City of Melbourne trials ‘quick response’ arts grants
The City of Melbourne is trialling a new program of ‘quick response’ arts grants, which aim to give artists more flexible access to funding. Under the trial scheme, creative practitioners...
Tim’s Bookshop Canterbury to close
The Canterbury branch of family-owned independent bookstore Tim’s Bookshop, in Melbourne's eastern suburbs, will close in January 2019. Owner Tim Warmington told Books+Publishing: ‘It’s the usual story of ever-increasing costs...
Melbourne City of Lit announces 10th anniversary event program
The Melbourne City of Literature, in partnership with the Wheeler Centre, has announced the program for its 10th anniversary event, based on the idea of a parliament for the city....
Edinburgh and Melbourne Cities of Literature to launch exchange program
Five Melbourne literary programmers will have the opportunity to visit Edinburgh in August this year, as part of a new exchange program between the Melbourne and Edinburgh Cities of Literature....
Melbourne’s newest public library opens
The Kathleen Syme Library and Community Centre in the Melbourne suburb of Carlton was officially opened on 3 July by lord mayor Robert Doyle after a $15.5 million refurbishment of...
Melbourne extends Christmas trading hours
Melbourne retailers are allowed to trade for extended hours in the lead-up to Christmas, reports Inside Retail.The Strand Melbourne, Melbourne Central, Emporium Melbourne, QV Melbourne, H&M at Melbourne’s GPO, and department...
Melbourne City of Literature launches travel fund
The Melbourne City of Literature office has announced a new $3000 travel fund to support writers, editors, publishers and librarians.The funding will enable anyone working in Victoria’s literary sector ‘to...
MWF 2014 schools program released
The Melbourne Writers Festival has released its schools program for 2014. Among the guests at this year’s festival, which runs from 25 to 29 August, are Australian authors and illustrators...
Melbourne Jewish Writers Festival program launched
The inaugural Melbourne Jewish Writers Festival has released its full program and tickets are now available for sale.The festival, which will be held from 31 May to 2 June at...
Hobsons Bay council scraps plans to exclude print books at new library
Hobsons Bay City Council in Melbourne has scrapped plans to exclude print books from a new library’s collections, reports the Age. According to the Age, the Hobsons Bay City Council...
Melbourne council forms advisory committee to oversee new Library amid community concerns
In Melbourne, the Hobsons Bay Council has agreed to form an advisory subcommittee to oversee the development of a new public library in Newport after a community campaign was launched...
New Jewish writers’ festival for Melbourne
A new writers’ festival celebrating Jewish literature will be held in Melbourne later this year. The inaugural Melbourne Jewish Writers Festival will be held from 31 May to 2 June at...
Notions Unlimited ‘saved’
Melbourne bookshop Notions Unlimited, which called for public support earlier this month to avoid closure, has announced that it has been ‘saved’. Chuck McKenzie, owner of the science-fiction, fantasy and...
Melbourne council allocates funding to Docklands, Carlton libraries
The City of Melbourne Council has allocated new funding to libraries in the Docklands and Carlton in its 2013-14 draft budget. The council has committed $6.5 million to complete the...
Melbourne council announces plans to create City of Literature office
The City of Melbourne Council has allocated $135,000 in its 2013-14 draft budget towards the establishment of a permanent City of Literature office in partnership with the Victorian Government. ...
RMIT to open pop-up bookshops; plans underway for permanent shops
RMIT University in Melbourne will open two pop-up bookshops in June to cater for students buying their textbooks for the second semester of the university year. The university said in...
In brief
Visitors down, ebook loans up at Brisbane libraries Brisbane’s libraries have recorded a ‘massive slump’ in visitors but a ‘skyrocketing’ rate of ebook loans in the past five years, reports...
Collins Booksellers Croydon for sale
Collins Booksellers and ABC Centre in Melbourne’s eastern suburb of Croydon is up for sale. The store, which was established in August 1994, has been managed by owner Mark Elliott for its...
EWF announces all-night writing camp as part of White Night Melbourne
The Emerging Writers’ Festival (EWF) will stage an all-night writing camp this month as part of White Night Melbourne. According to the White Night website, the free ‘All Nighter’ event will feature...
In brief
Manly Library attracts attention over Armstrong notice Manly Library in Sydney has been the subject of numerous media reports this week after a tongue-in-cheek sign declaring that all books written...