The National Library's Books and Serials Collection
About the Digitised Books and Serials Collection
Using the Digitised Books and Serials Collection
System Requirements
Minimum Screen Resolution
Minimum Browser Versions

About Descriptive Listings
Searching And Printing Descriptive Listings
More Information
Navigation
Image Displays
Thumbnails
View
Examination
Interactive Image
Interactive Image Thumbnail
Tiles
Navigation Tools
Zooming
Using the Select Set Menu
Using the Select Page Menu
Using Arrow Buttons
Browsing Sections
Interactive Image Zooming
Interactive Image Panning
Interactive Image Plug-ins
Breadcrumbs

Copyright
Copying
Downloading
Printing Digital Collection Items
Print Button
Printing Through Your Browser
Printing Background Colours and Images

Obtaining Higher Quality Copies
Publishing Digital Collection Items
Citing Digital Collection Items
Persistent Identifiers
Item and Page Citation

Accessing Original Collection Items
Use Within the Library
Borrowing Book and Serials Collection Items

Other Digital Collections
Feedback

 

The National Library's Books and Serials Collection

The National Library of Australia has an extensive collection of printed books and serials, including a comprehensive collection of library material relating to Australia and the Australian people.

For a fuller description of the Australian book and serial collections, see:
http://www.nla.gov.au/collect/ausbooks.html.

For a fuller description of the overseas book and serial collections, see:
http://www.nla.gov.au/collect/osbooks.html.

 

About the Digitised Books and Serials Collection

At present the Library does not have a systematic digitisation program for books and serials. The National Library’s Digitised Book and Serials Collection provides access to items which have been digitised, or partially digitised, as part of the National Library’s other activities.

The first items added to the Digitised Books and Serials Collection are plates selected as part of the South Seas Project. Five books selected for inclusion in the International Children's Digital Library will be available soon. In the future, out of copyright books in PDF, created as a by-product of the Library's Document Supply Services, will also be included.

A selection of serial titles is also available as part of a separate cooperative project Australian Periodical Publications 1840-1845.

For information on the infrastructure that supports the Library's Digital Collections, see: http://www.nla.gov.au/digicoll/.

 

Using the Digitised Books and Serials Collection

The National Library of Australia's Digitised Books and Serials Collection allows users to view and interact with books and serials in a way that is as close as possible to the experience of using the original item.

 

System Requirements

Minimum Screen Resolution

To comfortably view the Digitised Books and Serials Collection, set the screen resolution of your monitor to 600x800 pixels or higher.

Minimum Browser Version

The Digitised Books and Serials Collection works best with any browser version numbered 4 or higher (Netscape Navigator 4.0 or above, Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.0 or above). You can upgrade your browser by going to the Netscape website or Microsoft website and following the prompts. These browsers are free.

 

About Descriptive Listings

A Descriptive Listing may be available for some books and serials. The Descriptive Listing provides additional information such as contextual information, information on variations between copies of an item, or individual captions for images.

 

Searching And Printing Descriptive Listings

Use the browser Find function to search within a Descriptive Listing. Select the Edit menu, then select Find (or use Control + F) to locate the particular text string you are searching for.

Use the browser Print function to print a Descriptive Listing. Select the File menu, then select Print (or use Control + P).

 

More Information

Click on the More Information link to navigate to extended bibliographic information about the digital item you are viewing. This information is drawn from the National Library's catalogue record, and includes information about both the original item, and the 'persistent identifier' for the item.

 

Navigation

The Digitised Books and Serials Collection offers a range of navigation choices, including the ability to view images at different resolutions, and to move between the whole part and tiles (sections of the page) if the book or serial has been digitised in sections due to the size of the original.

Image Displays

Each book or serial can be viewed in a number of different sizes. The default image view is the 'Thumbnails' for books or serials items, where up to 20 parts of an item can be viewed at once.

 

Thumbnails

Thumbnails button

Thumbnails are the default pages for muliple part items in the Digitised Books and Serials Collection. Thumbnails are smaller image representations of larger images, designed to make looking at groups of images easier and faster. National Library thumbnails are created with a maximum height or width of 150 pixels.

