A comprehensive collection of original records of the Federation movement plus books, pictures, music and other material related to Federation.

Paintings, drawings, sketchbooks and manuscripts by George French Angas.

Overseas and Australian sheet music, including some manuscripts, with the main strengths popular songs and piano music of the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.

With support from Library Patrons, we have digitised the collections of some of Australia’s most remarkable women leaders. 

Explore Philippa Webb's vibrant artist’s travel diaries and learn about her artistic style.

Recordings of Australian folk songs, dance music, recitations and oral history, collected by folklorist John Meredith (1920–2001). The collection also includes photographs and manuscripts documenting folk traditions and the bush music revival.

Learn about one of our largest manuscripts collections.

Explore handwritten diaries that can now be read online.

The Library has recently digitised the speeches of Dr Lowitja O’Donoghue AC CBE DSG.

Personal papers of Warren Fahey’s activities as an entrepreneur, musician and writer from 1967-1998 and a collection of folkloric recordings.

Around 10,800 items from the period 1829-1922 ranging from a single page to hundreds of pages and documenting British reactions to particular events, problems and crises, as well as Britain's relations generally with particular countries and regions.

Family papers and about 1600 books of the De Salis family from 1850-1920. Covering a broad range of subjects, including classics, religion, history, politics, literature, science, art, and children's books, reflecting the families intellectual interests.