Jessie Street National Women's Library

27/08/2026

The Art of the Calendar 📆

Imagine these hanging in kitchens and offices across Sydney in the 1980s…

At Jessie Street National Women’s Library, we hold Women in Screenprinting calendars from 1983, 1984, 1985 and 1988. These weren’t just calendars, they were beautiful works of art, created by women and connected to the vibrant screenprinting culture of the time.
And if you look closely, you can still see the women who used them: handwritten appointments, birthdays and holidays recorded alongside the artwork. Little glimpses of everyday life, preserved for decades.

The calendars were designed and printed by women from three Sydney screenprinting organisations: Garage Graphix in Mt Druitt provided open-access screenprinting and art workshops; the Inner City Education Centre supported educational workers to create materials; and Harridan in Petersham was a feminist collective creating posters for women’s and community groups while providing women with access to screenprinting and darkroom facilities.

These calendars capture so much more than dates. They tell stories of women’s art, activism, community and everyday life in 1980s Sydney.

📚 Explore more of the Jessie Street National Women’s Library collection and discover the stories hiding in the everyday objects of women’s history.

25/08/2026

Our shelves are stacked with theses, conference papers, government reports, research publications, commission reports and so much more. They cover almost every topic you could imagine impacting women’s lives throughout Australian history.

From representations of women in the media, to women in trade work, healthcare, legal services and disability advocacy, our collections offer countless ways to uncover the history of Australian women.

Explore the full collection through our online catalogue. Link in bio 🔗

21/08/2026

Follow us on Facebook from 7th - 13th September for a curated selection of speakers from the history of our Lunch Hour Talks.

We'll be featuring inspiring women who have shared their knowledge, experiences and stories with us including Faith Bandler, Anita Heiss and more.

This is an online event, with images, stories and soundbites shared throughout the week on our page.

Kept, Shared and Remembered: Women’s Stories from the Jessie Street National Women’s Library.

Jessie Street National Women's Library presents Lunch Hour Talks that showcase the achievements, experiences and contributions of women to Australian society. Held five times throughout the year, the talks feature authors, historians, researchers, academics and community leaders who present on a wide range of topics relating to women’s history, culture, social justice and contemporary issues.

As part of History Week 2026, the Library will showcase a selection of seven speakers, featuring a sound bite from their Lunch Hour Talk. Covering diverse aspects of Australian women’s history, the talks highlight the depth of the Library’s programs and collections while encouraging new audiences to engage with the stories, achievements and experiences of women from across the nation.

When: 7 - 13 September from 11:00am. This is an online event.

Booking link: https://buff.ly/rAAp8PS

For more exciting History Week events check out Events Calendar. https://historycouncilnsw.org.au/whats-on-2/

21/08/2026

🔬 3 Australian Women Who Made Science History 🇦🇺

It’s National Science Week! A perfect time to celebrate the Australian women whose contributions to science helped shape our understanding of the world. This is just a small selection of the many Australian women who have made significant contributions to science and whose stories deserve to be remembered.

📡 Ruby Payne-Scott (1912–1981)
A pioneering physicist and one of Australia’s first radio astronomers, Ruby helped lay the foundations of radio astronomy and made important discoveries about the Sun. She was also a fierce advocate for women’s rights, challenging unequal pay, workplace discrimination and rules that restricted women in science.

🪨 Dorothy Hill (1907–1997)
A pioneering geologist and palaeontologist, Dorothy became Australia’s first woman professor in 1959 and the first woman elected to the Australian Academy of Science. Her research into fossil corals and Australian geology made a significant contribution to our understanding of Australia’s geological history. In 1970, she became the first woman President of the Academy.

🔬 Georgina Sweet (1875–1946)
A zoologist and pioneering parasitologist, Georgina was the first woman to receive a Doctor of Science from the University of Melbourne. She became one of Australia’s leading researchers of parasites affecting livestock and native animals and was a strong advocate for women’s education and representation in academia, mentoring the next generation of scientists along the way.

