Readings State Library re-opens

As part of the reopening of State Library Victoria’s Russell Street Welcome Zone, Readings State Library is open to the public again.

We are focused on creating a safe environment for staff and customers. Customers are required to use the available hand sanitiser upon entry, practice social distancing of 1.5m, and to keep their visit in the store to within 15 minutes. Additionally, State Library Victoria requires that all visitors to the Library provide their names and contact details to assist with contact tracing in the event of a COVID-19 outbreak.

We have a limit of only 20 customers inside our State Library shop at a time, and if this limit is reached, we will kindly ask that you wait outside.

We are only accepting payment by card.

Please note that there is no access to the Library itself via the Russell Street Welcome Zone, and that visits to the building as a whole are limited to 45 minutes. You can find more information about the opening hours and spaces at State Library Victoria here.

If you know what you would like to purchase, we encourage you to phone ahead to place your order. You can also place an order online via our website.

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Readings State Library is the first permanent commercial bookshop permitted to be established in the building in the Library’s 150 year history. It is a unique space that caters to students, travellers, book lovers, CBD workers and library regulars.

As part of the State Library Victoria’s Vision 2020 redevelopment project, our shop was relocated to a welcoming new space beautifully designed by Australasian design firm Architectus with Scandinavia’s Schmidt Hammer Lassen Architects. Situated at the library’s Russell St entrance, Readings State Library offers a large and diverse selection of titles to browse and features a wide range of stationery.

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Accessibility

Readings State Library is now located at the Russell Street entrance for the State Library Victoria. While this entrance has stairs, an accessible entrance to the library and the Readings shop can be found on La Trobe Street.

During trading hours, the shop is accessible for people whose mobility is impaired and wheelchair users. Clear signage can be found throughout the shop and there is plenty of space inside for browsing the shelves. There are no steps within the shop.

There are some couches located in-store, which provides places for people to rest. You can find additional information about accessibility at the State Library Victoria here.

If you have any difficulties moving around the shop, encounter hard-to-reach titles, or require a pen and paper to communicate, staff members are always on hand to help.

If you have any specific questions regarding accessibility, please contact the shop directly.