The Committee, lead by Treasurer Kevin Quigley, has undertaken a revision of the rules which govern the operation of the Melbourne Athenaeum, last revised and registered in 2007. Members will have an opportunity to raise any questions about these draft rules at the AGM, which will take place in the Library at 1pm on 17 April.

You can read an annotated version of these draft rules here.

You can view the current rules of the organisation here.

Library

Browse the Collection

The library offers a wide range of book and screen clubs to suit our members' diverse reading and viewing tastes. 

Clubs meet monthly and members decide which books or movies are read or watched during the year.

Suggestions for new clubs are always welcome. Membership to any book or screen club is free with an annual subscription.

Evening Crime Fiction Book Club

Join with others who share your passion for crime fiction. We read widely across the subgenres, including detective fiction, legal thriller, courtroom drama and spy novel, and more. Tell the rest of the group what you’ve been reading. Members select the books we will be reading.

Lunchtime Crime Fiction Book Club

Come along and meet with crime enthusiasts as we discuss crime fiction novels by interesting authors. Meeting monthly, our discussions are always lively and full of different viewpoints. Bring along your curiosity, desire for knowing whodunnit, and we’ll discover the clues along the way.

Friday Lunchtime Book Club

Thursday Lunchtime Book Club

Wednesday Lunchtime Book Club

Premiere Screen Club

At the end of the year each member nominates a movie for next year’s program. Each month we watch a movie at home, come together at the Athenaeum to discuss and rate the movie while sharing wine and cheese and nibbles. The discussions are always interesting, sometimes intense, and often include a wider range of topics.

