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The Melbourne Athenaeum Inc ANNUAL REPORT 2012 Presented May 2013

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The Melbourne Athenaeum Inc ANNUAL REPORT 2012 Presented May 2013 The Melbourne Athenaeum Inc ANNUAL REPORT 2012 Presented May 2013 The Melbourne Athenaeum The Melbourne Athenaeum has always been an Its story is the story of the growth, maturity and important part of the life of Melbourne. It began developing cultural tastes of Melbourne as it as Melbourne’s first Mechanics’ Institute in grew from a “village” to a major international 1839—just five years after Melbourne was itself metropolis. established. President’s Report Mechanics’ Institutes made major contributions This is my first report as President of the to the cultural and social development of Melbourne Athenaeum Incorporated and it is a Victorian cities, providing accessible libraries, pleasure to be able to report that the organisation reading rooms with newspapers, lectures and continues to thrive as part of Melbourne’s literary classes. The Melbourne Mechanics’ Institute was landscape. The Athenaeum has been part of the leading cultural establishment of the new Melbourne for 174 years and I am looking colony. forward to celebrating our 175th anniversary. The present site in Collins Street was purchased in 1840 and the original two-storey building was Over the past 12 months the library under Allison completed in 1842. The Melbourne City Council Belcher continued to make significant rented the hall for use as its Council Chamber improvements in access, services and operations. until 1852 when the Town Hall was built. Our e-book program is continuing to expand and the number of book clubs meeting in the library After the 1852 gold rush, membership increased ever growing. Allison resigned in March and I dramatically and a new hall was completed in would like to acknowledge the outstanding work 1872. The next year a name change to the she has done over more than five years, first as a Melbourne Athenaeum, signaled the volunteer and then ultimately as library manager. community’s growing interest in education, culture, literature and the arts. The committee, members, volunteers and staff were sorry to see her go, and we wish her well in In 1910, the Upper Hall became an art gallery, the future. featuring famous Australian artists such as Hans Heysen, Arthur Streeton, Clarice Beckett, Tom An operational review of the library is being Roberts and Albert Namatjira. The gallery was undertaken by the committee before any new part of the Athenaeum for 55 years. appointments are made. Tom, Anna and Michael with the support of casual staff and volunteers In 1924, the hall was converted into a theatre will continue to ensure the smooth operation of showing some of the first films to come to the library for members. Melbourne, including the first “talkie” in 1929. In the 1970s, the theatre was home to the Melbourne Part of running the Athenaeum is balancing the Theatre Company. resources of the institution to ensure that we provide a great library service for members, but In 1989, the building was added to Victoria’s also continue to make much-needed Register of Historic Buildings. improvements to the building. A review of the building maintenance and a conservation Today the building houses a shop and bistro, two management plan is being completed. These theatre spaces and the Athenaeum Library, which reports will provide a foundation for the holds about 30,000 books and magazines in a committee to seek funding beyond our own collection that includes classics, contemporary resources. With secure income from three stable fiction, biography, history and crime fiction. tenants with leases in place extending to 2020 and beyond, it is on this basis that increased funds are The Melbourne Athenaeum, with its focus on being directed to the maintenance and repair of theatre, literature and the arts, has truly reflected the building. Some of the most recent work has the development of Melbourne as a cultural been to replace 90 year old wiring and commence centre, and grown and changed with the times. an upgrade of emergency lighting and fire safety systems. Business Manager’s Report The committee has undertaken a lot of work I would like to thank the committee, accountant around corporate governance. We had a strategic David Pryor, senior bookkeeper Caroline Debevc, review that looked at our own performance and library staff and volunteers for their support responsibilities and set an agenda for reviewing during what was and exceptionally busy year, the committee’s performance over the next year. both in the Library and around the building. The business plan has been updated and new sub- committees established with clear charters and Special thanks to Allison Belcher who worked reporting requirements. Sub-committees are in tirelessly throughout the year to make place to support the library, marketing and fund improvements in the library facilities and member raising, building and audit and risk. services. Thanks also to archivist Marjorie Dalvean, who has provided