The State Library of Victoria was established in 1854. It was open to everyone over the age of fourteen with clean hands – the free public library was then a revolutionary concept. These days it is open to everyone, but is menaced by myopic management, an out-of-touch board and plunging staff morale.
What can I do?
Let your displeasure be known by writing to Colin Brooks MP, Minister for Creative Industries: colin.brooks@parliament.vic.gov.au.
You can also direct complaints to the President of the Library Board, Christine Christian (cchristian@slv.vic.gov.au) and CEO John Wicks (jwicks@slv.vic.gov.au).
In addition, you can sign the petition by the CPSU (https://www.megaphone.org.au/petitions/hands-off-our-state-library).
Here is our open letter to the president of the Library Board.
We the undersigned writers and researchers esteem the State Library of Victoria, and believe strongly in the importance of its public mission. We are therefore alarmed at the unilateral cuts to its workforce proposed in October 2025’s ‘Strategic Reorganisation Change Proposal’, in particular the halving of the number of reference librarians. We recommend a public meeting where the board explain their plans and reasoning in detail. We further recommend reforming the library’s governance, following common practice overseas, to incorporate the views of stakeholders including scholars and other public users, whose interests have not been considered in the proposal.
Stephanie Alexander AO
Chef
Emeritus Professor Dennis Altman AM
La Trobe University
Dr Robyn Annear
Historian
Dr John Arnold
Author, user, donor
Dr Georgina Arnott
Editor, Australian Book Review
Professor Michelle Arrow
President, Australian Historical Association
Joe Aston
Journalist
Professor Bain Attwood
Monash University
Professor Kate Auty
University of Melbourne
Colin Ball
Hindmarsh Residents Association Community Archive Group
Stella Barber
Historian
Dr Jill Barnard
Living Histories
Caroline Baum
Writer and critic
Professor Emerita Joan Beaumont AM
Australian National University
Christine Bell
Former picture librarian, State Library of Victoria
Professor Katherine Biber
University of Technology, Sydney
Professor Nick Bisley
La Trobe University
Emily Bitto
Novelist
Dr Anne Black
Historian
Sylvie Blair
Designer and publisher
Atticus Blenkins
Student
Professor Frank Bongiorno AM
Australian National University
Josh Bornstein
Principal Lawyer, Maurice Blackburn
Barbara Boyd-Anderson
Retired teacher
Lucy Bracey
Immediate past president, Professional Historian Australia
Alison Brideson
Novelist
Emeritus Professor Judith Brett AM
La Trobe University
Juliette Brodsky
Writer and broadcaster
Geraldine Brooks
Pulitzer Prize-winning author
Emeritus Professor Richard Broome AM
La Trobe University
Emeritus Professor Christopher Browne
Program director, Melbourne Rare Book Week
Dr Judith Buckrich
Professional Historians Australia
Brad Buller
Professional Historians Australia
Dr Gregory Burgess
Deakin University
Dr Meredith Burgmann AM
Former president, NSW Legislative Council
Professor Verity Burgmann
Monash University
James Button
Writer and journalist
Sandy Caldow
Writer and artist
Patricia Callan
Modernist Australia
Tom Carment
Artist
Dr Shane Carmody
Former Director of Collections, State Library of Victoria
Shaun Carney
Journalist and columnist
Laura Carroll
Writer and critic
Colin Carter OAM
Boston Consulting, past president Geelong Football Club
Barrie Cassidy
Broadcaster
Brian Castro
Novelist
Nick Cave
Musician
Alicia Cerreto
Professional historian
Associate Professor Matthew Champion
University of Melbourne
Professor Anna Clark
University of Technology Sydney
JM Coetzee AC
Nobel Laureate for Literature
Professor Catherine Coleborne
University of Newcastle
Sally Collin-James
Novelist
Associate Professor Liz Conor
La Trobe University
Kate Constable
Children’s book author
Kaz Cooke
Writer and researcher
Dr Sophie Couchman
President, Professional Historians Australia (Victoria & Tasmania)
Des Cowley
Former rare books collections manager, State Library of Victoria
Catherine J Cox
English teacher
Mimmo Cozzolino
Graphic artist
Kay Craddock
Antiquarian bookseller
Louise Crisp
Writer and researcher
Alison Croggon
