Applications for 2027 National Library of Australia Fellowships and Creative Arts Fellowships open on 23 February 2026.

Supporting researchers, writers, artists and PhD candidates to engage with our unique collections to create new and innovative works.

With your support, a new generation of thinkers can use our collections to create important and transformative works.

Answers to frequently asked questions about Fellowships and Scholarships.

Female convicts were predominantly young, single women who had been domestic servants and/or who had come from a semi-skilled background - such as an apprenticeship.

Module

Explore the evolution of women's rights in Australia from women's suffrage to contemporary movements like #MeToo in this learning module. 

Over 32,000 items, including rare books, pamphlets, maps, and ephemera, covering topics such as Oceania, transport, and literature. Compiled by Sir John Alexander Ferguson, it is a key resource for Australian history and bibliography.

Searching for the 18th-century character in the Library's rare books and music collections.

Award winning animators and artists Eleanor & Giovanni presented a workshop for children based on their Enlighten Festival 2026 illumination The Page Turner, created for the National Library.

This award-winning documentary tells the story of two tenacious Nairobi women who decide to transform what used to be a whites-only library into a vibrant cultural hub.