This story was originally published in October 1, 2024 and Star Weekly has chosen to share it again for readers to enjoy.
The Footscray Mechanics Institute might seem an odd venue to host a talk on Bob Dylan, but that’s precisely what will happen on Friday, October 4, when his 1962 self-titled debut album will be the subject of a free discussion.
But according to institute librarian Cameron Borg, the combination of venue and subject matter isn’t as unlikely as it might seem.
“Mechanics institutes had their origin in the 19th century and were basically set up as working a people’s library or club,” Mr Borg explained.
“It was basically to give working class people an education back at time when they couldn’t afford one. Public libraries only came into being post World War II in Australia.”
By contrast, the Footscray Mechanics Institute (FMI) was established in 1856 and has been in its current location at the southern end of Nicholson Street since 1913.
Over that time the FMI library has built an extensive and eclectic collection of books, which Mr Borg said was where the idea of hosting a Dylan discussion came about.
“The thing with Dylan is we’ve got a collection here of books on his life and work,” he said.
“We’ve got his biography and others that deal with his music and songs, so this event, by focusing on a specific part of his career, will hopefully promote the books in our collection and get people to come in who want to learn more about him.”
Mr Borg said the talk would focus on Dylan’s debut due to the fact that unlike the rest of his catalogue, it features only two original compositions.
“The rest were covers of legendary blues and folk artists, so that gives us a lot to talk about,” he said.
“There’s a lot of little rabbit holes we can go down.”
The Bob Dylan discussion begins at 12pm on Friday, October 4 at the Footscray Mechanics Institute, 209 Nicholson Street.
