The Melbourne Athenaeum Inc.'s 2024 Annual General Meeting will be held at 1pm, Monday 15 April, in the Melbourne Athenaeum Library.

For more information please refer to the events page or speak to a staff member.

Library Today 

The library of the Melbourne Athenaeum remains a subscription library, with very reasonable fees considering the high cost of books. Providing a peaceful and welcoming space in the centre of the bustling city, the library attracts people who love books and love to read — this is the library you wish was your own.

The library currently has over 30,000 books in its collection and a growing collection of ebooks through Overdrive, as well as subscriptions for many local and international magazines and newspapers. Although the library caters to as many tastes as possible, the biography and crime fiction collections are particularly impressive, among the finest and, particularly when it comes to long series, the most complete in the state.

There are regular talks by authors, travellers, speakers and artists about literature, language, arts and social issues. The Athenaeum also hosts artist residencies

Members are regularly invited to unique events held at the library: book launches, talks given by authors, travellers, or people with special interests. The library also participates in several literary and cultural festivals held in Melbourne including Rare Book Week, NiteArt, and White Night and regularly hosts artists in residence, allowing the artist a quiet space to work and members the chance to see the creative process at work.

Several book clubs, a screen club and a number of writing groups have regular meetings in the library, and a range of authors choose to launch their books here.

Membership to the Athenaeum includes free tea and coffee whenever you visit the library and access to the internet on either one of the library's computers or on your own device using the free WIFI for members. For people outside the city, the library continues to offer country memberships.

The library caters to younger members too, with an extensive range of teen and young adult fiction, as well as a children's collection featuring both fiction and non-fiction suitable for members 10 years and under.

member_magazines
The library maintains a small but strong collection of magazine subscriptions including international publications.

If you would like to become a member of the Melbourne Athenaeum the membership form is available here and to search the library catalogue click here.

crosschevron-down