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What can we help you find?

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

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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Latest news

Black and white photo of Miriam Hyde sitting at a piano

David Franklin, Portrait of Miriam Hyde, 1988, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-136237933

Uncovering her story: Digitised collections of influential Australian women

27 Feb 2026

Explore the papers and collections of remarkable Australian women this Women's History Month.

Blog

A woman stands in a classroom gesturing at piles of readers laid out on the tables in the classroom.

Vivien Johnson, Charlotte Phillipus in the Papunya School’s Luritja Piipa in May 2010, courtesy of the photographer.

New book, Wangka Wakaṉutja: The Story of the Papunya Literature Production Centre

16 Mar 2026

Explore the remarkable achievements of the Papunya community to record and teach their language and culture.

Media release

Yellow poster with the black and white image of a group of children on pavement outside a building with the sign 'Murawina' on it, picture is captioned 'Aboriginal pre-school, Sydney, NSW', above the image the poster is titled 'Just this? - or Justice' in large font, underneath the image at the bottom of the poster says 'National Aborigines Week 7-13 July 1975', in the bottom right hand corner in tiny font is signed 'National Aborigines Day Observance Committee'

Designed by an unknown artist, Just This? — Or Justice: National Aborigines Week, 1975, https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/catalog/3044575

50 years of NAIDOC

13 Mar 2026

Breakfasts, bold voices, and a groundbreaking poster: step inside the first-ever NAIDOC Week in 1975 and meet the community of women who transformed a local children’s program into a national call for justice.

Blog

Side by side images of Patricia Clarke, on the left she is seated facing a microphone. On the right she is using a typewriter.

(L) Dr Clarke being interviewed at her home in 2022 for the Bold Types podcast; (R) Dr Clarke working for the News and Information Bureau c.1955

Vale Dr Patricia Clarke

11 Mar 2026

The National Library of Australia notes the recent passing of Dr Patricia Clarke – writer, historian, editor and trailblazing journalist.

News

A cosy living room. A small table surrounded by four chairs takes up much of the image. There are a few other seats in the image, and artwork and sculpture adorning the walls and shelves lining the walls.

2026 Community Heritage Grants applications now open

03 Mar 2026

Apply now for the 2026 Community Heritage Grants program.

Media release

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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

Coming soon

Assistance animals welcome

Quiet hours 9:00am - 10:00am

Wheelchair accessible

A photograph of a man in glasses, suit and tie with his book cover for Bring Back Yesterday

Bob Carr

Author talk: Bring Back Yesterday by Bob Carr

20 Mar 2026

Join Canberra Writers Festival and author Bob Carr for a special In Conversation event focused on his new memoir, Bring Back Yesterday.

Event

Books and authors

Author talk

Assistance animals welcome

Hearing induction loop

Wheelchair accessible

This image consists of two pictures side-by-side. On the left-hand side is a book cover featuring a photo of Gough Whitlam. On the right-hand side is an image of Troy Bramston. He is sitting at a table with a garden in the background.

Book cover, Gough Whitlam: The Vista of the New, by Troy Bramston; and Troy Bramston photographed by John Feder.

Discovering the real Gough Whitlam: Troy Bramston on writing a life

24 Mar 2026

The Friends of the Library delve into the craft of writing a biography with Troy Bramston.

Event

Author talk

Friends of the Library event

Assistance animals welcome

Hearing induction loop

Wheelchair accessible

Two smiling women pictured at the front of the Archives New Zealand building

New Zealand National Librarian Rachel Esson and Chief Archivist Anahera Morehu outside the new Archives New Zealand Building, Te Rua in Wellington

Libraries and archives: Disruption, trends and transformation

25 Mar 2026

Six leading library and archive professionals discuss the local and global impacts of current trends and disruptors in the sector. Join this special event livestreamed from the National Library of New Zealand.

Event

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