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Lifelong learning

Lifelong Learning is the self-directed pursuit of knowledge and skills to nourish one's own curiosities, interests and research. Our Lifelong Learning programming is here to help you engage with our collection and meet your own learning goals.

The National Library of Australia recognises the generous contribution of the Opalgate Foundation for the Library's Lifelong Learning initiative.

Digital modules

Material collected during the Library's Indian Diaspora in Australia collecting project, including books, magazines and ephemera, spread on a table
Indian Diaspora in Australia Collection

Learn about the items collected during the Indian Diaspora in Australia collecting project from curator Cherie Carter and material donor Dr Lariane Fonseca.

Learning activity for adults
On the right is a man holding a camera. On the left are the words 'Fit to Print: Defining Moments from the Fairfax Photo Archive'
Learn with the Curator: Fit to Print photography

Learn from our expert curators to discover stories behind Fit to Print: Defining Moments from the Fairfax Photo Archive, and the methods used to produce these slices of life from Australian history.

Learning activity for adults

Finding

Two men, one on a ladder, looking at books on large bookshelf at the State Library of Victoria

Mark Strizic, Searching for books at the State Library of Victoria, January 1967, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-140508667

The art of literary investigation

Learn how to uncover facts and colour from historical documents, manuscripts, newspapers and more.

Learning activity for adults
Man steering a large male cow that is pulling a wagon with his wife and children inside

Mallee farmer and family with his bullock wagon, Victoria, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-153091696

Finding and dating photographs

Find family photos and piece together dates and places from the many clues they contain. 

Learning activity for adults
Highly decorative double hemispherical map of the world with the four elements depicted in each corner of the map

Jan Cloppenburgh, Typus orbis terrarum, 1673, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-231707274

Find the map you want

Learn how to find and explore the Library's vast and diverse online map collection.

Learning activity for adults
Black and white photo of a television studio from the 1960s, with large cameras, screens and spotlights

Wolfgang Sievers & Hassel (Firm), Television set at Ballarat television station, by architects Hassell & McConnell, Victoria, 1962, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-160888519

Film, television and media

Learn how to find and access the Library's vast and diverse collection around film, television and media history.

Learning activity for adults

Searching

Three men at the peak of a mountain looking at the view with binoculars and pointing

Herbert H. Fishwick & Fairfax Corporation, Three men with binoculars and tripod at the top of Mount Kaputar looking over the mountain range to the west, New South Wales, 1932, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-162757741

Introduction to Trove searching

Learn how you can search across millions of newspapers, journals, books, pictures, maps, and many other items from cultural, community and research collections around Australia.

Learning activity for adults
Front page of the Commonwealth of Australia Gazette, with a large image of the Australian coat of arms at the top

Commonwealth of Australia Gazette No. 1, 1 January 1901, in which the establishment of the Commonwealth of Australia was proclaimed from the Papers of Sir Edmund Barton, 1827-1940, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-224669092

Trove and government gazettes

Learn how you can search use Trove to search government gazettes.

Learning activity for adults
Computer screen showing eResources
Using eResources for scholarly research

Learn how to use our eResources for scholarly research

Learning activity for adults
A newspaper stand with headlines about an attempt to kill the King

Newspaper stand in a railway station headlining attempt to kill King, Victoria, 1936, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-152826154

Newspapers for family history

Learn some useful tips and suggestions on how to use newspapers for family history research.

Learning activity for adults
Hands typing on a keyboard
Library webinars

Learn about how to participate in the Library's learning webinars.

Information article

Local history

Man resting a hand on a tree and looking at a message carved into the tree trunk

Michael Terry examining Lasseter's message carved into a tree trunk, Lake Christopher region, Western Australia, 1932, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-149282377

Finding local history

Start exploring the Library's diverse collections to search through time and place to build family stories and local narratives.

Learning activity for adults
Busy street lined with building and parked cars

Frank Hurley, [Ballarat, Sturt Street] [Ballarat, Victoria], 1910, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-160199422

Discovering the history of your hometown

Learn some useful tips and suggestions to get you started researching your town or local area with the National Library's collection.

Learning activity for adults
Frank Hurley - House and Gardens

Frank Hurley (1885-1962) [House and gardens, Australia]  [between 1910 and 1962], nla.obj-159237448

How to trace the history of your house

The resources available for each house may be different, due to the fact the availability, organisation, and location of records vary from state to state.

Learning activity for adults
Landscape watercolour showing trees, hilly, grass covered terrain, few small buildings and a mountain in the distance

H M Rolland, Canberra, view from Camp Hill looking towards St. John' s Church, Mt. Ainslie in the distance, 1924, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-135217175

Canberra family history

Discover early family histories of the Canberra region while learning about how you too can explore your town and put your family history puzzle back together.

Learning activity for adults

Introductions to the collection

At the left of the photo, a young man with short dark hair is sitting down at a radio desk, smiling out at the camera and with his left hand he balances a record on its edge on the desk.

Douglas Thompson, Radio announcer Ted Reeves of 2CA radio station holding a record, Canberra, 1951, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-138073414

Introduction to oral history

Dive into the oral history collection, exploring highlights and how you can access the voices that describe Australia's cultural, intellectual and social life.

Learning activity for adults
Japanese print depicting scenes where Western, Japanese and Chinese people interact at a trading house

Sadahide Utagawa, Yokohama ijin shōkan no zu, 1861, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-151495391

Introduction to the Asian language collection

Learn what is available and how you can find and access items in our Asian language collections in this webinar.

Learning activity for adults

Personal collections

sepia photo of a room with lots of old objects

Charles H. Kerry, (1894), Art Gallery, Sydney, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-138638474

Quick tips

Personal archives and collections quick tips

Information article
Page published: 27 May 2025

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