National Library of Australia

08/06/2026

“Many Australian women writers have vast bodies of unpublished work and by researching these we can better understand their well-loved published works.”

As a 2026 Scholar at the National Library, Helen Pretorius is researching Australian women's unpublished drama of the twentieth century.

Through the 2026 Appeal, the Library is raising money to digitise the collections of Australian women writers. Once these are digitised, researchers like Helen will be able to access them for free on Trove, from anywhere in the world.

Help bring these untold stories to light. Donate to our 2026 Appeal today: https://brnw.ch/21x3bIh

[Video description: A woman sits at a desk and presents to the camera. She narrates throughout the entire video. Text on screen reads “Ms Helen Pretorius, 2026 National Library of Australia Scholarship recipient.” We see her walk into the Special Collections Reading Room at the National Library. There are close ups of different physical records, including books, sketches in old notebooks, scrapbooks and manuscripts.]

08/06/2026

Happy World Oceans Day!

Celebrate with a sneak preview of one of our latest photography projects, capturing the MOUA / Museum of Underwater Art in the Great Barrier Reef.

The first underwater museum in the southern hemisphere, it features a large underwater art structure and 8 sculptures of renowned marine scientists and conservationists created by artist Jason deCaires Taylor. These works were designed to be colonised and built upon by the reef over time.

These photos, taken by Matt Curnock and Tom Bridge, were commissioned as part of our project documenting Australians’ relationship to water.

Keep an eye out for these photos and many more from this project in our catalogue and on Trove!

05/06/2026

Dame Mary Gilmore was an author, journalist, poet and tireless social campaigner who gave voice to the struggles of ordinary Australians. She championed women’s rights, rural communities and social change.

Today, her manuscripts are held by the National Library, but they deserve to be seen, shared and celebrated.

With your support, we can bring her remarkable words to life on Trove, making them accessible to everyone, everywhere.

Donate to our 2026 Appeal today: https://brnw.ch/21x36xE

[Video description: A woman presents to camera. In the background we see the Special Collections Reading Room at the National Library. We see close up details of different physical records and photographs, including old notebooks, scrapbooks and manuscripts.]

04/06/2026

A certain TV show ruining your study focus? 👀

Get “off campus” and come to the National Library!

We have free WiFi, silent reading rooms, communal study spaces and millions of resources.

Tag a friend and organise your next study session at the Library.

04/06/2026

We're thrilled 'The Man Who Planted Canberra' has made the Marion 2026 shortlist! Congratulations to all involved!

We’re delighted to announce the 2026 ACT Literary Awards shortlist for Nonfiction!

📖 The shortlisted authors are:
Erik Eklund
Emily Gallagher
Robert Macklin with Dr John Gray
Robert Wellington

Winners will be announced at the ACT Literary Awards on 2 July at Juliet, Verity Lane.

Congratulations to the shortlisted authors — and thank you to everyone who entered.

🎟️ Capacity is limited due to venue requirements, but tickets will be available very soon — first in, best dressed!

With our sincere thanks to our Fiction judges: Frank Bongiorno and Helen Ennis

ANU Press Black Inc. National Library of Australia Bloomsbury Publishing Australia

04/06/2026

Congratulations Dr Stephanie Owen Reeder Author and Ingrid Bartkowiak Art!

03/06/2026

‘I was engaged in English to Luritja translations while I worked in the Literature Production Centre.’ – Priscilla Brown, co-curator of our current exhibition ‘Wangka Wakanutja: The Story of the Papunya Literature Production Centre.’

Learn more about the exhibition and book of the same name: https://brnw.ch/21x34z1

[Video description: This video features footage and photographs of buildings and landmarks in Papunya. Some of these images are historical, from the records of the Papunya Literature Production Centre. A woman also presents to camera.]

03/06/2026

02/06/2026

Poet. Activist. National treasure.

Judith Wright helped shape Australia’s literary and environmental legacy.

Your donation to our 2026 Appeal will help us to digitise her poetry, manuscripts and activism and bring them to life on Trove for the very first time.

As a Nobel Prize–nominated writer and fearless advocate for conservation and First Nations recognition, Judith Wright’s voice is as vital today as it was in her lifetime.

Help us bring her work to the world and inspire generations to come. Donate now: https://brnw.ch/21x30XK

[Video description: A woman presents to camera. In the background we see the Special Collections Reading Room at the National Library. We see close up details of different physical records and photographs, including old notebooks, scrapbooks and manuscripts.]

01/06/2026

Happy Pride Month! 🌈

This Pride Month, we celebrate the stories, voices and history of the LGBTQIA+ community.

Start exploring in our collection: https://brnw.ch/21x30Mc