Our group recently stopped atthe State Library of Victoria where the story of Ned Kelly and Redmond…read moreBarry was brought to life in the now infamous bullet proof armor permanently on exhibit. The La Trobe reading room (a tourist attraction in its own right) was packed with students on a Public holiday nonetheless. Stunning! Opened in 1913, this magnificent octagonal reading room is six stores high and can house 32,000 books and 320 readers at its desks. When it was built, the enormous reinforced-concrete structure was the largest in the world. Known as the Domed Reading Room until it was refurbished and reopened in 2003, the building is an architectural feat.

My wife and I had heard about the State Library, and was interested in seeing what this looked like…read moreand ... there's no comparison with the libraries that we've been to. There is a big section of town where the trams are free to ride, and if you catch one of the 2 right trams, you can visit many of the attractions. We rode to the State Library - it was quite awesome to see how big it was, how many people - including many students - were using the facilities. There was also an interesting Children's Section. Interesting were also the various statues in front, including that "no-good" St. George that killed those poor innocent cute little dragons! Sob!

Borrow a book and return it, or pop another in its place. That is the only rule to using this cute…read morelittle free public library, located inside Melbourne Central. It's a cute use of a space too small to fit another retailer in. Obviously you wont find the dewey decimal system in place like a real library, since it's all public donation - although it was very orderly considering. A friend suggested some poor OCD person was probably tidying them up for everyone else. If you have some books collecting dust on your shelf, it's worth popping by to swap it for something fresh if you're passing through.

One of my favourite little hide aways when I am in Melbourne Central and want to have a break from…read morethe hustle and bustle. When browsing the books you never know what you will find to read on the way home on the train from work! But don't forget to return or donate a book or two too. This is a great initiative as I always wonder about the fate of books since the introduction of tablets.

This place is beautifully airey and quiet. Always great when a library smells good. Very relaxing…read morespace but could do with a few more work stations. Nice place to study or sit out of the wind, there are plenty of magazines and resources.

Wow things have changed in South Melbourne! The library…read morebuilding (in the former South Melbourne Post Office) was completely renovated a few years ago, it now a much bigger space, with a dedicated children's area with an outdoor play space, a reading room with fantastic views across to the Town Hall. There is a meeting room, three book clubs, and childrens' activities weekly! To top it off the renovated building has the Heritage Centre for the city of Port Phillip, has cool displays and research facilities - for searching for ancestors or history of buildings in the city. They also offer free walk guide booklets plus guided tours of various parts of the city.

It's in a very cool Victorian building but is really small, just one big room and nowhere private…read moreto quietly read.

I really should have checked the website before heading down to the library this morning to drop…read moreoff my books as I got there at 11 am and was there two hours before opening. Seriously? - they open at 1 pm. That would have to be the laziest opening hours for a Monday that I've come across. I'm going to apply for a job. The library is hidden in the back of an old church built in 1886. It is shadowed by the magnificent Collingwood Town Hall and the not so magnificent Collingwood train station. Set a little off the street the front garden is quite pretty and green. Inside is very renovated and basic. There is an OK selection of books, music and film, and being a part of Yarra libraries; you are able to get things in from numerous sources. Just make sure to fit in your visit some time in the afternoon.

It's a lovely please for the kids and toddlers with so many books and toys to choose from and a…read morefriendly staff. I just wish they would pay more attention to the dirty carpet and stuffed toys and have them washed or replaced regularly.

It is difficult to know how to rate this library. As Sophie L says, the selection of books is…read morelimited and the interior is nothing to write home about. There is a toilet (good) but it is pretty ordinary (not so good). On the other hand, the staff are great and the children's story time has got to be the best in the world. Yes, I'm serious, the best in the world. Compulsory for all local(ish) parents. Get there early if you want to be anywhere near the book - it is popular.

The Albert Park branch of the Port Phillip Library really isn't anything to write home about…read more The selection of books is pretty limited. The only genre that seems to be well stocked is the teen section, so if you're looking for Sweet Valley High or Goosebumps then you're good to go. Otherwise, not so much. However, there is something quite cozy and cute about this place. So if you want to curl up with a (potentially) good book, go and check it out.

One Friday night a month 40 + teenagers take over the library to dance to the in-house DJ, enjoy…read moreexclusive use of the Wii and Computers and eat pizza. Lalor is no ordinary library folks, it is the hub of the Lalor community and appeals to every age demographic. Drop by the large and colourful space any day of the week and something will be happening. Yes the library has the usual selection of books, magazines, DVDs and Cd's but it also has Italian, Greek, Spanish, Vietnamese and Chinese collections. Annie the Children's librarian hosts energetic story times, sometimes to an audience of a hundred kids. Noisy? Yes. This is not the library to enjoy silent study, head to near by Mill Park for that! The range of adult activities and events appeals to the multicultural community of Lalor, think seniors club, cooking demo's, book club, language cafe to name just a few. If you want to learn how to use computers, Facebook or itunes visit the information desk and book into a computer class or just ask for IT extraordinaire Natasha. Life long friends meet up a chat over the daily papers, teens relax on the couches and families visit the toy library. Lalor library is for everyone. The staff are awesome and clearly have fun. Why not join in?