Always was, always will be Aboriginal land.
The University of Sydney Library acknowledges that our buildings, collections, and practices exist on unceded Aboriginal lands. We recognise the diversity and knowledges of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff and students across all the lands the University stands on, and respect the ongoing connection Aboriginal people have to these lands, their cultural practices, knowledge systems and histories. We pay our respects to their Elders, past and present, who have handed down custodianship to each generation for more than 60,000 years.
Money, J. (2021). Yilabara (Now). Filmed on Gadigal Country. Commissioned by the University of Sydney Library
Fisher Library 60th Anniversary Memory Book
Person holding Fisher Library 60th anniversary book with the Fisher Library roof terrace in the background
Since opening its doors in 1963, Fisher Library has been at the heart of the University of Sydney community and has had a profound impact on education, research, and the pursuit of knowledge. Designed by joint architects Ken Woolley (NSW Government Architect Office) and Tom O’Mahoney (O’Mahoney, Neville and Morgan), Fisher Library’s five-storey undergraduate wing opened in 1963 and it’s nine-storey book stack in 1966.
Memory Book submissions have highlighted that since this opening, the Library has been an important place for meetings, learning, coincidences, aspirations, love, loss, solitude, protest and community. From its music listening area with records and turntables, its recently re-opened roof terrace and its ever expanding physical and digital collections, Fisher Library has always been a hub for students to meet and collaborate and is a core part of the University of Sydney student experience.
In late 2023, students, staff, and alumni were invited to share their stories and photos from the past 60 years. These have now been compiled into a Memory Book, available to browse online through our Digital Collections and in person at Rare Books and Special Collections.
Thank you to everyone who contributed to this important work documenting the history and significance of Fisher Library. It has been a delight to read through your favourite memories and we have highlighted a few of our favourites below.
“I was working in Acquisitions in 1965 when a mutual friend brought in a fellow university research assistant and introduced us in the Accessions Room…We have now been married for over half a century.”
“…I also loved the record-listening area and tried my best to understand the 1960s and 1970s music of our parent’s generation and how it had influenced the vibrant, independent live band scene in and around Sydney in the 1980s”.
“What would be without Fisher Library? It was the place to gather on the rooftop. I had my first kiss there. Romantic memory. It was the place we studied together…We met to plot and plan everything from cappuccinos to anti-apartheid marches. I did both”.
“I loved the collection. It was my office space, my meeting room, my recording studio and even a place where I just hung out with friends. I stood for hours at the photocopiers and spent longer wondering the aisles of the stack. One of my favourite libraries and somewhere that is absolutely iconic!”
“…The first floor’s cozy hangout spots saw a lot of action, and the study rooms were our sacred sanctuaries for the group project grind. There was this one time when my classmates and I practically moved in there for what felt like an eternity, spending a good nine or ten hours straight working on our project…But hey, we conquered that project like champs, thanks to our Fisher Library marathon! One of those great memories!!”
“The library was an Aladdin’s cave of book treasures…The aisles seemed to stretch on forever and while stark, the shelving was full of enticing colourful book spines. Despite being surrounded by other students, I just loved the hushed environment that allowed me to indulge in my studies and in my fictional worlds”.
“Fisher Library has provided consistent and flexible services to students, scholars and the general public during extended hours and in a vibrant and reflective environment. I am sure that Fisher will continue to hold a special place in generations to come”.
“…Fisher Library remained an integral part of my journey. One of my proudest moments is that someone let me put a giant poster of Wonder Woman made out of post-it notes in the foyer that students could write messages wishing other students’ luck at exam time…Although I no longer work there, I can still step into the foyer and experience a comforting and familiar atmosphere”.
Person flicking through the Memory Book
Person flicking through the Memory Book
Person flicking through the Memory Book