The Melbourne Athenaeum Library will be closed for the holiday period from 4:00pm on Wednesday 18 December and will reopen at 10:00am on Tuesday 7 January.
No books will be due during this period but there will be a returns box available on the landing whenever the building is open. Ebooks will continue to be available during this period through OverDrive and the Libby app.
We wish all our members a very happy festive season.
One of Australia's best-known guitarists, Phil Manning has single handedly turned more Australians onto the Blues than any other performer.
Many Australians know him as a member of Chain, the legendary blues band whose contribution to Australian music and the development of the blues in this country is unparalleled.
Phil's original style ensures a sound that is timeless and contemporary. His use of a range of acoustic guitars in both slide and fingerpicking styles emphasises his skill at covering a full range of acoustic blues. Phil is a consummate artist who continues to write, create and record, but, true to the essence of blues and roots music, it is live on stage where he excels.
Peter Beilharz is Professor of Critical Theory at Sichuan University, China, and has previously held chairs at La Trobe, Harvard, Leeds and Curtin Universitites. He has published 30 books and played as support to Chain in 1971.
The performance will be held on Friday 13 December with doors opening at 5:30pm for a 6:00pm performance. This event is free for members and $20 for guests. Bookings can be made through Trybooking using this link.
We are looking forward to some perennial favourites and some new performers gracing the library stage as part of our 2025 event schedule.
Performers already booked in include the Flinders Quartet, Inventi, Ultrafox and Zoe Knighton – along with library newcomers singer/songwriter/composer Mick Harvey and violinist/composer/singer Xani Kolac.
The best way to keep updated on event details and booking links is by reading the monthly eNews.
On 6 December, La Descarga will make a welcome and colourful return to the Athenaeum.
Join us for a night where literature meets music, as iconic Colombian-tropical band La Descarga will celebrate the 100th anniversary of The Vortex, José Eustasio Rivera’s seminal novel.
La Descarga will breathe life into Rivera’s masterpiece through electrifying rhythms and heartfelt melodies.
The performance will be held on Friday 6 December with doors opening at 5:30pm for a 6:00pm performance. This event is free for members and $20 for guests. Bookings can be made through Trybooking using this link.
