List of chief librarians at State Library Victoria

The State Library Victoria's first librarian, Augustus Tulk, was appointed in 1856. Today, the person responsible for the overall management of the state library is the Chief Librarian, who is also the library's Chief Executive Officer. Throughout the library's history, incumbents in this senior leadership role have also been known as the State Librarian of Victoria.

Chief Librarians and CEOs

1856-1873: Augustus Henry Tulk, first librarian 1873-1881: Henry Sheffield 1881-1895: Thomas Francis Bride, LL.D. 1895-1896: Michael Francis Dowden, LL.B. 1896-1925: Edmund La Touche Armstrong, M.A., LL.B. 1925-1931: Robert Douglass Boys, B.A. 1931-1943: Ernest Roland Pitt, B.A. 1943-1944: Thomas Fleming Cooke, B.A. 1944-1945: William Charles Baud, B.A. 1945-1960: Colin Alexander McCallum, O.B.E., B.A. 1960-1965: John Andrew Feely, B.Sc. 1965-1967: (Acting) Thomas Arthur Kealy, B.A. 1967-1981: Kenneth Horn, B.A., Mus.B., Dip.N.Z.L.S. 1982-1985: Warren Horton, B.A. 1986-1989: Jane La Scala, B.SocSc. 1989-1993: Leah Mann, B.A., Dip.Soc.St. 1993: (Acting) Derek Whitehead OAM, BA (Hons), BD (Hons) MLib, GradDipLib 1993-1997: Helen Tait, B.A., Dip.N.Z.L.S. 1997: (Acting) Derek Whitehead 1997-2002: Frances Awcock, B.A., Dip.Lib. 2003-2011: Anne-Marie Schwirtlich, BA (Hons), Dip Info Management - Archives Administration 2011-2012: (Acting) Sue Hamilton 2012-2015: Sue Roberts, BA (Hons), PGDipLib, MA, CEO and State Librarian 2015: (Acting) Justine Hyde 2015-2021: Kate Torney, B. Communications, Chief Executive Officer 2021-2022: (Acting) Sarah Slade 2022-2025: Paul Duldig, BEcon (Hons), MEcon 2025-2026: (Acting) John Wicks 2026: (Interim) Alistair Mytton 2026: Roxanne Missingham, Director, Collections and Chief Librarian 2026: Vicki McDonald, Chief Executive Officer

References

See also Edquist, Harriet.  Building a new world: a history of the State Library of Victoria, 1853-1913. Melbourne, Vic., State Library of Victoria, 2013. McVilly, David. A history of the State Library of Victoria, 1853-1974. Thesis (M.A.). Clayton, Vic., Monash University, 1975.