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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 portrait of a smiling woman wearing glasses, a dark blue shirt and a silver pendant necklace

New Director-General for the National Library of Australia

24 Mar 2026

Minister for the Arts, The Honorable Tony Burke MP, has today announced the appointment of the new Director-General of the National Library of Australia.

Media release

A painting of two stockman riding horses and holding whips high in the air, capturing a bull

The Queenslander, ‘Cutting Out’ A Fat Beast, from Notes on Queensland, April 1894. Colour digital version by Warren Fahey.

What's On in April 2026 at the National Library

24 Mar 2026

A major exhibition, curator-led tours, online learning sessions, school holiday activities and author talks all feature in a packed month of events this April.

Media release

Five people standing in front of the Main Reading Room

Scholarships 2027: Explore, question, discover and share

23 Mar 2026

Applications for 2027 National Library of Australia Scholarships open on 23 March 2026.

Media release

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

View all news

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

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

An illustrated book cover alongside a poem with a comical drawing of an emu

'This is Us' poetry excursion

26 Mar 2026

A special excursion opportunity for school groups, featuring inspiring activities and workshops celebrating Australian poetry.

Event

Education/learning

An audience watching a performance in a theatre with a focused expression

A deep dive into 'Julius Caesar'

26 Mar 2026

Join Dr Kate Flaherty and Bell Shakespeare for a special lecture about Shakespeare's Julius Caesar, diving into the play and its history, unpacking what it tells us about our past, present and future.

Event

Talks and ideas

Assistance animals welcome