The Chinese collection of the National Library is a rich source of information on the history, culture and current affairs of China.

Get help to find and access material from the Library’s Chinese collection and beyond.

Dr Mei-fen Kuo presented a lecture on her 2023 National Library Fellowship research into our Chinese-language collections and how that has helped in rethinking the influence of the Cold War on the formation of contemporary Chinese Australian identities.

Beginner researchers can use this guide to find resources to help learn about their domestic family history or trace their ancestral origins overseas.

Papers, books, pamphlets, maps and ephemera about Ceylon, with an emphasis on the tea industry, collected by Manfred Claasz.

Books, pamphlets, reprints and single issues of serials, mainly in French, relating to the ancient history, archaeology and culture of Southeast Asia.

Featuring over 4,700 photographs of ancient art and architecture across Southeast Asia is the Coffin Collection. Captured between 1955 and 1972 by Yves Coffin, this collection highlights Khmer monuments at Angkor, Cham sculptures, and Thai temples, alongside the art of Java and Bali. A valuable visual record of Southeast Asia's rich cultural heritage.

In a recently completed project we called for material from Australians with Indian heritage to add to the national collection. 

We're seeking ephemera, such as pamphlets, posters, badges and programs, from the Australian-Indian community.

Learn about the Cowra Japanese Garden and Cultural Centre, recipient of a 2025 Community Heritage Grant.

Learn about the See Yup Temple, recipient of a 2025 Community Heritage Grant.

Hear from Dr Rafiqa Qurrata A'yun, one of our 2024 Asia Study Grant recipients, about her research.