Collections in the Earth Sciences Library
Earth Sciences Collection
- Geology
- Meteorology
- Palaeontology
- Climatology
- Vulcanology
- Oceanography
- Hydrology
- Geochemistry
- Mineralogy
Earth Sciences Rare Book Collection
The Earth Sciences Rare Book Collection is an important research collection of rare and early geological and paleontological texts. The collection includes many seminal works from the 19th and early 20th centuries. It has particularly strong holdings of early paleontological works in English, French & German. The collection also includes significant runs of many early periodical titles. Approximately 65% of the items are the only known copy available in Australia . The collection's origins as the private collections and personal libraries of individuals such as Ernest Skeats and Frederick McCoy mean it is historically and socially significant not only to the School of Earth Sciences but also the Faculty of Science and the wider University of Melbourne community.
The Earth Sciences Rare Book Collection will shortly be relocated to climate controlled off-site storage facilities. For more information please contact Guido Tresoldi.
Lasica Collection
This collection consists of 1200 books and journals relating mainly to dance but including as supporting material drama, costume, theatre production, psychology, art, literature and cultural studies. It is a cohesive reflection of the influences behind the artistic creativity of Margaret Lasica’s career in dance.
Margaret Lasica migrated to Australia in 1939. She was an early pioneer of modern dance in Australia. Margaret taught at the Kindergarten Teachers College, Institute of Early Childhood Development, Melbourne Teacher’s College, Melbourne College of Advanced Education, and taught dance and movement classes for patients at Laurundel Psychiatric Hospital and private studios.
She established the Modern Dance Ensemble, which under her guidance as artistic director had extensive connections with the University of Melbourne and Victorian Opera Company in the 1970s. The Ensemble performed in the Union Theatre, University of Melbourne from 1969. One former dance member was Lloyd Newson who founded the innovative dance company DV8 in London.
The collection complements the papers held in the National Library of Australia. These papers document Lasica’s involvement with a variety of Australian dance companies, her professional reading, and the Modern Dance History Project and Archive.
The collection supports the research activity of the Dance division in the School of Performing Arts, Faculty of the Victorian College of the Arts and Music, with its emphasis on contemporary choreographic research and development.
Access: The collection is catalogued onto the library catalogue and is available for consultation in the Lenton Parr Library. It is not for loan.
E. J. Moeran Collection
Ernest John Moeran was an English composer born in 1894 in Heston, England. His compositions reflect his English and Irish heritage and are based strongly on folk tunes from the counties in which he lived and dwelt.
The collection of music at the Lenton Parr Library contains 107 items in all. Forty-two of these are original manuscripts and the other 65 are early-published editions.
The collection was donated to the then Victorian College of the Arts Library, by Moeran's widow, Peers Coetmore. She was an Australian violoncellist and teacher at the Victorian College of the Arts in the 1970s.
Access: A finding aid is available. The collection is available for consultation in the Lenton Parr Library on consultation with the Music, Visual and Performing Arts Librarian. It is not for loan.