Moonee Valley Family & Local History Blog

Back in May we were happy to announce that remote access to Ancestry.com had been extended until September 2021. Now we’re even happier to announce that this access has been extended further, to December 31, 2021! This means you can access all the records found in the library edition of Ancestry from home until the end of the year, just by logging in with your library card details. Three Boys with Train Set & Teddy, Backyard, Strathmore, 1949 , photograph courtesy of Museums Victoria Ancestry is always adding new records to their database (such as Paris, France, Births, Marriages, and Deaths, 1792-1902 ), and updating the collections that have already been uploaded (like Canada, Newspapers.com Obituary Index, 1800s-current ). So even if you’ve searched Ancestry before and haven’t found the information you were looking for, there’s a chance new records that might help with your research have been added in the meantime. It’s always worth having another search! If you haven’t accessed...

Curious about when your house was built? Interested in finding out about the original occupants? Wondering about the history of that interesting old building on your street? Don't know where to begin? Moonee Valley Libraries has just the guide for you! Our Researching the History of a Building guide brings together all the resources available through Moonee Valley libraries, as well as online, to get your started with your research project. Whether you're interested in when it was built, the original occupants of a building, the architecture style or tracking down an old photo of a bulding, the guide has tips and tricks to point you in the right direction. Once you're familiar with the resources available to you from home, let yourself fall down a research rabbit hole and see what you uncover. And keep an eye on Moonee Valley Library's  Eventbrite page and social media channels for our upcoming online event Trace the History of Your House, for National Family Histor...

We might be spending a bit more time at home at the moment, so what better time to get stuck into researching your family history! Tracing your family tree and recording your family history is one of the world's most popular pass times, and many of the resources to get you started are available online. Moonee Valley Libraries has created a handy guide to tracing your family history, which will introduce you to the resources available to help you with your research. The guide includes tips to think about before you get started, how to make the most of Ancestry Library Edition and Find my Past, and links to a lot of useful websites and organisations to help you dig out information about your family history. Click here to access the guide and get started discovering your history. Once you’re familiar with how to use these online resources, a world of information awaits you. Dive in and you may be amazed with what you discover- royalty, perhaps? Royal Family Tree - image courtesy ...

Brrr! The first day of winter, and it is bitterly cold and wet! But the exciting news is, today Moonee Valley Libraries reopen to the public! We closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but we knew many would miss our services. So we tried to keep things running how we could. Here's some of what we did while our libraries and return chutes had to be shut: 1. We went online. The internet offered an obvious way to connect and offer some services while our buildings were closed. We've always offered lots of online services, from ebooks to streaming video, but while our branches were closed we added much more. We blogged and podcasted and created book reviews. Online talks were hosted, and lots of storytimes, baby rhymetimes and toddler times were filmed. Australia's Biggest Morning Tea went online too. And we added an extra Tech Help phone line to help people use our online offerings.   Storytimes and other childrens' activities online have been a huge hit.   2. We embraced p...

Back in November 1976 Ascot Vale Library held their Grand Opening...     Montage from an Essendon Gazette artic le, from 1976, about the opening.    Now Ascot Vale Library is turning 40...    Library 40th Celebration invite   The building has recently been refurbished, inside and out, and is all ready for a big celebration this Saturday 26th November, 10am - 1pm.        

National Family History Month is back for 2016! Happening in August, this national event aims to highlight and promote family history research. Along with getting research tips on how to find that long lost uncle, learn how to better tell your family story and present your findings to the world. To find events near you visit:  http://familyhistorymonth.org.au/ For those who live close to Moonee Valley, visit our Eventbrite page here .

Essendon Town Hall with Lending Library inside. Sam Merrifield Local History Collection Local Historian Lenore Frost has been busy over the past few months researching the history of libraries in Moonee Valley. Looking at the libraries of Essendon and Flemington, Lenore tells the story of how libraries begun in our area and how they grew out of a public desire for books. If you're looking to learn about how the libraries of Moonee Valley begun, Lenore's work is a great resource. You can find the link to her time travellers website below: Essendon Time Travellers Blog

Did you know about our #FlashbackFriday campaign? Moonee Valley Libraries is trying to highlight some memories from yesteryear and we want your help. If you have a photo from somewhere in Moonee Valley and would like to share it with us so we can use it on our Facebook page, comment below or email the library service with your image and ask to forward it to the history department at: librarian@mvcc.vic.gov.au To find out more, check out our Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/mooneevalleylibraries

They're back and they're better than ever! The Sands & McDougall directories are on the way back from being rebound and are hitting the shelves again. You can now turn the pages of these fantastic volumes without fear of breaking the binding, or of pages going everywhere. The Sands & McDougall are great for finding out information about who lived in your home as well as what businesses were in the area between 1862 to 1974. The rest of the volumes will be returning to the shelves of the Sam Merrifield Library (762 Mt Alexander Rd, Moonee Ponds) in the coming weeks, so keep an eye out for them. Remember if you have any inquiries about who lived in your house, or where to start your local history research, contact Sam Merrifield Library on (03) 8325 1950 or visit the library building research guide here .

Moonee Valley Libraries has successfully completed the eSmart Libraries Program.   eSmart Libraries is   about informing and educating staff and library users about cybersafety: that is how be safe when using digital technology. This includes the internet, online services, email, all social media such as Facebook. The program has been developed by the by the Telstra Foundation and The Alannah and Madeline Foundation in collaboration with Australia’s library network. Libraries participating in the program are connecting their users with tools and resources to help improve cybersafety and wellbeing. By completing this Program, Moonee Valley Libraries is now accredited as an eSmart Library. For more information on cybersafety at Moonee Valley Libraries please click here .

So you’ve done your family history research. How do you now present the results?  Hazel Edwards is a writer who also teaches others how to write.   In this presentation she shares her skills in shaping stories. She will also outline strategies for interviewing relatives, shaping anecdotes, not just listing dates, structuring and publishing. She will also look at a variety of formats such as e-stories, photographic and audio stories. This is a great opportunity to learn how to leave a lasting legacy for a younger generation. For bookings click here When: Monday, 24 August 2015 from 7:00 PM Where: Sam Merrifield Library, 762 Mount Alexander Road, Moonee Ponds, VIC 3039

Old and valuable photographs, letters and other objects fade and crumble over time. Find out how you can minimise this.  Debra Parry has gained extensive experience in preservation and conservation through her work at the National Archives of Australia, Heritage Victoria and the National Museum of Cambodia. In this presentation Debra will explain how materials deteriorate and how to minimise deterioration through appropriate storage handling and display. When: Tuesday 18 August, 6:30pm - 7:30pm Where: Flemington Library, 313 Racecourse Rd Flemington, VIC 3031 Book here