much support to our A number of successful external partnerships were two State Library Honorary Fellows Dr Margaret developed in 2012 to assist in building the profile Bowman and Anne Marsden, both of whom of the Athenaeum and Library including continue to uncover important information about promotion of the Reader’s Walk, the Crime and our institution’s history. I continue to enjoy the Justice Festival (hosted in collaboration with cuttings, snippets of old news print and photos Readers Feast), Rare Book Week and Open House that are often left for me to read. More of their Melbourne in June, State Library of Victoria, work will be featured in our eNewsletter in 2013. Sisters in Crime, and also sponsorship of a short story category in the Scarlet Stiletto Awards Governance called “Body in the Library”. The Athenaeum committee meets monthly and this year commenced a corporate governance I look forward to 2013 as a year to strengthen and review that has involved reviewing the committee consolidate The Athenaeum’s place in structure, sub committees and the Institution’s Melbourne’s cultural life. With a stable staff and business plan due this year. The organisation is committee, and a growing number of willing now operating under the new Associations volunteers in the library and archive, the Incorporation Reform Act 2012, and although th organisation is well placed to celebrate the 175 unnecessary under this Act will continue to have anniversary of its founding in 1839. its accounts audited annually. Building Don Smith The Athenaeum manages three commercial President tenancies that provide a stable, ongoing income source that supports the Library operation. The organisation has a responsibility to provide adequate facilities that serve both the tenants and our members. Maintenance and repairs to the building’s fabric is the primary responsibility for the Business Manager. In 2012, major work was completed to house lighting and heating in the theatre, and shelving in the Library with the support of donations from the organisation's Public Fund. We acknowledge our generous donors within this report. Once again with support of volunteers, the Library and building participated in Open House Melbourne in July. The Library attracted close to 4,000 visitors and was in the top 10 of buildings visited during the weekend. Library Library Report After an request from the Library Manager, the The Melbourne Athenaeum Library as Victoria’s committee adopted a single subscription (plus a first library provides a unique experience linking discounted concession) in 2012, returning to a members with Melbourne’s early history and our membership fee structure that had been place for beginnings as Melbourne’s oldest cultural decades. A membership drive and competition institution while at the same time providing a was promoted in the second half of the year. strong link to the future with electronic services and devices. As well as new shelving being installed, the committee approved a significant upgrade of the This year the library launched itself into the organisation's IT facilities. A new server, updated information systems age with increased emphasis software and reconditioned, but better computers on using technology to better serve our members and were purchased and installed, all of which and improve services. The eBook collection helps to support our Library management system continues to grow, and borrowing for eReaders Koha. has been steady. It is gratifying to see members Volunteer archivist Marjorie Dalvean continues to using iPads in the library and borrowing eBooks assist with many enquiries from both members, for their electronic devices. researchers and the general public about their history and ours. Due to ill health, long serving staff member Elina Rydman returned to Finland, but the library The library hosted 19 events with over 700 welcomed two new additions to Library with members and guests attending. Highlights Clare Murayama and Caroline O’Connor both included the Crime and Justice Festival hosted by giving birth to their second children. Readers Feast that brought Ian Rankin into our Library; Rare Book Week in partnership with Kay The Collection continues to be strengthened in Craddock Antiquarian Bookseller with Artist in line with the library’s Collection Development Residence, book sculptor Nicholas Jones, Policy, especially in our historic strengths of Australia’s most prolific author Di Morrissey crime fiction and biography. The Australian amongst the impressive line up. collection continues to be featured and folio books in the areas of art, architecture and design have It is hoped that 2013 will be a year of been bought for members to enjoy in the library. consolidation and planning for our 175th anniversary celebration in November 2014. I look At the end of the year, a review of the stacks collection was undertaken, and a large number of forward to seeing you at the library. those books were in poor condition. The collection continues to be reviewed, and in 2013 a Sue Westwood much needed stock-take commenced.
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