Collection delivery service
Due to major building activity, some of our collections are temporarily unavailable. This means that some requests for deliveries of Library material to the Reading Rooms will not be fulfilled. Please check the catalogue carefully to find out if your selection is impacted.
We operate a collection delivery service because most of our collections are held in closed book stacks not open for public browsing. Order material in advance via the catalogue and it will be delivered to the reading rooms for you to use.
To get material
- Join the Library
- Lodge your requests through the catalogue. Library staff will locate items in our stacks and deliver them to one of our reading rooms.
- Collect your items and use them in our reading rooms.
- Items are held on reserve in the reading rooms for 7 days from the date of the request.
Collection delivery times vary, so make sure you check before you visit. If you submit requests after the latest listed time, your items will be delivered on the next scheduled delivery day. There are no collection deliveries during evenings or on weekends.
Most collection material can be requested over the Internet through the Library's catalogue. You can request up to 15 items that are kept on reserve for 7 days. Items with special storage conditions are only held for 1 day. Monitor the status of your requests by viewing 'Requests' in the catalogue.
Some Pictures and Maps collection material cannot be requested electronically through the catalogue, contact our Ask a Librarian service prior to your visit to discuss access for these items.
If you can't visit the Library
Selected material from the National Library's collection may be accessible via interlibrary loan upon request by another Library. Contact your local library for details.
Our Copies Direct service provides a fast, easy and inexpensive way to obtain copies of material in the National Library's collection. It may not be possible to copy all material due to preservation, copyright or other restrictions.
Collection delivery times
Delivery schedules
There are no collection deliveries to the reading rooms during evenings or on weekends. To use material on weekends, submit your requests through the catalogue before the cut-off times list
This material is kept on site at the National Library of Australia. Request your material within the times below. When material is requested during the time periods below, delivery is usually within 60 minutes.
Material requested after the weekday cut-off will be delivered the next weekday, with the exception of material requested after 4:30 pm on a Friday, which will be delivered the following Monday.
Reading rooms are closed on public holidays, and so material requested after the cut-off on the previous regular weekday will be delivered on the next day that the reading rooms are open.
For example, to use onsite material on a Sunday, request it before 4:30 pm on the previous Friday.
Main Reading Room, including Newspapers and Family History Zone
| Day | Delivery times |
|---|---|
| Monday to Friday | 10:00 am - 4:30 pm |
| Saturday and Sunday | No deliveries. Request material by 4:30 pm on Friday for use on weekends. |
| Public holidays | Closed. No deliveries. |
Special collections deliveries from onsite storage
Our special collections comprise manuscripts, pictures, maps, oral histories, rare books, sheet music, ephemera and select Asian-language collections, and are clearly identified in the Library's catalogue. Special collections are delivered to the Special Collections Reading Room three times a day.
Some manuscript collections require four weeks' notice for viewing. These collections are clearly identified in the catalogue.
| Day | Cut-off times for requests | For delivery by |
|---|---|---|
| Monday to Friday | 8:00 am (overnight requests) | 10:30 am |
| 11:30 am | 1:30 pm | |
| 2:00 pm | 4:00 pm | |
| Saturday | No deliveries. Request material by 2:00 pm on Friday for use on Saturday. | No deliveries. Request material by 2:00 pm on Friday for use on Saturday. |
| Sunday | Closed | Closed |
| Public holidays | Closed | Closed |
This material is kept at storage facilities in Canberra and is delivered to the National Library building once a day. To make the most of your time with offsite collection material, request it before 8:00 am on the day you want to use it. Reading rooms are closed on public holidays, and material requested after the cut-off on the previous regular weekday will be delivered on the next day that the reading rooms are open.
For example, to use offsite material on a Monday, request it before 8:00 am on the previous Friday. To use offsite material on a Wednesday where the day before has been a public holiday, request it before 8:00 am on the previous Monday.
Collection material kept offsite is clearly identified in the catalogue and comprises mainly:
- printed newspapers published before 1 January 2011 (microfilm holdings are stored on site)
- overseas journals (magazines and serials) published before 1 January 2005
- some manuscripts collection material
- some overseas published material.
Check which reading room your offsite collection material will be delivered to, as the Special Collections Reading Room is not open on a Sunday, and so material delivered there will not be accessible if you visit on that day.
| Day | Cut-off times for requests | For delivery by |
|---|---|---|
| Monday to Friday | 8:00 am | 4:00 pm |
| Saturday and Sunday | No deliveries. Request material by 8:00 am on Friday for use on weekends. | No deliveries. Request material by 8:00 am on Friday for use on weekends |
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