Information and research services policy
Purpose
The Information and Research Services Policy outlines how the National Library of Australia (the Library) provides information and research support to researchers.
It provides a framework for the Library to deliver consistent, equitable and high‑quality services across all channels, including emerging digital and technology‑supported research tools. It aligns with national standards, including the National and State Libraries Australasia (NSLA) Information and Research Services Principles and Service Guidelines.
This policy supports the Library’s legislative mandate under the National Library Act 1960 to make the national collection accessible, provide library services, and cooperate with other organisations in library matters.
Scope
This policy applies to:
- All Library staff responsible for the delivery or oversight of information, research, and related advisory services, including rights and Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property (ICIP) guidance and the Copies Direct service.
- All service channels, including reading rooms, phone, email, online enquiry forms, mail, appointments, and language‑assisted enquiries.
This policy does not apply to general visitor services, publisher services, catalogue feedback, Trove, exhibitions, onsite events or education programs.
Not all provisions of this policy apply to every service or enquiry in every circumstance. In some cases, such as matters involving ICIP, the Library may not be able to provide definitive answers, identify the appropriate rights holders, or determine the correct permissions pathway. While staff will provide patrons with all available contextual information and guidance, there are situations where patrons must identify the relevant community authorities or rights holders themselves and undertake the necessary permission‑seeking processes.
Definitions
| Term | Definitions |
| Reference Services | Professional services provided by Library staff to support users in identifying, locating, evaluating and using information, including through guidance, referral and access to appropriate resources. |
| Information enquiry | A question answered with brief, factual guidance, directional assistance, navigation and orientation, or referral. Answered during opening hours, or within one or two business days depending on the communication channel. |
| Research enquiry | A question requiring deeper investigation including identification and assessment of resources consulted. Answered within 7-10 business days (Monday to Friday), utilising up to one hour of staff time. This is open to negotiation, if unique/on-site work is needed. |
| Complex enquiry | An enquiry requiring specialist knowledge, cross‑team consultation, rights or cultural assessment, or additional preparation time. Staff provide an initial scoping response within 7-10 business days, with completion typically within 10–15 business days, and no more than 20 days for exceptional cases. This is open to negotiation, if input from internal or external stakeholders is required. |
| NSLA | National and State Libraries Australasia, the peak body representing the national, state, and territory libraries of Australia and New Zealand. |
| ICIP | Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property, being the traditional knowledge, traditional cultural expression, and cultural heritage of Indigenous peoples. See Library ICIP Protocol. |
Policy statement
Principles of Service
The Library is guided by national standards and is committed to delivering information and research services that are equitable, respectful and accessible to all researchers. Staff provide support that empowers researchers to navigate and utilise the Library’s collections effectively, offering guidance on research strategies, discovery tools and appropriate sources.
Service is delivered at the point of need, whether onsite or online, and reflects the Library’s responsibility to manage and preserve the national collection while facilitating broad access. As the Library operates a closed‑stack collection, access to many materials requires retrieval and handling processes that influence how information and research services are provided.
In line with national standards, the Library seeks to provide services free of charge wherever possible and ensures that any fees relate only to copying, digitisation or specialised services.
Where an enquiry falls outside the Library’s remit or expertise, staff will refer them to another organisation or service provider better positioned to assist.
The Library evaluates and adapts its information and research services in response to changes in technology, resourcing, enquiry complexity and researcher expectations. It may adjust service provision only where robust evidence shows that doing so improves service quality while upholding responsible stewardship of staff capacity and the national collection.
These principles ensure that the Library maintains consistent, high‑quality service that aligns with its legislative and national obligations.
Service Delivery
Service Channels
The Library supports research needs through a range of delivery channels, ensuring that assistance is responsive, accessible and suited to different user contexts. Researchers may seek support in the in person during a visit to the Library, by phone, by email, letter and through online enquiry forms.
Initial Assistance
Initial assistance focuses on helping researchers to identify relevant resources and to navigate catalogues, databases, Trove and other discovery tools effectively. Staff provide advice on research strategies and offer direction to appropriate materials, while telephone enquiries receive brief guidance suitable for the constraints of that channel. Where an enquiry cannot be addressed through brief guidance, whether in person or by phone, researchers may be directed to submit a written enquiry so that it can be assessed and triaged to the appropriate enquiry service.
Research Enquiries
Research enquiries that require more detailed investigation are managed through the Library’s research enquiry service. Staff may spend up to one hour per enquiry to identify and summarise relevant resources.
Additional time may be required for enquiries involving unique, complex, fragile or restricted access materials. Staff will advise researchers when extended timeframes or specialist consultation are necessary to respond to these more complex requests.
Complex Enquiries
Complex enquiries require specialised knowledge, additional handling time, and may involve cultural sensitivity, consultation with curators, rights specialists, or external authorities. The Library prioritises safe, ethical and lawful access to collection materials and will advise researchers on the processes for progressing complex requests.
Staff ensure, wherever possible, that enquiries involving culturally sensitive materials are handled in accordance with cultural permissions.
Complex enquiries may exceed standard response times due to the need for consultation, condition checking, rights assessment, offsite retrieval, or materials with restricted access, including those that are not fully arranged and described. Staff will keep researchers informed of expected timeframes (see Definitions) and, where appropriate, advise of extended response periods. If a complex enquiry cannot be fulfilled, staff will refer researchers to other institutions or service providers best placed to assist.
Scope of service and limits
The Library delivers information and research services that prioritise access to the collection and support researcher independence, within defined service boundaries. These services do not include extensive or ongoing research.
The Library delivers services to Australians without discrimination and with due consideration for barriers to access. Online support is also provided to international users where materials are uniquely held, rare, or difficult to obtain elsewhere, including the culturally significant materials relating to overseas Indigenous communities and held in the Library’s collections.
When responding to enquiries, staff must make diligent efforts to draw on authoritative sources. Unless explicitly stated otherwise, responses do not include interpretation or analytical commentary. Where AI is used to support the response, it will be utilised in accordance with the Library’s AI Framework, and staff will note the use of AI within the response to the enquiry, ensuring transparency and accuracy.
Requests for copies of collection material are managed through the Copies Direct service, which applies relevant fees, permissions and conditions of access. Items requiring special handling, assessment or cultural permissions may involve extended timeframes. The scope of service here applies only to material in the collection. Library staff cannot assist patrons to locate copies of materials not in their collection.
To maintain fair and equitable access to our services, the Library may limit the number or extent of enquiries responded to for any individual within a 12‑month period.
The Library may adjust service boundaries as technology, collection access models or legislative requirements evolve.
Privacy and data protection
The Library is committed to protecting the personal information of researchers by collecting only the information necessary to deliver the service requested. All personal information is managed securely and used solely for the purpose for which it is provided.
Handling and storage of personal information comply with the Library’s Privacy Policy and relevant legislation, ensuring confidentiality and maintaining public trust in Library services. Personal information is retained only as long as necessary to deliver the service or meet legal obligations.
Review
This policy is due for review by the Director, Reader Services, in April 2031, or earlier if significant changes in technology, legislation or service delivery practices occur.
Related policy documents and guidance
The following documents were considered when developing this policy:
- The National Library of Australia Service Charter
- Acceptable Use of Information and Communication Technology Policy
- Code of Conduct for Readers and Visitors
- Service Guidelines for Information and Research Services at National and State Libraries Australasia Libraries
- Information and Research Services Principles for National and State Libraries of Australasia