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What can we help you find?

Not sure where to start or need help? Ask a Librarian

Latest news

A photograph of Christina Stead, a cover of the book 'For Love Alone', a handwritten manuscript page, a photograph of The Bushwackers and Mary Gilmore, a photograph of Judith Wright, a cover of the book 'A Human Pattern: Selected Poems', arranged left-to-right.

2026 Appeal: Australian Women Writers

08 May 2026

This year, we seek your support for an ambitious project to bring the voices and stories of over twenty Australian women writers to Trove for the very first time.

News

A woman in a grey jacket with a pink and black undershirt holding sepia collection material in the Special Collections Reading Room at the National Library of Australia

Stephanie Lee, 2025 National Library of Australia Scholar

Improving desert fire management with culturally directed science

19 May 2026

Learn about 2025 National Library of Australia Scholar Stephanie Lee’s research into Indigenous rangers' "right-way" fire practices.

Blog

An illustration of black pen on green paper of a snake wrapped around a boom box. This is pictured beside an exhibition sign in a gallery.

(L) Kulata Dennis Nelson and Papunya Literature Production Centre, Pijkatj anta rikulta [The snake and the recorder], 1990, nla.obj-3286603500; (R) Wangka Wakanutja exhibition signage at the entrance to the Library's gallery

What's On in June 2026 at the National Library

19 May 2026

June kicks off with free Reconciliation Day events at the Library including guided exhibition tours and an introduction to our First Nations family history resources. Later in the month library and film lovers can join us for a free screening, plus we have plenty of insightful talks and ideas on offer.

Media release

A man wearing an orange jumper while holding photographs in his hands in the Library's Special Collections Reading Room

Dr Samuel White, 2025 National Library of Australia Fellow

Keeping the Peace of the Realm

13 May 2026

Learn about 2026 National Library of Australia Fellow Dr Samuel White's research into the historical use of military call-outs and the decision-making processes behind deploying troops in Australia.

Blog

Three individuals walking through the main reading rooms

Twenty Australian women writers’ archives set for digitisation through 2026 Appeal

11 May 2026

The National Library of Australia is seeking donations for an ambitious project to bring the manuscript collections of twenty Australian women writers to Trove for the very first time.

Media release

View all news

Discover our collections

A group of women marches down a city street, holding various protest signs. Signs include messages like "Sexism is alive & living in Australia" and "Dress for comfort, not for style." A large sculpture is visible in the background.

John McKinnon, Women on the march wave their placards at the International Women's Day march, Melbourne, March 8, 1975, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-137045864

Feminism and women leaders

A family dressed for a wedding laughs as they sit together on a couch

Conor Ashleigh, Bridal couple Achol and Marial and their bridal party, Sydney, December, 2013, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-506867692

Family history and genealogy

People watch lion dances in Chinatown Plaza in Adelaide

Jiayuan Liang, Chung Yee Tong Lion Dance Team performing lion dances, Chinese New Year, Chinatown, Adelaide, 2022, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-3125334254

Asia

Illustration of a tree branch with leaves. Some of it it coloured in and some left white

William T. Cooper, Corymbia confertiflora (Kippist) K.D.Hill & L.A.S.Johnson, family Myrtaceae, Chillagoe, Queensland, February 2003, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-1728333879

Visual arts

Vincent Lingiari and two other men seated

Michael Jensen, Vincent Lingiari at Wattie Creek [(Daguragu), Northern Territory] when they had water on tap, 1977, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-137086604

First Australians

Large wall of bookshelves with hundreds of colourful books

Literature and writing

Black and white sketch of costume for the Princess-Mother in Swan Lake, with swatches of fabrics around the edges

Kristian Fredrikson, Costume and set sketches, Swan Lake (New Zealand) Act 1, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-3160686825

Performing arts

A streetscape of Bourke street, Melbourne.

Tom Roberts, Bourke Street, Melbourne, 1885, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-134285521

Local history

Black and white photo of a man in a suit holding a large old camera

Harold Cazneaux holding a camera, Sydney, ca. 1905, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-144119446

Photography

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What's on

Red text reading 'Wangka Wakanutja' on a yellow background

Wangka Wakaṉutja: The Story of the Papunya Literature Production Centre

04 Apr - 11 Oct 2026

Explore the decades-long, remarkable efforts of the Papunya community to record language and culture and keep it alive.

Exhibition

Exhibition Gallery

Assistance animals welcome

Quiet hours 9:00am - 11:00am

Wheelchair accessible

A monastery and other buildings with mountains with snow on top in the background

Monastery of Tsarang, Mustang. Source: Image from lecturer.

Journey across the Himalayas

19 May 2026

ArtsNational Canberra and Zara Fleming present a lecture focusing on the Buddhist areas of the highest mountain range in the world, the Himalayas.

Event

Talks and ideas

Assistance animals welcome

Hearing induction loop

Wheelchair accessible

Shelves of books on display in a Library

12 years in: Writing for the Future Library (2014-2114)

20 May 2026

Learn about the Future Library (2014-2114) project—a hundred-year literary artwork and one of the most internationally acclaimed long-term cultural projects of our time. Curator and producer Anne Beate Hovind appears in conversation with Kathryn Favelle.

Event

Assistance animals welcome

Hearing induction loop

Wheelchair accessible