State Library Victoria is more than just a research space – it’s a place where people reconnect with their past, uncover lost relatives and piece together their family’s untold stories. However, many of these discoveries remain out of reach, locked away in fragile microfilm reels that can only be accessed in Melbourne. 

One of the most at-risk manuscript collections is the Melbourne Benevolent Asylum registers – an essential record of early migrants and those who sought refuge in one of Melbourne’s first social welfare institutions. These pages hold vital clues about family origins, hardships and lost connections, but without digitisation, they remain inaccessible. Even visitors at the Library face challenges, as outdated microfilm readers make research slow and difficult.