The Maldon Athenaeum Library (MAL) is set to celebrate the online publication of a series of written vignettes about its history, which includes the building on High Street and the organisations that have called it home. A special launch of the Library History Vignettes will take place at the RSL Hall (behind the library) on Saturday 24 May from 2pm.
The library undertook an extended period of gathering, sorting and researching, some of which commenced many years ago, before library volunteer writers created ‘vignettes’ or short episodes to enliven the telling of the stories revealed by the archives. The vignettes will be available to the public on the Athenaeum’s website.
“They’re the history of how it was established, with some of the events, the people and the connections between the library and the community,” explained Eirwen, who is a volunteer committee member for the MAL.
The Library History Vignettes explore the early days of the library as a Mechanics’ Institute, the addition (and later demise) of a Billiard Room and the mysterious fires in the 1930s. Other snapshots explore the struggle to remain independent and afloat, the changing nature of borrowers (and their reading habits), plus the origins of the current building, its artworks and photographs.
Library volunteer and committee member Lynda Achren, who energetically kept the vignettes project moving, is keen to highlight the work of volunteers, who brought together their different skills and put in a lot of effort to pull the elements of the project together.
“We’re hoping for a big celebration; we’ve put it in Volunteers Week because it’s all done by volunteers and the Athenaeum has been kept going by volunteers all this time,” Lynda said. Eirwen described the vignettes as suitable for anyone with an interest in Maldon. “They’re very readable, they’re very interesting and they will be interesting to a wide range of people.”
The Library History Vignettes will be available to see after the launch at: maldonlibrary.org.au. The launch event special guests including historian and author Robyn Annear; it will take place on Saturday 24 May from 2pm at the Maldon RSL Hall, rear of 97 High Street, Maldon. RSVPs requested, contact: maldonathenaeumlibrary@gmail.com or phone 0437 094 469.
This article appeared in Tarrangower Times, 9 May 2025.