Second Screen Club

Meeting every third Wednesday of the month at 5.30pm for discussion, ratings and recommendations. Club members watch movies that can be viewed on SBS On Demand (or other free-to-air streaming platforms, eg. YouTube). Access to films is limited by SBS availability dates, so members make recommendations and the calendar of films is added to quarterly. Selections include contemporary films and 20th Century classics; drama, comedy, foreign language, animation, as determined by members.
Jan
16
2023
The mystery of a Hansom cab by Fergus Hume
Book Club
The mystery of a Hansom cab by Fergus Hume
5:45 pm | 1 hour
View Book
Feb
20
2023
Miss Smilla's feeling for snow by Peter Hoeg
Book Club
Miss Smilla's feeling for snow by Peter Hoeg
5:45 pm | 1 hour
View Book
Mar
20
2023
The bullet that missed by Richard Osman
Book Club
The bullet that missed by Richard Osman
5:45 pm | 1 hour
View Book
Apr
17
2023
The woman in white by Wilkie Collins
Book Club
The woman in white by Wilkie Collins
5:45 pm | 1 hour
View Book
May
15
2023
Daughter of time by Josephine Tey
Book Club
Daughter of time by Josephine Tey
5:45 pm | 1 hour
View Book
Jun
19
2023
Fog by Kaja Malanowska
Book Club
Fog by Kaja Malanowska
5:45 pm | 1 hour
View Book
Jul
17
2023
A bird in the hand by Ann Cleeves
Book Club
A bird in the hand by Ann Cleeves
5:45 pm | 1 hour
View Book
Aug
21
2023
The merchant's house by Kate Ellis
Book Club
The merchant's house by Kate Ellis
5:45 pm | 1 hour
View Book
Sep
18
2023
Once there were wolves by Charlotte McConaghy
Book Club
Once there were wolves by Charlotte McConaghy
5:45 pm | 1 hour
View Book
Oct
16
2023
White jazz by James Ellroy
Book Club
White jazz by James Ellroy
5:45 pm | 1 hour
View Book
Nov
20
2023
A rising man by Abit Mukherjee
Book Club
A rising man by Abit Mukherjee
5:45 pm | 1 hour
View Book
Jan
23
2023
Fog by Kaja Malanowska
Book Club
Fog by Kaja Malanowska
12:00 pm | 1 hour
View Book
Feb
27
2023
A bird in the hand by Ann Cleeves
Book Club
A bird in the hand by Ann Cleeves
12:00 pm | 1 hour
View Book
Mar
27
2023
The merchant's house by Kate Ellis
Book Club
The merchant's house by Kate Ellis
12:00 pm | 1 hour
View Book
Apr
24
2023
Once there were wolves by Charlotte McConaghy
Book Club
Once there were wolves by Charlotte McConaghy
12:00 pm | 1 hour
View Book
May
22
2023
White jazz by James Ellroy
Book Club
White jazz by James Ellroy
12:00 pm | 1 hour
View Book
Jun
26
2023
A rising man by Abit Mukherjee
Book Club
A rising man by Abit Mukherjee
12:00 pm | 1 hour
View Book
Jul
24
2023
The mystery of a Hansom cab by Fergus Hume
Book Club
The mystery of a Hansom cab by Fergus Hume
12:00 pm | 1 hour
View Book
Aug
28
2023
Miss Smilla's feeling for snow by Peter Hoeg
Book Club
Miss Smilla's feeling for snow by Peter Hoeg
12:00 pm | 1 hour
View Book
Sep
25
2023
The bullet that missed by Richard Osman
Book Club
The bullet that missed by Richard Osman
12:00 pm | 1 hour
View Book
Oct
23
2023
The woman in white by Wilkie Collins
Book Club
The woman in white by Wilkie Collins
12:00 pm | 1 hour
View Book
Nov
27
2023
Daughter of time by Josephine Tey
Book Club
Daughter of time by Josephine Tey
12:00 pm | 1 hour
View Book
Feb
10
2023
Under the net by Iris Murdoch
Book Club
Under the net by Iris Murdoch
12:00 pm | 1 hour
View Book
Mar
10
2023
The erratics by Vicki Laveau-Harvie
Book Club
The erratics by Vicki Laveau-Harvie
12:00 pm | 1 hour
View Book
Apr
14
2023
The Tolstoy Estate by Steven Conte
Book Club
The Tolstoy Estate by Steven Conte
12:00 pm | 1 hour
View Book
May
12
2023
The plague by Albert Camus
Book Club
The plague by Albert Camus
12:00 pm | 1 hour
View Book
Jun
09
2023
There was still love by Favel Parrett
Book Club
There was still love by Favel Parrett
12:00 pm | 1 hour
View Book
Jul
14
2023
The marriage portrait by Maggie O'Farrell
Book Club
The marriage portrait by Maggie O'Farrell
12:00 pm | 1 hour
View Book
Aug
11
2023
The thief by Fuminori Nakamura
Book Club
The thief by Fuminori Nakamura
12:00 pm | 1 hour
View Book
Sep
08
2023
The sun also rises by Ernest Hemingway
Book Club
The sun also rises by Ernest Hemingway
12:00 pm | 1 hour
View Book
Oct
13
2023
The island of missing trees by Elif Shafak
Book Club
The island of missing trees by Elif Shafak
12:00 pm | 1 hour
View Book
Nov
10
2023
Chai time at Cinnamon Gardens by Shankari Chandran
Book Club
Chai time at Cinnamon Gardens by Shankari Chandran
12:00 pm | 1 hour
View Book
Dec
08
2023
A man called Ove by Frederick Backman
Book Club
A man called Ove by Frederick Backman
12:00 pm | 1 hour
View Book
Jan
19
2023
The island of missing trees by Elif Shafak
Book Club
The island of missing trees by Elif Shafak
12:00 pm | 1 hour
View Book
Feb
16
2023
Chai time at Cinnamon Gardens by Shankari Chandran
Book Club
Chai time at Cinnamon Gardens by Shankari Chandran
12:00 pm | 1 hour
