Podcasts

The Library That Made Me podcast brings to life the stories of acclaimed Australian writers, thinkers, performers and other remarkable individuals as they reflect on the libraries that have shaped them. Hosted by Philllipa McGuinness, these stories reveal the funny, moving, surprising and deeply personal connections we have with libraries, as shared by contributors ranging from Anna Funder to Markus Zusak. A love letter to libraries everywhere, this podcast will make you wonder about the library that made you. 

Originally published in the book The Library That Made Me: 200 years of the State Library of NSW.
 

Portrait Detective is a new podcast series brought to you by the State Library of NSW, Create NSW and Essex Street Media. Portrait Detective dives into the collections of the State Library to discover the stories behind iconic portraits from 1817 to 1865. Join curator Margot Riley and podcast producer Cassie Gilmartin as they journey back in time to discuss each portrait’s significance and how these images can help you learn more about photographs in your family history collection.

Visit the Portrait Detective site to listen to this podcast

In 1918–19 an influenza pandemic took an estimated 15,000 Australian lives, and millions more around the world. One hundred years on, as we grapple with COVID-19, this five-part series rakes through the archives of the State Library of NSW with historians, public health experts and scientists to trace the path of the 1918-19 pandemic. An eerily familiar story of loss, resilience and discovery in a world turned upside down.

Thousands of people travel through Sydney’s Central Station every day, but how many know what once lay beneath it? This nine-part series will take you on a journey back to 19th century Sydney, to rediscover a place you thought you knew.

The journey to build the Sydney Harbour Bridge would take almost 100 years. In this 5-part series, travel through history to experience the story of realising a city's dream. The building of the bridge was a modern marvel of its time; a feat uniting Sydney.