📚 Discover more at Jessie Street National Women’s Library

The Library holds resources that capture the history of women in science in Australia, including books, journals, posters and archival collections. These resources help ensure that the achievements and experiences of women in science are remembered and remain accessible for future generations.
These women didn’t just contribute to science, they helped make space for the women who came after them. 💜

18/08/2026

Blue Plaques NSW brings to life the amazing stories of people and events that have shaped NSW. Nominations are now open for the next round of Blue Plaques.

It's a wonderful opportunity to put forward the stories of people, places and events that deserve to be better known, especially little known, fascinating and unique stories that might otherwise be forgotten.

Know a story that deserves to be told? To find out more or to submit a nomination follow the link below!

Blue Plaques NSW - Round 4 nominations

16/08/2026

Lunch Hour Talk: How the How the F*ck Would I Know? — with Kate Rowe

Join us on Thursday 20 August for a fascinating and honest conversation with Kate Rowe, author of “How the F*ck Would I Know?”

At 75, Kate is a Ten Pound Pom, Aussie by choice, ageing le***an feminist, 78er, athlete, traveller, survivor and unapologetic truth-teller. Clean and sober for 49 years, Kate brings sharp wit, humour and deep humanity to stories drawn from a life lived boldly and honestly.

Her memoir is raw, funny and deeply personal, reflecting on resilience, politics, freedom, joy and the unexpected places we find them.

📍 Customs House Library, Circular Quay
🗓️ Thursday 20 August 2026
☕ Tea, coffee & sandwiches from 11.30am
🎤 Talk begins at 12.15pm
💜 JSNWL members $20 | Non-members $25

Bookings close Monday 17 August at noon.

📞 (02) 9571 5359
📧 [email protected]

Come along for an honest conversation, some unexpected stories and plenty of Kate’s trademark wit.

06/08/2026

Come behind the scenes with us as we take a look at one of the Jessie Street National Women’s Library’s most fascinating collections.

Our serials collection contains more than 500 newspapers, newsletters, magazines, journals and academic periodicals, many of which capture moments in Australian women’s history that weren’t recorded anywhere else. From grassroots Women’s Liberation newsletters of the 1970s to feminist magazines and community publications, each issue tells a story of the people, campaigns and ideas that helped shape the lives of women across Australia.

These publications are more than just magazines, they’re snapshots of history, preserving the voices and experiences of generations of women.

We’re excited to share more from this incredible collection over the coming weeks.

In the meantime, you can browse our full serials holdings through the Library catalogue on our website.

04/08/2026

Boxes. Stacks. Shelves. 📦📚

This is what preserving history looks like behind the scenes at Jessie Street National Women’s Library. Our archives, serials and badge collections are carefully organised and stored so they can be preserved, discovered and shared for generations to come.

Every box holds stories. Every shelf protects a piece of women’s history.

01/08/2026

First Among Us: Australian Women Who Led the Way

On the first of each month, Jessie Street National Women’s Library will be celebrating the women who challenged expectations, broke barriers, and paved the way for others.

This month, we’re highlighting F***y Durack (1889–1956). A pioneering Australian swimmer and the first Australian woman to win an Olympic gold medal. Born in Sydney, F***y learned to swim at Coogee Baths and quickly became a champion, winning her first state title as a schoolgirl in 1906. At a time when women faced restrictions in competitive sport, F***y’s determination helped change perceptions of what women could achieve.

In 1912, she won gold in the 100-metre freestyle at the Stockholm Olympic Games, becoming a trailblazer for Australian women in sport. Throughout her career, she broke twelve world records and helped promote women’s swimming internationally. After retiring from competition, F***y continued to contribute to the sport by coaching young swimmers and supporting future generations of athletes.

Discover more about F***y Durack and other remarkable Australian women through the library’s collection.

📖Australian Women at the Olympics by Dennis H. Phillips

📖Strength of Purpose: Australian Women of Achievement from Federation to the Mid-20th Century by Susanna de Vries

📖Great Australian Women: From Federation to Freedom by Susanna de Vries.

Explore our catalogue to uncover more stories of the women who shaped Australian history.