View Book
Mar
16
2023
A man called Ove by Frederick Backman
Book Club
A man called Ove by Frederick Backman
12:00 pm | 1 hour
View Book
Apr
20
2023
Under the net by Iris Murdoch
Book Club
Under the net by Iris Murdoch
12:00 pm | 1 hour
View Book
May
18
2023
The erratics by Vicki Laveau-Harvie
Book Club
The erratics by Vicki Laveau-Harvie
12:00 pm | 1 hour
View Book
Jun
15
2023
The Tolstoy Estate by Steven Conte
Book Club
The Tolstoy Estate by Steven Conte
12:00 pm | 1 hour
View Book
Jul
20
2023
The plague by Albert Camus
Book Club
The plague by Albert Camus
12:00 pm | 1 hour
View Book
Aug
17
2023
There was still love by Favel Parrett
Book Club
There was still love by Favel Parrett
12:00 pm | 1 hour
View Book
Sep
21
2023
The marriage portrait by Maggie O'Farrell
Book Club
The marriage portrait by Maggie O'Farrell
12:00 pm | 1 hour
View Book
Oct
19
2023
The thief by Fuminori Nakamura
Book Club
The thief by Fuminori Nakamura
12:00 pm | 1 hour
View Book
Dec
07*
2023
Final meeting of the year in December
The sun also rises by Ernest Hemingway
Book Club
The sun also rises by Ernest Hemingway
12:00 pm | 1 hour
View Book
Feb
01
2023
The marriage portrait by Maggie O'Farrell
Book Club
The marriage portrait by Maggie O'Farrell
12:00 pm | 1 hour
View Book
Mar
01
2023
The thief by Fuminori Nakamura
Book Club
The thief by Fuminori Nakamura
12:00 pm | 1 hour
View Book
Apr
05
2023
The sun also rises by Ernest Hemingway
Book Club
The sun also rises by Ernest Hemingway
12:00 pm | 1 hour
View Book
May
03
2023
The island of missing trees by Elif Shafak
Book Club
The island of missing trees by Elif Shafak
12:00 pm | 1 hour
View Book
Jun
07
2023
Chai time at Cinnamon Gardens by Shankari Chandran
Book Club
Chai time at Cinnamon Gardens by Shankari Chandran
12:00 pm | 1 hour
View Book
Jul
05
2023
A man called Ove by Frederick Backman
Book Club
A man called Ove by Frederick Backman
12:00 pm | 1 hour
View Book
Aug
02
2023
Under the net by Iris Murdoch
Book Club
Under the net by Iris Murdoch
12:00 pm | 1 hour
View Book
Sep
06
2023
The erratics by Vicki Laveau-Harvie
Book Club
The erratics by Vicki Laveau-Harvie
12:00 pm | 1 hour
View Book
Oct
04
2023
The Tolstoy Estate by Steven Conte
Book Club
The Tolstoy Estate by Steven Conte
12:00 pm | 1 hour
View Book
Nov
15
2023
The plague by Albert Camus
Book Club
The plague by Albert Camus
12:00 pm | 1 hour
View Book
Dec
06
2023
The marriage portrait by Maggie O'Farrell
Book Club
The marriage portrait by Maggie O'Farrell
12:00 pm | 1 hour
View Book
Feb
02
2022
Bicycle thieves
Book Club
Bicycle thieves
6:00 pm | 1-1.5 hours
View Book
Mar
02*
2022
SBS On Demand until 29/06
Amarcord
Book Club
Amarcord
6:00 pm | 1-1.5 hours
View Book
Apr
06
2022
Rashomon
Book Club
Rashomon
6:00 pm | 1-1.5 hours
View Book
May
04
2022
Age of consent
Book Club
Age of consent
6:00 pm | 1-1.5 hours
View Book
Jun
01
2022
The last picture show
Book Club
The last picture show
6:00 pm | 1-1.5 hours
View Book
Jul
06
2022
North by northwest
Book Club
North by northwest
6:00 pm | 1-1.5 hours
View Book
Aug
03
2022
The servant
Book Club
The servant
6:00 pm | 1-1.5 hours
View Book
Sep
07
2022
Storm center
Book Club
Storm center
6:00 pm | 1-1.5 hours
View Book
Oct
05
2022
Synechdoche, New York
Book Club
Synechdoche, New York
6:00 pm | 1-1.5 hours
View Book
Nov
02
2022
Walkabout
Book Club
Walkabout
6:00 pm | 1-1.5 hours
View Book
Dec
07
2022
Patch Adams
Book Club
Patch Adams
6:00 pm | 1-1.5 hours
View Book
Jan
18*
2023
SBS On Demand until 15/01
Our little sister
Book Club
Our little sister
5:30 pm | 1-1.5 hours
View Book
Feb
15*
2023
SBS On Demand until 29/06
The man in the basement
Book Club
The man in the basement
5:30 pm | 1-1.5 hours
View Book
Mar
15*
2023
SBS On Demand until early 2024
The quiet girl
Book Club
The quiet girl
5:30 pm | 1-1.5 hours
View Book
Apr
19*
2023
SBS On Demand until 31/05
Courted
Book Club
Courted
5:30 pm | 1-1.5 hours
View Book
May
17*
2023
SBS On Demand until 31/05
Happy-Go-Lucky
Book Club
Happy-Go-Lucky
5:30 pm | 1-1.5 hours
View Book
Jun
21*
2023
SBS On Demand until 29/06
A bigger splash
Book Club
A bigger splash
5:30 pm | 1-1.5 hours
View Book
Jul
19*
2023
SBS On Demand until 31/08
5 flights up
Book Club
5 flights up
5:30 pm | 1-1.5 hours
View Book
Aug
16*
2023
SBS On Demand until mid 2024
Summerland
Book Club
Summerland
5:30 pm | 1-1.5 hours
View Book
Sep
20*
2023
SBS On Demand until mid 2024
The Producers
Book Club
The Producers
5:30 pm | 1-1.5 hours
View Book
Oct
18*
2023
SBS On Demand until mid 2024
Still Life
Book Club
Still Life
5:30 pm | 1-1.5 hours
View Book
Nov
15*
2023
SBS On Demand until early 2024
Mia Madre
Book Club
Mia Madre
5:30 pm | 1-1.5 hours
View Book
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Circulation desk 2020 by Grace Petrou
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