Conserving the collection
Your gift helps to protect rare and fragile books, manuscripts, pictures, journals, photographs, maps and other items for future generations.
The Library preserves the original material in the collections to ensure its security and accessibility for future generations. This is achieved through best-practice storage and handling, digitisation and expert conservation.
Donations to the Foundation allow the Library to invest in the highest-quality conservation facilities, providing the resources necessary to care for our valuable collection.
Examples of Foundation-funded projects that have enhanced the conservation of the collection are listed below.
New conservation laboratories
Thanks to the extraordinary generosity of Len Ainsworth AM, the Foundation is funding the Ainsworth Conservation Laboratories, which will enable world-class conservation of the Library’s irreplaceable collection and, with state-of-the-art equipment, meet the highest conservation standards.
It is a critical requirement for the Library to have a space that meets the requirements of our skilled conservators as they undertake preventative and restorative conservation work.
Governor Macquarie papers
With the support of the Macquarie Group Foundation and The John Lamble Foundation the conservation of the significant collection of Governor Macquarie’s personal and family papers was funded. This collection is large and diverse and consists of manuscripts, journals, diaries, letterbooks and certificates, comprising some 20 volumes with over 2,000 pages, and covers the period from 1787-1844.
Your gift to the State Library allows us to build, protect and share your heritage.