Objects of Substance – Historic Library Furniture

‘You save the furniture; you save the heritage,’ reflected Mrs Cooke whose committed care of, not just the library’s collection, but the School's historic objects is evident in the diverse assortment of furnishings throughout the five floors of the Research Learning Centre. Art desks and chairs from the 1930s, a podium from the old Assembly Hall, desks from the 1920s and 1950s, and a myriad of shelves, tables, and antique sideboards from the rooms and corridors of the Main Building adorn the Beanland Library. Each has a story, and each reminds us of past Grammar girls and forms a direct, physical connection to the students of today. They ‘add warmth to the library’ (Cooke, 2023), and set it apart from other school libraries that may throw out the old solely to embrace the new, but perhaps lose a vital part of themselves when they do. Our Girls Grammar history is valued, preserved, and lived in each of the library spaces, for as Mrs Cooke commented, ‘To throw (the furniture) away is like throwing away your family album’ (2023). 3 -

History in action; Charlotte Wilson (10G) seated on a 1962 chair at the 1930 table, reads a 1928 book in the Beanland Memorial Library, opened in 2015

Ms Rachael Christopherson Director of Director of Library and Information Services