Playwright and critic
Sophie Cunningham AM
Writer and critic
Fran Cusworth
Author
Trent Dalton
Novelist and journalist
Dr Helen Davies
University of Melbourne
Professor Mark Davis
University of Melbourne
Emeritus Professor Graeme Davison AO
Monash University
Dr Stephen Dedman
Writer and researcher
Leena van Deventer
Writer and game developer
Garry Disher
Novelist
Laureate Professor Peter Doherty AC
Nobel Laureate in Physiology or Medicine
Tim Dunlop
Social commentator
Catherine Dwyer
Documentary film maker
Michael Easson
Researcher
Rita Erlich AM
Critic
Chris Feik
Black Inc
Distinguished Professor Mark Finnane
Griffith University
Brendan Fitzgerald
Former manager, Vicnet
Peter FitzSimons
Historian and author
Dr Juliet Flesch
University of Melbourne
Professor Gary Foley
Victoria University
Foong Ling Kong
Publisher, Melbourne University Publishing
Nikolas Fotakis
Journalist
Anna Funder
Novelist and essayist
Brenton Fyfield
Violist
Miranda Fyfield
Indexer
Emily Gale
Children’s author
Dr Kelly Gardiner
Writer and researcher
Alice Garner
Member, State Library User Organisations Council
Helen Garner
Writer and novelist
Michael Gawenda
Former editor, The Age
Dr Jane Gilmour OAM, Chevalier de l’Ordre National du Mérite
Co-editor, The French Australian Review
Professor Jock Given
Swinburne University
Kerryn Goldsworthy
Writer and critic
Dave Graney
Musician
Belinda Grant
Architect
Gina Grant
Printmaker
Kate Grenville AO
Novelist
Professor Peter Greste
Macquarie University
Professor Bridget Griffen-Foley
Macquarie University
Dr Jenny Grigg
RMIT
Nicholas Gruen
Lateral Economics
Associate Professor Claudia Haake
La Trobe University
Gideon Haigh
Journalist
Isabel Haigh
Volunteer tour guide
Paul Ham
Historian and podcaster
Emeritus Professor Ian Hancock
Australian National University
Dr. Maurita Harney
University of Melbourne
David Harper
Retired judge, Victorian Court of Appeal
Sonya Hartnett
Novelist
Katherine Hattam
Painter
Philippa Hawker
Writer and reviewer
Ponch Hawkes
Photographer
Nicole Hayes
Author
Dr Eleanor Hogan
Biographer
Professor Peter Holbrook
Australian Catholic University
Professor Katie Holmes
La Trobe University
Tom Holland
The Rest Is History
Nathan Hollier
Manager, ANU Press
Stephanie Holt
Former editor, Meanjin
Chloe Hooper
Writer and critic
Emeritus Professor Roderick Home
University of Melbourne
Judy Horacek
Cartoonist
Simmone Howell
Young adult and non-fiction writer
Andrea Hull AO
Chair, Melbourne Recital Centre
Troy Hunter
Crime writer
Adrian Hyland
Crime writer
Ivor Indyk
Giramondo Publishing
Professor Daniel Jacoby
University of Washington
Su Jamison
Design director
Sonia Jennings
Living Histories
Nicole Jenkins
Circa Vintage
A.Francis Johnson
Poet
Gail Jones
Novelist
Lloyd Jones
Novelist
Mike Jones
Historian and archivist
Rosie Jones
Film director and editor
Toni Jordan
Novelist
Nicholas Jose
Novelist and essayist
Evelyn Juers
Writer and publisher
Dmitri Kakmi
Author and broadcaster
Kim Kane
Children’s author
Amy Kaufman
Children’s author
Petra Kayser
National Gallery of Victoria
Dr James Keating
University of Melbourne
Nina Killham
Novelist
Di Kelly
UNSW Canberra
Paul Kelly
Singer, songwriter
Thomas Keneally
Novelist, Booker Prize Winner
Edwina Kenrick
Prospect Research & Management, University of Melbourne
Robyn Kinsey
Former digital content & design manager, State Library of Victoria
Emeritus Professor Diane Kirkby
Editor, Labour History
Professor S. T. Knight
University of Melbourne
Alan Kohler AM
Former editor, The Age
Ellen Koshland
Poet
Katherine Kovacic
Novelist
Dr Skye Krichauff
University of Adelaide
Associate Professor John Lack
University of Melbourne
Peter Lalor
Journalist
Professor Susan Lawrence
La Trobe University
Andrea Lemon
Playwright
James Lesh
Founding director, Living Histories
Peter Long
Graphic designer
Susannah Low
Book designer
Dr Ruby Lowe
University of Melbourne
Associate Professor Trish Luker
University of Technology Sydney
Professor Jane Lydon
University of WA
Professor Iain McCalman AO
Historian
Professor Janet McCalman AC
Historian
R. W. R. McDonald
Author
Alex McDermott
Historian and researcher
Andrew McDonald
Children’s book author
John McDonald
Everything the Art World Doesn’t Want You to Know
