State Library Victoria Celebrates 20 years of World of the Book

 Dear Members and Followers,

2025 marks the 20th anniversary of World of the Book. Since 2005, the Library’s annual exhibition has displayed more than 5000 objects and provided free access to some of the rarest and most unusual items in the Library's Rare Books and State Collections.

In celebration of the anniversary, 20 iconic items that were featured in the inaugural exhibition will once again be on display, including a manuscript made for Lorenzo de’ Medici in 1478 when he was at the height of his power as the de facto ruler Florence (pictured above) and the oldest book in Australia, De institutione musica (The Principles of Music), a seminal work on the theory of music dated to c.1100 CE.

World of the Book: The rare, the sacred and the iconic features more than 300 historically significant items from the Library’s State Collection, showcasing the history of book design, production and illustration from c.2000 BCE to today. 

Travel through the history of the book and marvel at items such as a nearly 4000-year old cuneiform tablet; an example of the Hyakumantō Darani, the oldest dateable printed texts in the world; stunning examples of colour theory, including works by Leonardo da Vinci and Josef Albers; the evolution of manga from Hokusai to Astro Boy; fan art inspired by Andy Griffiths’s Treehouse series and much more.

Themes explored in this year’s exhibition are: 

• books and ideas
• books and imagination
• exploring the world
• art and nature
• artists and books.

https://www.slv.vic.gov.au/world-of-the-book?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=18-9-2025_SLV-News_Spring-25&utm_content=18-9-2025_SLV-News_Spring-25+CID_676a1b9c28680671898226fef886cbe2&utm_source=Campaign%20Monitor&utm_term=20th%20anniversary%20of%20World%20of%20the%20Book

State Library of Victoria Presents - World of the Book 2024

 Hello Members and Followers,

Worth a visit, I should think:

https://www.slv.vic.gov.au/world-of-the-book

State Library New South Wales and Carrying Tradition in a Digital World with Denis Brown

Dear Members and Followers,

If you are in Sydney this should be interesting.


http://www.sl.nsw.gov.au/events/carrying-tradition-digital-world-denis-brown

It's All 'Bout the News, 'Bout the News

Dear Members and Followers,

Just a quick reminder about what is happening out there, with some soon closing exhibitions and some new ones opening soon.

'Inspiration by Design'
Word and Imagine from the Victoria and Albert Museum London - 150 years of collecting includes rare medieval manuscripts.
http://www.sl.nsw.gov.au/events/exhibitions/2015/inspiration_by_design/index.html

 Closes September 27 2015

'Australian Inspiration'
Drawing on the Library’s rich collections, this exhibition focuses on how the waratah, the koala and Australia’s most recognizable building, the Sydney Opera House, have become invaluable sources of inspiration and design.
http://www.sl.nsw.gov.au/events/exhibitions/2015/aus_inspiration/index.html

Royal Botanic Gate Lodge
'Artisans in the Garden'
Exhibition of contemporary jewellery,ceramics, glass, textiles and sculpture.
This year’s exhibition focuses on the artist’s engagement with nature. The  works draw inspiration from the beauty and complexity of the natural environment, and issues surrounding sustainability and environmental concerns.

https://www.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/welcome/royal_botanic_garden/Whats_on/royal_botanic_gardens__and__domain_events/sydney_events_2015/artisans_in_the_gardens?SQ_CALENDAR_VIEW=month&SQ_CALENDAR_DATE=2015-10-10

Calligraphy Southscribes Workshop Update - 

Pen Guilding has now been cancelled due to unforeseen circumstances. 
Join us for the rest of the classes for this year.

Booked In

Dear Members and Followers,

Tuesday 23 September besides being a beautiful spring day and where better to be than in Sydney, meant it was our visit to the Mitchell Library (State Library N.S.W.) to view some rare manuscripts. 17 members and guests were organised by our publicist and social organiser Mirelle to visit the Mitchell Library.

We were meet by Lynette one of the Librarians in the Rare Books and Manuscripts section and taken into a special room where we were introduced to Rene and a lovely Librarian Technician whose name I missed. All three were extremely helpful and willing to guide us through facsimile copies of The Book of Kells and the Saint John's Bible (Donald Jackson) plus some extremely rare Prayer Books from the 15th and 16th Century. Their patience with our need to know was immense and I'm sure we were there longer than they had anticipated. 
I would suggest that if you are a calligrapher or a calligraphy group this is a must do. It is especially important to support our libraries in the work they do.

Here are some examples from the Saint John's Bible facsimile: