The Melbourne Athenaeum will be closed for the public holiday on Friday 26 January.

Normal hours will resume on Saturday 27 January.

Library

Browse the Collection

The library offers a wide range of book and screen clubs to suit our members' diverse reading and viewing tastes. 

Clubs meet monthly and members decide which books or movies are read or watched during the year.

Suggestions for new clubs are always welcome. Membership to any book or screen club is free with an annual subscription.

Evening Crime Fiction Book Club

Join with others who share your passion for crime fiction. We read widely across the subgenres, including detective fiction, legal thriller, courtroom drama and spy novel, and more. Tell the rest of the group what you’ve been reading. Members select the books we will be reading.

Lunchtime Crime Fiction Book Club

Come along and meet with crime enthusiasts as we discuss crime fiction novels by interesting authors. Meeting monthly, our discussions are always lively and full of different viewpoints. Bring along your curiosity, desire for knowing whodunnit, and we’ll discover the clues along the way.

Friday Lunchtime Book Club

Thursday Lunchtime Book Club

Wednesday Lunchtime Book Club

Premiere Screen Club

At the end of the year each member nominates a movie for next year’s program. Each month we watch a movie at home, come together at the Athenaeum to discuss and rate the movie while sharing wine and cheese and nibbles. The discussions are always interesting, sometimes intense, and often include a wider range of topics.

Second Screen Club

Meeting every third Wednesday of the month at 5.30pm for discussion, ratings and recommendations. Club members watch movies that can be viewed on SBS On Demand (or other free-to-air streaming platforms, eg. YouTube). Access to films is limited by SBS availability dates, so members make recommendations and the calendar of films is added to quarterly. Selections include contemporary films and 20th Century classics; drama, comedy, foreign language, animation, as determined by members.
Jan
15
2024
The crime at Black Dudley by Margery Allingham
Book Club
The crime at Black Dudley by Margery Allingham
5:45 pm | 1 hour
View Book
Feb
19
2024
Dark fire by CJ Sansom
Book Club
Dark fire by CJ Sansom
5:45 pm | 1 hour
View Book
Mar
18
2024
A disappearance in Fiji by Nilma Rao
Book Club
A disappearance in Fiji by Nilma Rao
5:45 pm | 1 hour
View Book
Apr
15
2024
The frangipani tree mystery by Ovidia Yu
Book Club
The frangipani tree mystery by Ovidia Yu
5:45 pm | 1 hour
View Book
May
20
2024
Green for danger by Christianna Brand
Book Club
Green for danger by Christianna Brand
5:45 pm | 1 hour
View Book
Jun
17
2024
Murder in the Marais by Cara Black
Book Club
Murder in the Marais by Cara Black
5:45 pm | 1 hour
View Book
Jul
17
2023
The murders in the Rue Morgue by Edgar Allan Poe
Book Club
The murders in the Rue Morgue by Edgar Allan Poe
5:45 pm | 1 hour
View Book
Aug
19
2024
Out by Natsuo Kirino
Book Club
Out by Natsuo Kirino
5:45 pm | 1 hour
View Book
Sep
16
2024
Riccardino by Andrea Camilleri
Book Club
Riccardino by Andrea Camilleri
5:45 pm | 1 hour
View Book
Oct
21
2024
Thirteen by Steve Cavanagh
Book Club
Thirteen by Steve Cavanagh
5:45 pm | 1 hour
View Book
Nov
18
2024
The Yiddish Policemen's Union by Michel Chabon
Book Club
The Yiddish Policemen's Union by Michel Chabon
5:45 pm | 1 hour
View Book
Jan
22
2024
The murders in the Rue Morgue by Edgar Allan Poe
Book Club
The murders in the Rue Morgue by Edgar Allan Poe
12:00 pm | 1 hour
View Book
Feb
26
2024
Out by Natsuo Kirino
Book Club
Out by Natsuo Kirino
12:00 pm | 1 hour
View Book
Mar
25
2024
Riccardino by Andrea Camilleri
Book Club
Riccardino by Andrea Camilleri
12:00 pm | 1 hour
View Book
Apr
22
2024
Thirteen by Steve Cavanagh
Book Club
Thirteen by Steve Cavanagh
12:00 pm | 1 hour
View Book
May
27
2024
The Yiddish Policemen's Union by Michel Chabon
Book Club
The Yiddish Policemen's Union by Michel Chabon
12:00 pm | 1 hour
View Book
Jun
24
2024
The crime at Black Dudley by Margery Allingham
Book Club
The crime at Black Dudley by Margery Allingham
12:00 pm | 1 hour
View Book
Jul
22
2024
Dark fire by CJ Sansom
Book Club
Dark fire by CJ Sansom
12:00 pm | 1 hour
View Book
Aug
26
2024
A disappearance in Fiji by Nilma Rao
Book Club
A disappearance in Fiji by Nilma Rao
12:00 pm | 1 hour
View Book
Sep
23
2024
The frangipani tree mystery by Ovidia Yu
Book Club
The frangipani tree mystery by Ovidia Yu
12:00 pm | 1 hour
View Book
Oct
28
2024
Green for danger by Christianna Brand
Book Club
Green for danger by Christianna Brand
12:00 pm | 1 hour
View Book
Nov
25
2024
Murder in the Marais by Cara Black
Book Club
Murder in the Marais by Cara Black
12:00 pm | 1 hour
View Book
Feb
09
2024
Cakes and ale by W. Somerset Maugham
Book Club
Cakes and ale by W. Somerset Maugham
12:00 pm | 1 hour
View Book
Mar
08
2024
Return to Valetto by Dominic Smith
Book Club
Return to Valetto by Dominic Smith
12:00 pm | 1 hour
View Book
Apr
12
2024
A year with Wendy Whiteley by Ashleigh Wilson
Book Club
A year with Wendy Whiteley by Ashleigh Wilson
12:00 pm | 1 hour
View Book
May
10
2024
Three men in a boat by Jerome K Jerome
Book Club
Three men in a boat by Jerome K Jerome
12:00 pm | 1 hour
View Book
Jun
14
2024
The lost flowers of Alice Hart by Holly Ringland
Book Club
The lost flowers of Alice Hart by Holly Ringland
12:00 pm | 1 hour
View Book
Jul
12
2024
Days at the Morisaki Bookshop by Satishi Yagisawa
Book Club
Days at the Morisaki Bookshop by Satishi Yagisawa
12:00 pm | 1 hour
View Book
Aug
09
2024
The bookbinder of Jericho by Pip Williams
Book Club
The bookbinder of Jericho by Pip Williams
12:00 pm | 1 hour
View Book
Sep
13
2024
Brief loves that live forever by Anrei Makine
Book Club
Brief loves that live forever by Anrei Makine
12:00 pm | 1 hour
View Book
Oct
11
2024
Lessons in chemistry by Bonnie Garmus
Book Club
Lessons in chemistry by Bonnie Garmus
12:00 pm | 1 hour
View Book
Nov
08
2024
The leopard by Giuseppe di Tomasi di Lampedusa
Book Club
The leopard by Giuseppe di Tomasi di Lampedusa
12:00 pm | 1 hour
View Book
Dec
06
2024
The hummingbird effect by Kate Mildenhall
Book Club
The hummingbird effect by Kate Mildenhall
12:00 pm | 1 hour
View Book
Jan
18
2024
Lessons in chemistry by Bonnie Garmus
Book Club
Lessons in chemistry by Bonnie Garmus
12:00 pm | 1 hour
View Book
Feb
15
2024
The leopard by Giuseppe di Tomasi di Lampedusa
Book Club
The leopard by Giuseppe di Tomasi di Lampedusa
12:00 pm | 1 hour
View Book
Mar
21
2024
The hummingbird effect by Kate Mildenhall
Book Club
The hummingbird effect by Kate Mildenhall
12:00 pm | 1 hour
View Book
Apr
18
2024
Cakes and ale by W. Somerset Maugham
Book Club
Cakes and ale by W. Somerset Maugham
12:00 pm | 1 hour
View Book
May
16
2024
Return to Valetto by Dominic Smith
Book Club
Return to Valetto by Dominic Smith
12:00 pm | 1 hour
View Book
Jun
20
2024
A year with Wendy Whiteley by Ashleigh Wilson
Book Club
A year with Wendy Whiteley by Ashleigh Wilson
12:00 pm | 1 hour
View Book
Jul
18
2024
Three men in a boat by Jerome K Jerome
Book Club
Three men in a boat by Jerome K Jerome
12:00 pm | 1 hour
View Book
Aug
15
2024
The lost flowers of Alice Hart by Holly Ringland
Book Club
The lost flowers of Alice Hart by Holly Ringland
12:00 pm | 1 hour
View Book
Sep
19
2024
Days at the Morisaki Bookshop by Satishi Yagisawa
Book Club
Days at the Morisaki Bookshop by Satishi Yagisawa
12:00 pm | 1 hour
View Book
Oct
17
2024
The bookbinder of Jericho by Pip Williams
Book Club
The bookbinder of Jericho by Pip Williams
12:00 pm | 1 hour
View Book
Dec
05*
2024
Final meeting of the year in December
Brief loves that live forever by Anrei Makine
Book Club
Brief loves that live forever by Anrei Makine
12:00 pm | 1 hour
View Book
Feb
07
2024
The bookbinder of Jericho by Pip Williams
Book Club
The bookbinder of Jericho by Pip Williams
12:00 pm | 1 hour
View Book
Mar
06
2024
Days at the Morisaki Bookshop by Satishi Yagisawa
Book Club
Days at the Morisaki Bookshop by Satishi Yagisawa
12:00 pm | 1 hour
View Book
Apr
03
2024
Brief loves that live forever by Anrei Makine
Book Club
Brief loves that live forever by Anrei Makine
12:00 pm | 1 hour
View Book
May
01
2024
Lessons in chemistry by Bonnie Garmus
Book Club
Lessons in chemistry by Bonnie Garmus
12:00 pm | 1 hour
View Book
Jun
05
2024
The leopard by Giuseppe di Tomasi di Lampedusa
Book Club
The leopard by Giuseppe di Tomasi di Lampedusa
12:00 pm | 1 hour
View Book
Jul
03
2024
The hummingbird effect by Kate Mildenhall
Book Club
The hummingbird effect by Kate Mildenhall
12:00 pm | 1 hour
View Book
Aug
07
2024
Cakes and ale by W. Somerset Maugham
Book Club
Cakes and ale by W. Somerset Maugham
12:00 pm | 1 hour
View Book
Sep
04
2024
Return to Valetto by Dominic Smith
Book Club
Return to Valetto by Dominic Smith
12:00 pm | 1 hour
View Book
Oct
02
2024
A year with Wendy Whiteley by Ashleigh Wilson
Book Club
A year with Wendy Whiteley by Ashleigh Wilson
12:00 pm | 1 hour
View Book
Nov
06
2024
Three men in a boat by Jerome K Jerome
Book Club
Three men in a boat by Jerome K Jerome
12:00 pm | 1 hour
View Book
Dec
04
2024
The lost flowers of Alice Hart by Holly Ringland
Book Club
The lost flowers of Alice Hart by Holly Ringland
12:00 pm | 1 hour
View Book
Feb
07
2024
Moonstruck
Book Club
Moonstruck
6:00 pm | 1-1.5 hours
View Book
Mar
06
2024
Into the spider-verse
Book Club
Into the spider-verse
6:00 pm | 1-1.5 hours
View Book
Apr
03
2024
My life as a zucchini
Book Club
My life as a zucchini
6:00 pm | 1-1.5 hours
May
01
2024
A man called Otto
Book Club
A man called Otto
6:00 pm | 1-1.5 hours
View Book
Jun
05
2024
Parasite
Book Club
Parasite
6:00 pm | 1-1.5 hours
View Book
Jul
03
2024
Mad Max 2
Book Club
Mad Max 2
6:00 pm | 1-1.5 hours
View Book
Aug
07
2024
All about Eve
Book Club
All about Eve
6:00 pm | 1-1.5 hours
View Book
Sep
04
2024
Everything everywhere all at once
Book Club
Everything everywhere all at once
6:00 pm | 1-1.5 hours
View Book
Oct
02
2024
Imitation of life
Book Club
Imitation of life
6:00 pm | 1-1.5 hours
View Book
Nov
06
2024
Thelma and Louise
Book Club
Thelma and Louise
6:00 pm | 1-1.5 hours
View Book
Dec
04
2024
The Adventures of Priscilla, queen of the desert
Book Club
The Adventures of Priscilla, queen of the desert
6:00 pm | 1-1.5 hours
Jan
17*
2024
SBS On Demand until 31/01
Far from men
Book Club
Far from men
5:30 pm | 1-1.5 hours
View Book
Feb
21*
2024
SBS On Demand until 20/03
Sorry we missed you
Book Club
Sorry we missed you
5:30 pm | 1-1.5 hours
View Book
Mar
20*
2024
SBS On Demand until 24/03
Supernova
Book Club
Supernova
5:30 pm | 1-1.5 hours
View Book
Apr
17*
2024
SBS On Demand until 30/04
The mouse that roared
Book Club
The mouse that roared
5:30 pm | 1-1.5 hours
View Book
May
15*
2024
SBS On Demand until 31/05
Wildlife
Book Club
Wildlife
5:30 pm | 1-1.5 hours
View Book
Jun
19*
2024
Available on YouTube
Metropolis
Book Club
Metropolis
5:30 pm | 1-1.5 hours
View Book
Jul
17
2024
TBA
Book Club
TBA
5:30 pm | 1-1.5 hours
Aug
21
2024
TBA
Book Club
TBA
5:30 pm | 1-1.5 hours
Sep
18
2024
TBA
Book Club
TBA
5:30 pm | 1-1.5 hours
Oct
16
2024
TBA
Book Club
TBA
5:30 pm | 1-1.5 hours
Nov
20
2024
TBA
Book Club
TBA
5:30 pm | 1-1.5 hours
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Circulation desk 2020 by Grace Petrou
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