Improving access

At present, access into and around the State Library is difficult, especially for those with restricted mobility, as well as school and tourist groups. The Library has been working with expert heritage consultants and architects to find solutions that meet the needs of all of our visitors. 

Key stages of the Library’s plan include: 

1. Accessible entry, Mitchell building (complete) 
The Mitchell building is now completely accesible with the recent installation of an lift next to the external stairs and opens directly into the foyer. The lift was designed in consultation with heritage experts and required very minor alterations to a small part of the building’s façade. 

A very small ramp has been installed next to the garden bed, near the State Library sign, to provide easy access to the Mitchell forecourt.

Please note: Works to install stone architraves around the lift entrance will be completed by April 2023.

2. New accessible link between the Mitchell and Macquarie St buildings (January - June 2023) 
A new internal gallery will be created through a currently unused area of the Library’s basement, in order to provide level access, connecting the Library’s Mitchell and Macquarie St buildings.  This spacious area will be used as an additional, permanent gallery which will allow us to show highlights from the Library’s vast photographic collection.  

As part of this work, the staircase in the floor of the Mitchell Library Reading Room, which was installed in the late 1980s, will be removed. The floor of the Reading Room will then be restored to its original 1940s glory, at the same time providing much-needed additional space for readers.   

3. Improved access to the Macquarie St building (complete) 
The entrance ramp leading from Macquarie Street into the Library’s Macquarie St building is steep and does not comply with current standards for disability access.  

A new, ramped access route has been created to rectify this issue.