Selecting the thumbnails display allows users to view up to 20 thumbnail images related to the digital item being displayed, and to navigate to further sets of 20 thumbnails for longer book or serial collection items.

Zoom in to view copies of book or serial images by clicking directly on the desired thumbnail.

 

 

View

View button

View copies are the default pages for single part items in the Digitised Books and Serials Collection. View copies are designed to fit comfortably on a 600 x 800 screen, and to print to a standard A4 page. National Library view copies are created with a maximum height or width of 760 pixels.

Zoom in to examination copies of books and serials images by clicking directly on the desired view copy.

 

Examination

Examination breadcrumbs

Examination copies provide a more detailed view of Digitised Books and Serials Collection items. Examination copies may require some horizontal scrolling on your browser to view different sections of the page, and will take longer to download, due to the larger file size. National Library examination copies are created with a maximum height or width of 1000 pixels.

 

Interactive Image

Interactive image button

The interactive image allows for a more engaging experience of the books and serials. Choose the 'Interactive Image' button for even closer inspection of the book or serial item. Use the left-hand toolbar and the pan icons surrounding the book or serial to zoom in, zoom out and pan to different sections of the book or serial. To zoom in, simply click on the image. To pan around the image, click on the pan words (i.e. pan right) surrounding the image. Alternatively, there is a toolbar to the left of the image, which provides the zoom in, zoom out and pan options.

The pixel dimensions and zoom level of the book or serial are displayed above and below the interactive image. The size of the interactive image can be changed to match your screen resolution using the drop-down menu listing the available pixel dimensions. If you wish to change the size of the interactive image, click on the downwards-pointing arrow to choose the pixel dimensions. If JavaScript is disabled in your browser you may need to click the Go button.

In some instances, the first view of the book or serial may be smaller than the size of the interactive image window. In this case, click on the image once to zoom in.

 

Interactive Image Thumbnail

The Interactive Image Thumbnail, located in the top right hand corner of the page, can be used as a reference when using the interactive image. A red box outline on the small thumbnail of the whole book or serial indicates which section of the book or serial you are viewing. This box will change size depending on what the main interactive image zoom resolution is. Click on the thumbnail to move the red box to different places and navigate around the main image.

 

Tiles

Tiles button

You can choose a tile view if the book or serial item was digitised in sections because of size. Tiles are images of sections of a book or serial. These are created when an entire book or serial cannot be digitised as a whole. In the tile view, you can use the dropdown menu to navigate between the image of the whole book or serial, the 'tiles' or sections of the book or serial.

Book and Serial tiles are referred to by a letter and a number which forms a grid, for example 'Tile a1'. Numbers represent the columns and letters represent the rows. 'Tile a1' is the top left-hand corner tile. 'Tile c2' is located on the third row, and is the second tile from the left.

 

Navigation Tools

We have included a number of navigation tools to help you move around within a book or serial - and to know where you are.

Zooming

Use the Zoom buttons to navigate between view and examination copies of Digitised Books and Serials Collection items.

 

Zoom In

Zoom in button

Click Zoom In to move from a view copy to an examination copy.

 

Zoom Out

Zoom out button

Click Zoom Out to move from an examination copy to a view copy.

 

Using the Select Set Menu

Select Set dropdown menu

When viewing the thumbnails of a book or serial item with more than 20 parts, a 'Select set' drop down menu will appear. Use this Select Set drop down menu to navigate to thumbnails page views of the item.

Very large items may not have every set listed within the Select Set menu. For extremely large items, select the number set closest to the one you are interested in, and use the forward and back arrows to complete your navigation.

To use the Select Set menu, simply click on the downwards-pointing arrow and choose your desired part. If JavaScript is disabled in your browser, you may need to click the Go button.

 

Using the Select page Menu

Select page dropdown menu

For a book or serial item with multiple parts, a 'Select page' drop down menu will appear. Use this Select Page drop down menu to navigate to different pages within an item. The Select Page menu may also appear with the text 'Select Part', "Select Plate' or 'Select Map'.

Items with many page may not have every part listed within the Select Page menu. For large items, select the number closest to the one you are interested in, and use the forward and back arrows to complete your navigation.

