About the Library's collections
The State Library's major subject strengths are Australian history, culture and literature, including Aboriginal studies, Antarctic exploration, family history and genealogy, business and management, social sciences, applied science, biography, health and law.
The Library aims to collect, preserve and make accessible the documentary heritage of New South Wales. To this end, it holds over 5 million items including monographs, pictures, posters, ephemera, sheet music, talking books, maps, CD-ROMs, newspapers, microfilm and microfiche, films and videos, computer software, kits, sound recordings, photographs, architectural plans, coins, postage stamps and other objects.
The Library's collection is now valued as an asset, with a valuation of $1.883 billion.
The collections comprise:
Mitchell and Dixson collections
The collections of the Mitchell and Dixson Libraries form an extensive research collection relating to Australia with special emphasis on New South Wales, Antarctica and the South West Pacific. The collections include printed books, objects and ephemera.
State Reference Library collections
The State Reference Library collection contains over two million items providing an extensive range of Australian and international research material including printed books, journals, government reports, statistics, audio-visual and electronic resource
Manuscripts
The manuscripts collection of the Mitchell and Dixson Libraries has extensive holdings of personal papers of individuals, including literary manuscripts, and the archives of private organisations, relating to Australia and the Pacific.
Pictures
The State Library of New South Wales pictures collection contains over 100 000 watercolours, prints and drawings, approximately 2000 paintings, over 75 000 architectural plans, over one million photographs and 2300 museum objects.
Photographs
The Library's photographic collection is one of the nation's largest and most important, comprising over one million images.
Maps
The State Library of New South Wales maps collection is one of the most important in Australia, containing 200 000 maps of New South Wales, Australia, the Pacific region, Antarctica, and the rest of the world.
Online collections
More than 400 000 digital images are currently available through the Library's ongoing digitisation program, improving access to significant parts of its extensive collections.
Oral History and sound recordings
Oral history is a record of information -usually on tape - as the result of a planned interview. Where there is no dedicated interview, the record is described as a sound recording. Both are part of the Library's original materials collections.
Rare Books and special collections
Rare Books and Special Collections contains over 30 000 valuable and rare items acquired by the Library since 1826. Areas of particular strength are incunabula, sixteenth century printing, history, geography and illustrated bird and flower books.
Newspapers
The State Reference Library holds about 1700 newspapers published in Australia and overseas, specialising in collecting newspapers published in New South Wales.
Microforms
The State Library of New South Wales holds extensive collections of microfilms (140,000 reels) and microfiche (over 1 million fiche).
Objects & ephemera
'Ephemera' is the transient printed material that accompanies our daily lives. Produced and distributed cheaply in many forms, ephemera advertises, attracts attention and informs in the immediate context. Discover this amazing Australian social history.
Mitchell Library Centenary
Project 2001-2010 is a showcase of the Library's collections and services, to preserve and make available our heritage to future generations, culminating in the centenary celebration of the Mitchell Library in 2010.
Recent additions
The State Library of New South Wales regularly adds to its fine collections of original materials. Discover our latest acquisitions.
Digitisation
A key strategic initiative is to bring more of the Library's unique collection online. The digitisation program aims to create, manage and make accessible digital images of collection items through the Library's website.
Preservation
Information about preserving and maintaining the Library's collection of over 5 million items.
