Historic Hall
The Institute Book Collection
The BMI has a collection of books and newspapers that has been acquired from the time the Institute commenced in Ballarat.The bookplates reflect the diversity of the acquisitions.
Most plates have Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute provenance, however, the range indicate that when other institutions closed or discontinued services, the BMI gained a variety of titles. The plates include:-
| Creswick Mechanics’ Institute | Institute City of Ballarat Free library |
| Talbot M.I. | Ballarat East Public library |
| Smythesdale M.I. | Newtown library |
| Cargnham M.I. | Ararat City library |
| Clunes M.I. | Bllt. Young Mens Debating Soc |
| Skipton M.I. | Bacchus Marsh public library |
| Beaufort M.I. | Young Mens General Debating Society |
| Dean M.I. | Victorian Subscription library |
| Amhurs:t M.I. | Smeaton Free library |
| Snake Valley M.I. | Tallygaroopna Free library |
| Warraknabeal M.I. | Methodist Ladies Coilege |
| Melbourne Athenaeum M.I. | Scarsdale Public library |
| Maryborough Free library | Ballarat municipal library |
| Lexton Free library | Ballarat Ironworkers & Polytechnic Assoc. |
| Clunes Free library | Ararat Regional library |
| Talbot Public library | Mullin’s library |
| Ballarat Commercial Club | Sebastopol Free library |
| Lydiard Street Lending library | Skipton Public library |
| Public Library of Victoria | RMIT libraries |
| Aquinus university Bllt. | Central Highlands Regional Library |
| Barham’s [ibrary | Ballarat Caledonian Society |
| Ballarat Rate office |
Total Books In the Collection
fiction and non-fiction. 26,961
Total fiction and non-fiction books considered worthy of conservation 15,189
They include:-
176 books published before 1800
5,255 published 1801-1900
5,155 published 1901-1950
4603 are still in process of confirming date of publication.
