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What’s got us talking

Love in the Library

Some 200 greeting cards trace the love story between Sydney couple Dorothy and Frank Campbell, known to each other as ‘Princess Dorothy’ and ‘Snuggle Bunny’ Frank.

Bundles of cards, photographed with a red backdrop.

Dear Librarian... Which street is this?

Our Librarians love to research and solve interesting questions received from our Ask a Librarian service!

Printed image supplied by ANZ Archives

Party safe: top tips for the festival season

Make all your festival experiences ones to remember with these top tips to party safely, provided by NSW Health.

Audience at a music festival

New short film prize

Whether you're an established, emerging or first-time filmmaker, here’s your chance to create a short film with a little inspiration from the State Library’s extraordinary collection. 

Short_Film_Competition

Collection buzz

The Treaty of Waitangi 1840

On 6 February some 45 chiefs signed a ‘Treaty of Cession’, now known as the Treaty of Waitangi.

Elaborate running writing covers this aged document. Marks of broken dark red wax seals mark the bottom and left side edges of the document.

Across the curator's desk: Peter Hall's 1968 travel sketchbook

Anna Corkhill, curator in the Library's Research and Discovery team, shares a sketchbook from a crucial stage in the development of the Sydney Opera House. 

Sketchbook with pencil drawing of Sydney Opera House

Book of Hours

View our newly digitised Book of Hours, featuring 14 large miniatures, framed by pink marble columns or brown bands, and enter the world of an illuminated manuscript.

Places of Industry - works by Jeff Rigby

The Library has recently acquired a series of 25 works by Blue Mountains-based artist Jeff Rigby.

Delprats Mine

One hundred years of Snugglepot and Cuddlepie

It’s one hundred years since May Gibbs’ much loved gumnut brothers, Snugglepot and Cuddlepie found their way into the hearts and homes of Australians.

Cover for Snugglepot and Cuddlepie : their Adventures Wonderful

Rose de Freycinet poem

A recent addition to the collection, a poem dedicated to Rose de Freycinet, shows us how this remarkable woman was perceived by those she met on her voyage around the world.

Text of a poem in French

Who was Kath?

The Library recently acquired an album of photographs, with no details of the owner or the subjects of the photographs – except for one named person. But who was Kath?

Austinmer 1930

F. S. Burnell's album

Australian journalist and radio presenter, Frederick Spencer Burnell's (1880-1958) was as a special correspondent with the Australian Naval and Military Expeditionary Force during World War One. His recently digitised album contains 99 black & white photographs that documenting this experience.

Burnell WW1 PXA 2165 SLNSW 009

Featured events

Scholar Talk: Life and Death in the Library

Scholar Talks
Tuesday
Tuesday 5 March 2019 - 11am to 12pm
Talk

In this scholar talk, Dr Catie Gilchrist will discuss some of the materials held in the library’s collections that relate to life and death in colonial Sydney.

Hwang Sok-Yong

Author Talks
Saturday
Saturday 9 March 2019 - 2pm to 3pm
Talk

Hwang Sok-Yong was born in 1943 and is arguably Korea’s most renowned author. In 1993, he was sentenced to seven years in prison for an unauthorised trip to the North to promote exchange between artists in North and South Korea. Five years later, he was released on a special pardon by the new president. Hwang will be discussing his life and work. Please note this conversation will include a translator.

Strange Sydney

Lifelong learning
Thursday
Thursday 21 March 2019 - 10:30am to 12:30pm
Talk

Join us to explore the strange and unusual tales of Sydney and surrounds.

Ghost catchers on bikes

Analysis and Care of Oil Paintings

Lifelong learning
Thursday
Thursday 28 March 2019 - 10:30am to 12:30pm
Workshop

Led by a painting conservator this workshop focuses on analysing the materials that make up oil paintings and how this impacts on their care.