The National Library of Australia is located in Canberra, Australia.

The Library was established in 1960 and grew out of the Federal Parliamentary Library, which was established in 1901. In 1960, the National Library was separated from the Parliamentary Library by the National Library Act 1960 .

In 1968, a new building was built for it on the shores of Lake Burley Griffin.

The Copyright Act 1968 requires that a copy of every book published in Australia be deposited with the National Library of Australia. The Library also provides Cataloguing-in-Publication (CiP) details, ISSNs and ISMNs for Australian publishers.

The large National Library building is home various reading rooms and collections. On the ground floor is the Main Reading Room along with private reading rooms. This is where the bulk of the library's Internet access terminals are located. Other reading rooms include the Newspapers and Microfilm Room, The Map Room and Picture and Photos Room to name a few.

Because of the large size of the National Libraries collection of books, journals, pictures, maps, manuscripts, sound recordings, microfilm and other media, not all of the collection is stored on-site. Behind the scenes of the National Library is over 40KM of shelves. Some material is housed off-site at the NLA annex in Hume and other warehouse locations.

The Library has digitised approximately 97,000 collection items and, where possible, delivers these via the Internet.

In addition to the research facilities available, the National Library offers a gift shop that specialises in Australian books and a cafe and Friends Lounge for members. This and exhibition galleries for temporary exhibits.

The National Library is also a mecca for Canberra's climbing community - the unique use of roughly cut blocks in the outer northern wall presents a challenging bouldering problem.

Directors

• 1901 - Arthur Wadsworth, Interim Commonwealth Parliamentary Librarian
• 1927 - Kenneth Binns, Commonwealth Parliamentary Librarian
• 1947 - Harold Leslie White, National Librarian
• 1970 - Allan Percy Fleming, National Librarian
• 1974 - George Chandler, Director-General
• 1980-1985 Harrison Bryan, Director-General
• 1985-1999 Warren Horton AM, Director-General
• 1999 - Jan Fullerton, Director-General

External links

• National Library of Australia
• Our Nation's Album: The Library's first 100 years 1901-2001
• National Library Act 1960
• Copyright Act 1968

• PictureAustralia | Australia Dancing | MusicAustralia