Victorian Mechanics’ Institutes
The first Victorian Mechanics' Institute was established in 1839, with over 500 remaining today. At least six of these Institutes continue to run library services. The operation of Mechanics’ Institutes in Victoria, particularly in relation to the sale or transfer of land, comes under Section 4 of the Libraries Act 1988, which is the responsibility of the Minister for Local Government.
A detailed report on the Library of the Mechanics’ Institute of Australia (PDF 258kb) has been produced by Frances Clancy on behalf of the Department of Planning and Community Development
For more information about Mechanics’ Institutes, visit 
The Mechanics Institutes of Victoria Inc.
This page contains downloadable documents. In order to view PDF documents you will require Adobe Reader. To view other file types such as Word, Excel, Powerpoint and ZIP, other tools may be required.
Web Site Updates
DPCD's websites are progressively being updated to reflect the changes following the establishment of the
department. This means you will continue to see some references to the Department for Victorian Communities
(DVC) as changes are being made.
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