About the project
The Robert Menzies Collection: A Living Library aims to map the connections between books, authors, writers of inscriptions, events and organisations represented in the personal library of Sir Robert Gordon Menzies, Prime Minister of Australia from 1939 to 1941 and 1949 to 1966.
This website lists all books in the collection and provides contextual information about people, organisations and events associated with Menzies' life and career.
Read more about the Robert Menzies Collection.
Dates of acquisition
We have tried to determine when each book was added to the collection. These dates have been recorded in the ‘Summary’ section of each book record. Sources for dates include:
- Books signed and dated by Menzies himself.
- Dated inscriptions in books given by others.
- Presentation slips from organisations that Menzies was associated with.
- ‘Prime Minister’s Office’ stamps. These record the date that books were received.
- ‘Acknowledged’ dates. These are usually pencilled at the top of the front endpaper.
Locations
‘Menzies Locations’ are taken from a typed catalogue of the collection held in the records of the University of Melbourne. The list records whether a book was held in Menzies’ office, his study or his bedroom. The list does not include every book in the collection, so some ‘Book’ records do not include a ‘Menzies Location’.
‘Locations’ in the form 1.1, 1.2 etc. refer to the bay and shelf in the Leigh Scott Room, Baillieu Library.