Professor David McInnis
University of Melbourne
Professor Mark McKenna
University of Sydney
Dr Keira McKenzie
Writer and researcher
Professor Peter McPhee
Chairman, History Council of Victoria
Karys McEwen
Young adult author
Wayne Macauley
Novelist
Shane Maloney
Novelist
Emeritus Professor Robert Manne AO
La Trobe University
David Marr
Journalist, broadcaster
Emeritus Professor Sue Martin
La Trobe University
Kim Meagher
Professional Historians Australia
Dr David Mence
Melbourne University, former State Library Fellow and barrister
Sheralee Menz
Local historian
Jennifer Mills
President, Australian Society of Authors
David Moloney
Life member, National Trust
Dr Lee-Ann Monk
La Trobe University
Rhys Muldoon
Actor
Dr Kate Murphy
Head of history, Monash University
Dr Kevin Murray
Managing editor, Garland
Kirsty Murray
Children’s author
Brian Nankervis
Broadcaster
Dr Kathleen Neal
Monash University
Julianne Negri
Children’s author
Jane Neville
Librarian and writer
Michael O’Brien
President, Rare Books Week
Terence O’Connell
Director and writer
Kate O’Donnell
Writer
Paddy O’Reilly
Novelist
Sonia Orchard
Author and director, Mountain Writers Festival
Wendy Orr
Children’s book author
Heidi Osberg
Public health worker
Melanie Ostell
Editor and agent
Amra Pajalic
Writer and publisher
Chris Palmer
La Trobe University
Professor Rob Pascoe
Victoria University
Suneeta Peres da Costa
Novelist
Pi O
Poet
Dr Lillian Pearce
Deakin University
Nick Petroulias
Author
Maria Pintado
Young adult author
Fiona Poulton
Professional Historians Australia
Dr Carl Power
University of Technology Sydney
Sian Prior
Writer and broadcaster
Ruth Quibell
Sociologist and writer
Jess Racklyeft
Illustrator and author
Rebecca Ralfe
Cape York Land Council
Dr Carolyn Rasmussen
Historian & Biographer
Jeska Rees
Professional Historians Australia
Tim Richards
Travel writer
Sally Rippin
Children’s author
Mirandi Riwoe
Novelist
Marion Roberts
Children and young adults author
Associate Professor Emma Robertson
La Trobe University
Tim Rogers
Singer, songwriter
Stephen Romei
Adjunct Research Fellow, La Trobe University
Jane Routley
Novelist
Josephine Rowe
Short story writer
Jenny Ruffy
Past president, Public Libraries Victoria
Professor Lynette Russell AM
Monash University
Professor Emerita Penny Russell
University of Sydney
Emeritus Professor Paul Salzman
La Trobe University
Dr Vivien Santer
Principal, Griffith Hack
Mary Sheehan
Professional Historians Australia
Katherine Sheedy
Historian
Luna Soo
Children’s editor
Emeritus Professor Peter Spearritt
University of Queensland
Michelle Spencer
Researcher
Professor Peter Stanley
University of NSW
Dr Miranda Stanyon
University of Melbourne
Rebecca Stewart
Graphic designer
Emeritus Professor Brian Stoddart
La Trobe University
Lucy Sussex
Writer and critic
Julie Szego
Writer and journalist
Sue Taffe
Freelance historian
Penny Tangey
Children’s author
Dr Carrie Tiffany
Novelist
Dr Joanne Townsend
Historian
Dr Peter Tregear
Composer
Professor Stephanie Trigg
University of Melbourne
Maria Tumarkin
Writer
Emeritus Professor Graeme Turner AO
University of Queensland
Professor Christina Twomey
Monash University
Professor Elizabeth Tynan
James Cook University
Jane Walkenhorst
Artist
Emeritus Professor Jim Walter
Monash University
Gabrielle Wang
Children’s book author
Ailsa Ward
Author
Dr Sally Warhaft
The Wheeler Centre
Don Watson
Writer and critic
Dr James Watson
Australian National University
Nova Weetman
Writer and critic
Dr Alice Whitmore
Writer, editor and translator
Phoebe Wilkens
Genealogist, Born & Bred Historical Research
Carole Wilkinson
Researcher
Lili Wilkinson
Young adult author
Geordie Williamson
Critic
Chris Womersley
Novelist
Ben Wood
Illustrator
Dr Charlotte Wood AM
Novelist
Fiona Wood
Writer
Libby Woodhouse
Librarian
Dr Jane Woollard
University of Tasmania
Alexis Wright
Novelist
Professor Clare Wright OAM
La Trobe University
Dr Damon Young
Philosopher, University of Melbourne
Arnold Zable
Writer
Some recent press coverage:
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/dec/03/state-library-victoria-cuts-changes
https://cricketetal.substack.com/p/whats-really-happening-at-the-state
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