A state library has abandoned plans to restructure its services following public outcry from prominent Australian historians, writers and academics.
State Library Victoria announced in November it would be "reorganising" its operations to better deliver services amid surging visitor demand.
But the plan, that would have involved cutting library staff from 21 to 10, was met with furious outcry from prominent figures demanding a public meeting to explain the reasons behind the proposal and reforming the library's governance to incorporate stakeholder views.
The library on Thursday announced it would withdraw the reorganisation proposal so it could "refine" its approach and ensure it best supported the community, staff and long-term vision.
"The library developed a reorganisation proposal to strengthen its services in response to surging demand and to better manage the new and different ways that people are engaging with the library," it said in a statement.
"Some elements of the proposal, however, created unintended concerns."
State Library Victoria said any revised proposals would be informed by the response received through the consultation.
An open letter, co-signed by more than 280 prominent figures, including authors Helen Garner and Trent Dalton and musicians Nick Cave and Paul Kelly to "Save our State Library of Victoria" said they believed strongly in the importance of its public mission.
"We are therefore alarmed at the unilateral cuts to its workforce proposed in October 2025's 'Strategic Reorganisation Change Proposal', in particular the halving of the number of reference librarians," they said.
The union representing public sector workers started a petition, which attracted more than 4600 signatures, calling for the institution's executive leadership and Victoria's Creative Industries Minister Colin Brooks to keep their "hands off our State Library".
"The acting State Library Victoria management are rushing dozens of changes to library operations that will degrade and diminish core library services," the petition said.
"These will gut the reference library staff and replace them with 'self service' options; and pour taxpayer money into expensive 'digital innovation' projects and "experiences" that few people use."
The union also said a visitor service officer, children and families officers, plus other frontline roles would be cut, with the library's critical information technology team to be outsourced.
A separate Change.org petition to "save the State Library of Victoria" also attracted more than 9800 signatures.
A rally had been planned outside the library on Saturday to protest against the restructure before the library walked back on the proposal.
Victoria's state library is the nation's most-visited and the third busiest library in the world, with three million visitors projected in 2025.
