Library

The Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne, contains the most comprehensive botanical library in Australia.

The purpose of the Library is to make available to our staff the technical information they need to do their work. Most of the information comes in the form of books and periodicals in many different languages. However, there are also collections of maps, artwork, letters, manuscripts, and photographs which are an invaluable source of information. Much of the material is fragile and needs to be kept in special storage areas.

The Library was started by Baron Ferdinand von Mueller. When he was appointed as the first Government Botanist there were very few botanical books in Victoria to which he could refer. Throughout his career he collected many of the texts needed for his work of discovering and naming Australian plants. Today the library contains one of the most comprehensive botanical libraries in Australia. The oldest published document in the library is a 'Herbal' from 1531.

The Library offers reference, inter-library loan and other services to the Garden's staff and to visiting botanists. Through a shared computer catalogue the Library is connected with libraries at the Department of Primary Industries.

Access to the library is by appointment to accredited researchers. Students and members of the public are encouraged to exhaust all other resources before contacting the Library staff to make an appointment.

Contact the Library via e-mail library@rbg.vic.gov.au or phone (613) 9252 2382.

Library's catalog – ELXIR