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What’s got us talking

Free lockers for Library card holders.

Lockers are now free for all Library cards holders, following a recent upgrade. Learn more about our new locker system.

Woman with her back to the camera putting her belongings into a Library locker.

Openbook magazine

Inside each issue you'll find stories that are inspiring, thought-provoking and surprising.

Openbook autumn

2021 Drug Info website survey

You’re invited to complete a short survey on drug and alcohol information. Your answers will help us improve the State Library of NSW Drug Info website. 

Close up of scattered pills of different shapes and sizes

What about the sheilas?

Peter Kingston couldn’t please everyone in his artist’s book Sheilas, but the result is a special piece of work.

Collection buzz

Did your book get wet?

Learn the best way to dry wet books from our Collection Care experts.

Old brown leather books on bookcase

Sydney's Bungaree

Bungaree (c 1775–1830) is a remarkable and enigmatic figure in Sydney and Australia’s colonial history.

Bligh’s Bounty logbooks

The logbooks of William Bligh, which document the most notorious mutiny in history, were officially inscribed on the UNESCO Australian Memory of the World register.

William Bligh's Logbook

Drawing to a close

Discover how an artist followed in the inspiring footsteps of a botanist rescued from a tragic expedition in 1848.

Backscratcher Ginger, drawing by Janet Hauser, 2017

A home among the plum trees

A little notebook rescued from the Mittagong tip paints a picture of Sydney suburban life in the early 1900s.

Featured events

Such Sweet Sorrow

Pop up Shakespeare
Thursday
Thursday 15 April 2021 - 1:30pm to 2:30pm
Free
Special event

Love, hate, laughs, revenge, brawls, swords, marriage, life and death – it’s fair to say that Romeo and Juliet has it all.

Actors from Bell Shakespeare performing

My Year of Living Vulnerably

Thursday
Thursday 15 April 2021 - 6:30pm to 7:30pm
Free
Talk

Rick Morton comes back to the Library to talk about his latest release, My Year of Living Vulnerably.

Head shot Rick Morton

Macbeth: The Rehearsal

Pop up Shakespeare
Friday
Friday 16 April 2021 - 1:30pm to 2:30pm
Free
Special event

Become a fly on the wall when two actors and a director take on the Scottish Play in rehearsal, with illuminating and entertaining results.

Actors from Bell Shakespeare performing