Other Victorian Subscription Libraries and Mechanics Institutes  

Victoria is lucky to still boast several Mechanics Institutes and Athenaeums from the heady days of the young colony. Over the years, the institutions have changed with the communities they serviced. Amongst the diverse services they offer are adult learning opportunities, historical societies, theatres, cinemas, recreational centres, museums and community halls. The majority no longer function as lending libraries although they do make their local history collections available to interested persons.

Ballaarat Mechanics' Institute

The Ballaarat Mechanics' Institute was established in 1859. Its history resembles that of the Melbourne Athenaeum. They provided essential services during the colony's infancy in a centre experiencing rapid development. Success in real estate ventures provided stability and capital to continue offering recreational and educational services to the community. Like the Melbourne Athenaeum, subscriptions began to falter somewhat during the 1960s as local and State governments began funding education and libraries in the area. Today, the subscription library offers a unique Heritage Victoria registered historical collection as well as a Centre for Modern Australian Writing which promotes Australian writing through monthly events, perfectly reflecting their motto 'enlivening our present by illuminating our past'.  

Berwick Mechanics' Institute and Free Library

Operating since 1864, the Berwick Mechanics' Institute and Free Library is currently run by volunteers on grants from the local council, the City of Casey. The collection specialises in biography, war and Australiana and is supported by modern fiction and non-fiction for both adults and children. Many resources are available in large print and audio format. The library also holds the Casey Collection, the private library of Lord and Lady Casey from their Berwick home ''Edrington''. 

Footscray Mechanics' Institute Library

The Footscray Mechanics' Institute Library was established in 1857. This subscription library offers a collection of popular current materials and specialises in Mills & Boon romance fiction. It is currently developing a specialist collection of feminist history, mostly through donation.

Prahran Mechanics' Institute

The collection at this subscription library specialises in Victorian history. This is a valuable resource for historians as this is the only collection of it kind in Australia. The Prahran Mechanics' Institute also offers free public lectures and other events and operates a publishing service for authors of works about aspects of Victorian history.
The Prahran Mechanics' Institute also accommodates the Cinema and Theatre Historical Society.

Maldon Athenaeum

The Maldon Athenaeum is a vibrant volunteer run subscription library with a general, modern collection including large print and children's library. A special collection, referred to as the Maldon Collection, consists of books by authors both past and present focussing on Maldon and the Victorian Goldfields.

Dwyer, Judith 2012, Mechanics’ Institutes of Victoria, viewed 22 May 2012, <http://home.vicnet.net.au/~mivic/institutes.htm>

2012, Mechanics’ Institutes of Victoria, Directory of Public Library Services in Victoria 2012, viewed 22 May 2012, <http://www.dpcd.vic.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0005/93290/2012-5-MIV.pdf>

Prahran Mechanic’s Institute 2012, Victorian history library, Prahran Mechanics’ Institute, viewed 22 may 2012, <http://www.pmi.net.au/>

Clancy, Frances 2000, The libraries of the Mechanics’ Institutes of Victoria, Department of Infrastructure, viewed 22 May 2012, <http://www.dpcd.vic.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0010/37918/LibrariesMechanicsInstitutesVictoria.pdf>

Picture credits:

Muzza from Macrae, 2011 Prhahran Mechanics’ Institute, Panoramio, viewed 22 May 2012, <http://www.panoramio.com/photo/57683936>

tickr 2008, Ballarat Mechanics' Institute, dipity.com. viewed 22 May 2012, <http://www.dipity.com/tickr/Flickr_mechanics/>

Arts Victoria 2010, Berwick Mechanics’ Institute & Free Library, Culture Victoria stories-collections-places, viewed 22 May 2012, <http://www.cv.vic.gov.au/organisations/2923/berwick%20mechanics%20institute%20&%20free%20library%20inc/>

awmalloy 2006, Footscray Mechanics’ Institute Library, awmalloy’s photostream , flickr, viewed 22 May 2012, <http://www.flickr.com/photos/awmalloy/175235801/in/photostream/>

Mattinbgn 2011, Maldon Athenaeum, Wikipedia Commons, viewed 2 May 2012, <http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Maldon_Athenaeum.JPG>