A few of our favourite things - Rare Book Week talk
About the event
The City of Sydney Archives holds over 1 million items. Half of these are digitised and available to download. In this free event, offered as part of Rare Book Week and to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the City Archives, discover some of the treasures that have captured the imagination of our archivists. Join us for a special talk and rare opportunity to view original archival material from the City’s remarkable collection. Examine digitised volumes of reports to Council from 1857 to 1899, and learn what they reveal about Council priorities, the growth of the city and the lives of its people. Learn about the 1926 competition to landscape Hyde Park and discover one man’s vision for Sydney’s oldest and most iconic park – a vision never fully realised. Learn how to search the Archives & History Resources catalogue to find these items. City Archivist Janet Villata has extensive experience in archives management and was on the project team that delivered the City’s award-winning Archives & History Resources catalogue. Archivist Jennifer Palmer has extensive experience in the archives, library and museum sectors and has a strong interest in the history of public art at the city. This event is presented as part of the Sydney Rare Book Week 2026 program. The program concludes with the Sydney Rare Book Fair at the State Library of New South Wales, 22 October to 24 October 2026.
