner, the folios of Captain James Cook, and the armour of Ned Kelly.