What We Collect
General Collections
The National Library's General (ie non-Australian) Collections comprise books, journals, newspapers, maps and atlases, music, research materials on microform (microfilm, microfiche and microcard) and material in a variety of electronic formats.
The collections have undergone some important historical changes in direction, most recently with an increase in access to electronic resources. The current objectives and key priorities are outlined in the Library's Directions for 2006-2008 and collecting intentions are outlined in the Collection Development Policy. The General Collection has had a consistently strong emphasis on the social sciences: economics, law, politics and government. An interest in science and technology in the 1970's resulted in the development of a significant periodical collection for historical research in those areas, especially in medicine. The monograph collection is predominantly in English, but there is also an impressive range of other languages represented.
The emphasis now is on an understanding of Asia (especially East and Southeast Asia) and the Pacific. The Library continues to maintain strong collections of United States government publications as well as publications of international organisations and international governments and inter-governmental organisations, in particular the United Nations.
All the collections are catalogued and made available to users via the NLA catalogue, and may be accessed via the Library's reading rooms, or a variety of document delivery services.
