This is just a quick post I thought I would share before venturing off on a day of coffees and other meetings. I have been chilling out in the State Library today, crunching some work and the like. It has free wifi, cheap lockers to store stuff in, a free (large) desk and an ambiance that is to die for.
I’ve been working in the Experimedia section of the library, which seems like a space created as an afterthought to the structure of the library. If you ever come hear to work, you’ll see what I mean. It is a space juxtapositioned between the main library building and the other wings which have been constructed at different times. It is a little like a court yard, but covered over. That gives it a sense of huge space and freedom that you would be hard pressed to find in town, for free, anytime of the week.
A few tips:
You can bring your bag into the library, so make sure you have a $2 coin for the lockers that operate out in the foyer. They’re very safe, and even serve as a useful dumping point to allow you to de-burden yourself for the day whilst you do what you have to. 6 hour costs you $2 for a more than adequately large locker.
2) The wifi, whilst free, requires that you sign up to become a library member (also free). This is too easy, and well worth doing anyway to access the books the library has on offer. The only thing to be aware of – it takes about 20mins for the registration to process so you have to wait a little while before you can go online.
3) Like any good public space, there is a competition for desks. I found this one easily at about 12pm on a Friday afternoon and it seems like you can always chill on a chair whilst you wait anyways.
Check out photos on my flickr site
See you there!
The Squiggly Line 
I’ve done cafes, but not the library – I’ll have to check it out.
http://www.magnation.com/ is good for cafe/magazine/wifi/power in Elizabeth St.
Ah, cool – I like magnation but didn’t realise they had wifi. Free? Are there any other location round melbourne with free wifi etc?