Student group visits
Your school, university or college group can arrange to visit the State Library of New South Wales.
Visiting our reading rooms
Group size: Up to 15 students, unless otherwise negotiated
Bookings: Minimum of 10 working days prior notice required
Price: Free
Contact the State Reference Library, Group Visits
To book a visit
Fill in the booking form at least 10 working days prior to your visit. Staff can then:
- arrange to meet your group on arrival
- ensure that your visit does not clash with that of another student group
- discuss your subject and available resources in the Library
- pre-book up to five computers for one hour of online searching of databases and the Internet
- set aside books and journals for your visit.
There are no group discussion areas in the Library, so students need to undertake quiet, independent study under the supervision of their teachers.
Before you arrive
- Readers card: A readers card is required to book a computer, request items from stack, and use other services of the Library. To make the best use of your time, register for your readers card online at least two weeks prior to visiting, and provide identification with your home address when collecting your card. See Applying for a readers card for more information and to begin registration.
- Guides available: Prior to your visit you may like to look at our Getting started research guides to various resources within the collection. Students may find the Infocus collection useful.
- Requesting relevant items in advance: You can search our catalogue under keyword, subject, author or title. Most of the Library’s collection is kept in storage, but if you contact us at least five working days before your visit, we can arrange to have a limited number of items set aside for your use. You will need to provide us with the book or journal title and its call number (for example, Storms and cyclones N551.5513/2).
Visiting the Legal Information Access Centre (LIAC)
Group size: Up to 15 students
Bookings: Minimum of 10 working days prior notice required
Price: Free
Contact LIAC at least 10 working days prior to your visit, and staff can:
- arrange to meet your group on arrival and (subject to staff availability) provide an overview
- ensure that your visit does not clash with that of another student group
- discuss your subject and available resources in the Library
- pre-book up to five computers for one hour of online searching of databases and the Internet
- set aside books and journals for your visit
- discuss how students can Apply for a readers card prior to their visit.
Visiting the exhibition galleries
Group size: 10–20 people
Bookings: Minimum of 72 hours prior notice required. Exhibition group visit booking form.
Price: Free
Contact: Exhibition Group Visits
Five galleries in the Mitchell Wing enable visitors to see many of the Library’s treasures through a changing exhibition and display program. Group visits are welcome. We strongly recommend that you contact us before your visit to ensure that your visit does not clash with that of another group. Volunteer exhibition hosts are available to answer questions during your visit. Exhibition tours are not available.
Nelson Meers Foundation Heritage Gallery
School groups are welcome to visit the Nelson Meers Foundation Heritage Gallery. We strongly recommend that you contact us beforehand to ensure that your visit does not clash with that of another group. Volunteer exhibition hosts are available to answer questions during your visit. Exhibition tours are not available.
Bookings are available by completing a exhibition visit booking form. A minimum of 72 hours prior notice required.
Before you arrive
Education kits are designed to provide teachers with background information and teaching ideas to support class visits to the Nelson Meers Foundation Heritage Collection.
The kit is divided into Teaching strategies and Heritage collection guides.
