• Research publications

    Swinburne Research Bank is our official institutional repository. This is an open access collection of scholarly publications by Swinburne researchers.  

  • Edge of open book pages

    Swinburne Commons

    A collection of open access and Swinburne-restricted digital media: public lectures, university events, graduation ceremonies, webinars, podcasts, online tutorials, educational resources, images and selected student works.  

  • Theses

    A collection of databases for sourcing higher-degree theses from Swinburne, Australia and international universities.  

  • Young female student reads through the course guide

    Course guides and handbooks

    This historical archive is a collection of course guides and handbooks that detail past courses, student services, facilities and campuses.

  • Interior inside view of an exam hall set up in preparation for a major assessment test or examination.

    Past exam papers

    This historical archive is a collection of exam papers for a select range of subjects. 

Swinburne Library provides access to four special collections that feature items of historical or significant importance. Most of the items in these collections can be accessed online or are in the process of being digitised. Find out more about these collections and how you can access them.  

Design Special Collection

This collection of historical source material and contemporary design-related material traces the history of modernist design in Australia in the first half of the 20th century. It includes journals, leaflets and ephemera on Australian art, architecture, interior design, fashion, costume, performing arts, circus, graphic arts and industrial design plus design tools such as colour charts and samples of printed objects in unusual format. 

We have digitised material from the collection. You can view digital flipbooks of early editions of The Home Annual, Decoration and Glass, The Australian National Journal, Architecture and Arts and more. Access is only available to current Swinburne staff and students. If you are a staff member/researcher who requires access to the physical collection, please contact your liaison librarian.

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Eldon and Anne Foote Philanthropy Collection

The collection was established to support students and staff of the Centre for Social Impact, as part of the wider Centre for Social Impact network. Swinburne students and staff can access the collection online through this link or by searching the library catalogue using keywords related to philanthropy. 

Students, researchers and other interested individuals and organisations outside Swinburne can access the collection through inter-library loan and reciprocal borrowing arrangements.

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Swinburne Art Collection 

This collection was established by Swinburne's founder, George Swinburne, more than 100 years ago. The collection is comprised of approximately 200 works including paintings, commissioned portraits, photographs, a specially commissioned tapestry, furniture and sculptures. Many of the works were created or donated by Swinburne staff, students and alumni. 

The majority of the collection is on display in public areas of our university across all three campuses, where it can be accessed and enjoyed by the wider community. Whenever possible, a digitally rendered copy of each artwork has been made available online. 

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  • Photograph of a man sunbaking
    The Sunbaker, 1937 by Max Dupain (1911–1992)
  • Painting of a woman sitting at a table with flowers
    Girl at Table, Thursday Island by Ray Austin Crooke (1922–)
  • Painting of a street with city skyline visible in background
    Founder's Vision by Laurence Scott Pendlebury (1914–1986)
  • Panorama painting of hills
    Panorama, Hill Country, 1954 by William Leonard (Len) Lloyd Annois (1906–1966)

Swinburne History Collection 

This collection includes more than 8,000 items of cultural and historical importance to Swinburne University of Technology, such as photographs, videos, audio, transcripts of speeches, maps and building plans. The items provide present and future generations with insights into the people, places and events that are significant to Swinburne. Many of the items were created and/or donated by Swinburne staff, students and alumni. Swinburne Library is responsible for accepting, preserving and making these items accessible for current and future generations. 

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  • Old photograph of women looking at drawings
    Search historical photographs of Swinburne's staff, students, events and campus buildings.
  • Man speaking at podium
    Watch archival video footage and audio recordings from Swinburne's history.
  • Old book cover for Miss Drake's Home Cookery
    Explore memorabilia including rare books, programs, posters, banners and historical ephemera.

Contact the library

For all enquiries and feedback, please email library@swinburne.edu.au or call 1300 794 628. Alternatively, complete this form so our team members can get in touch with you.

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