A Reading at Readings, a Shoutout to Trove

Below, the Australian launch of Ghosts of the Orphanage at Carlton's happiest place, and the unique genius of Australia's historic Trove

March 15 at Readings

When I was an undergraduate, I spent a lot of time gazing at the side window of Readings book store in Carlton. The large pane was covered with small handwritten notes about room rentals or local clubs. It was a fully functioning internet, connecting people and places but made of paper and tape.

After browsing the notes, I browsed the books inside. The store was a wonderland, so many books, such gorgeous covers, thrilling stories, and vast collections of knowledge. Readings remains one of my favorite bookstores, which makes me very glad to announce the Australian launch of Ghosts of the Orphanage at Readings in Carlton on March 15, starting 6.30pm.

More US dates to come.

Trove

In 2012, I wrote an article for The Monthly about the Melbourne Zoo. To get a sense of the institution’s history, I took a dive into old newspaper mentions at Trove. I learned that in its early days, “the tiger keeper’s wife walked a cub on a leash in Royal Park, children rode the elephants, and an orangutan, called Mollie, who smoked cigarettes, burned her own cage down.” Apparently, everyone fed the animals: “cakes, confectionary, lemonade, ice-cream and dozens of bananas.” After one especially rough weekend, one of the orangutans needed “a eucalyptus oil rubdown and a packet of laxatives.”

Trove, which includes historic books, newspapers, maps, images, diaries, letters, music, and other audio, is now at risk. The National Library only has funding for the site until July 2023, and it’s unclear what provisions will be made in the May federal budget.

But the site is a time machine, unique in the world. It offers democratised, easy access to the broad and fine strokes of history to anyone who cares to look: tens of thousands of people, historians, students, lawyers, family historians, journalists, and curious readers, use it every day.

In these strange days of extreme misinformation and disinformation, it’s hard to imagine a more valuable national resource: a doorway to the past that is entirely unfiltered by contemporary interests.

In 1931, the zoo lent a lion to an illusionist who was performing at the Tivoli Theatre. Unfortunately the lion cage wasn’t locked properly after the show, and the beast returned to the stage. The audience, believing it was an illusion, applauded wildly, but the orchestra knew better and, reported the “Argus,” began to play out of tune. The lion later strolled down Little Collins Street and into the Town Hall, where it was eventually coaxed into a box with a shin of beef.

Work and Play, The Monthly

Here, the Australian Library and Information Association explains how to support Trove.

Happy Valentine’s Day

To my dear American friends, Happy Valentine’s from Trove.