Melbourne Rare Book Week – For the love of books
Melbourne Rare Book Week commenced in 2012 as a partnership between ANZAAB, the University of Melbourne and 8 other literary institutions. In 2015, over 44 free events were held at libraries, literary and historical societies and bookshops throughout Melbourne, attracting local, national and international visitors. Melbourne Rare Book Week is now well established in the City of Melbourne's event calendar. It is a major attraction for book collectors, librarians and all who have a love of words, print on paper and literary heritage.
Just some of the must-go-to events this year are:
“Preservation of photographs, books and paper-based items” presented by The Genealogical Society of Victoria with speaker - Debra Parry, a qualified conservator, will share her expert knowledge about the preservation of photographs, books and paper-based items. She is well qualified to discuss the topic, having worked as a conservator for the National Archives where she carried out a range of preservation and conservation treatments including the repair of documents, maps and plans, as well as photographs, albums, books and ledgers. She has also worked for Heritage Victoria and now manages her own business, Melbourne Conservation Services. There are 2 sessions available Thursday 14th or Thursday 21st, both at 12 noon to 1pm.
“Rare book discovery day” presented by Museum Victoria. Bring along your books, maps and prints to this Antiques Roadshow-style event for discussion and informal appraisals from a panel of leading antiquarian booksellers. On Saturday 16th July 10am – 1pm
And if you’re really quick, get down the street to attend “A walk on the mean streets” presented by the Melbourne Library Service. This walk will be hosted by Dr. Lucy Sussex, an expert on Australian detective fiction. It will visit some of the sites of Melbourne featured in the books of Fergus Hume, the author of The Mystery of a Hansom Cab. Lucy Sussex is the author of 'Blockbuster', which tells the stories of The Mystery of a Hansom Cab and of Fergus Hume, who lived in Melbourne from 1885 to 1888. Hume wrote three mysteries that were set in and around Melbourne, before he returned the UK in mid 1888, (to the London of Jack the Ripper!). The walk will be illustrated by readings of extracts from the three Australian works of Fergus Hume. The walk will start at Scots' Church at the corner of Collins Street and Russell Street at 1pm. and will end in George Street, East Melbourne at around 3.30pm. Saturday 16th July 1pm – 3:30pm.
“The Tyranny of distance – 50 years” presented by Monash University Library. Professor Geoffrey Blainey has been described as the "most prolific, wide-ranging, inventive, and, in the 1980s and 1990s, most controversial of Australia's living historians". It seems extraordinary that it is 50 years since the publication of his most well-known book The Tyranny of Distance by Sun Books in 1966. This was itself an important landmark in Australian publishing, as it was unusual at the time for a serious study of history to be first published as a local Australian paperback by a relatively new and unknown publishing house. This talk is presented by another distinguished Australian academic historian, Emeritus Professor Graeme Davison, who will share his knowledge of the career and impact of Professor Geoffrey Blainey in general and The Tyranny of Distance in particular. On Tuesday 19th July 3:30pm – 4:30pm.
All the events are free, but booking is essential. More events and further details are available at the website.
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