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                    Research

                    historical black and white image of southbank in melbourne
                    Have you seen City of Melbourne’s interactive maps? Did you know you can access thousands of historical images or a huge range of digital resources?

                    ​​​​​​​​City of Melbourne Libraries can connect you with a wide range of essential resources.

                    Browse resources

                    Digital resources at East Melbourne Library, North Melbourne Library and Library at The Dock

                    ​Keen to do some family history? Want to know who lived in your house? Looking to preserve old family photos? 

                    Our East and North branches provide access to digital resources including:
                    • a full set of Sands & McDougall directories
                    • births, deaths, marriages indexes
                    • City of Melbourne rate books
                    • digitized rare books
                    • high resolution scanning to preserve old family photographs, memorabilia, letters, slides and negatives. 
                    Talk to our staff about booking a session. Access is free.

                    Images

                    Digital archive

                    Search over 10,000 (and growing) digitised images from the City of Melbourne Libraries' local history collections. 

                    Trove

                    Search thousands of images from Australian institutions.

                    State Library Victoria

                    Find a range of artworks, objects, postcards and posters.

                    Australian War Memorial

                    Search photos, art, film and more.

                    Maps

                    City of Melbourne maps

                    Explore the City of Melbourne’s history using interactive maps.

                    Fire insurance plans

                    These plans are extremely detailed and show the occupants, construction materials and fire protection facilities of Melbourne's buildings. They were prepared for insurance companies to gauge the fire risk posed by different buildings and to investigate insurance claims.

                    Maps of Melbourne

                    Historical maps digitised and provided by University of Melbourne Library Some maps are also available in high resolution.

                    Maps of Melbourne city and suburbs

                    These maps of Melbourne, provided by State Library of Victoria, can be used to research a range of historical, geographical and environmental topics. They provide detailed information about transport routes, land-use zoning, tourist sites, geology and electoral boundaries.

                    Melbourne street directories

                    Full-colour scans of Melway street directories from 1966–1987 (most years).

                    The Melbourne and Metropolitan Board of Works (MMBW) plans

                    These maps were produced from the 1890s to the 1950s and were crucial to the design and development of Melbourne's sewerage and drainage system.

                    Local history groups

                    If you’re interested in the history of the suburbs, citizens or buildings of the City of Melbourne, there are historical societies you can contact or join:

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