To use the Select Part menu, simply click on the downwards-pointing arrow and choose your desired part. If JavaScript is disabled in your browser, you may need to click the Go button.

 

Using Arrow Buttons

Arrow buttons can be used for browsing through the parts (pages) within an individual book or serial item or to browse between sections of a book or serial. Arrow buttons located to the far right of the page can be used to move through the items in the series, either backwards or forwards, or to navigate directly to the beginning or end of a Digital Books and Serials Collection series. Arrow buttons located directly next to the 'Print' button can be used to browse between the sections of a book or serial.

Use these four 'arrow' navigation buttons:

 

First

First arrow button

Previous

Previous arrow button

Next

Next arrow button

Last

 

Last arrow button

Browsing Sections

Browse Sections

To browse between different sections of a book or serial (eg; to browse between the different chapters), use the arrow buttons located to the left of the 'Select Set' or 'Select Page' dropdown menu.

 

Interactive Image Zooming

To zoom into an interactive image, click directly onto the book or serial image. Otherwise, there is a toolbar containing the zoom in and zoom out buttons to the left of the image. To zoom out, click on the zoom out button in the toolbar.

At any stage the image can be reset to the original starting size using the reset button.

Zoom In

Interactive 'Zoom in' button

Zoom Out

Interactive 'Zoom out' button

Reset

 

Interactive 'Reset' button

Interactive Image Panning

To pan around the image, click on the pan words surrounding the image (i.e. pan right). There is also the option to pan in a diagonal direction by clicking on the small triangle arrows located in each of the four corners surrounding the image. Alternatively, there is a toolbar containing the pan up, pan down, pan left and pan right buttons to the left of the image. Use any of these buttons to pan around the image.

Pan Top Left

Interactive 'Pan top left' arrow

Pan Top Right

Interactive 'Pan top right' arrow

Pan Bottom Left

Interactive 'Pan bottom left' arrow

Pan Bottom Right

Interactive 'Pan bottom right' arrow

Pan Up

Interactive 'Pan up' button

Pan Down

Interactive 'Pan down' button

Pan Left

Interactive 'Pan left' button

Pan Right

 

Interactive 'Pan right' button

Interactive Image Plug-ins

A MrSID browser plug-in can also be used to view this page. To use this plug-in, click on the 'view with plug-in' button. If you don't have the MrSID. Sid plug-in, it can be downloaded for Windows computers. Viewing the interactive image using the MrSID plug-in provides similar zooming and panning facilities. However viewing with this plug-in also provides extra zoom and panning options: to be able to draw a box over any section of a book or serial to zoom into and the option to pick-up and drag the image with the mouse. These options are unavailable when viewing the image without the MrSID plug-in.

The MrSID plug-in displays small icons along the toolbar. These icons provide the means to navigate around the book or serial, click the required icon to make it active. From left to right they are: Zoom In, Zoom Out, Select Zoom (this provides the option of drawing a square box around the area you would like to zoom into), Pan (which allows the image to be dragged in the direction you require), Full View Image (which resets the image back to it's original size), Other Options and Help. If you are unsure of which icon to use, roll the mouse over the icon and the icon's name will appear in text. For further assistance with using the MrSID plug-in, click on the "?" in the plug-in toolbar menu. This will provide help from the MrSID plug-in website.

To return to the previous interactive image view, click on the "view without plug-in' button located to the left of the image.

 

View With Plug-in

Interactive 'View with plug-in' button

View Without Plug-in

 

Interactive 'View without plug-in' button

Breadcrumbs

Breadcrumbs

'Breadcrumbs' track where you are, and where you have just been in the Digitised Books and Serials Collection site. Breadcrumbs provide links back to the sections of the website you have previously visited within a single session.

You can also use breadcrumbs to navigate: click on any of the words within the breadcrumb trail, and the browser will return you to that page.

 

Copyright

Please read the National Library of Australia's Digital Collections copyright statement on the copyright status of items.

 

Copying

You may print or save information from the Library's web site for research or study without seeking the Library's permission, and at no charge. For further information on copying material from the Library's collections, see http://www.nla.gov.au/pict/copyjan03.html.

 

Downloading

To download an image from a book or serial on a PC, place your mouse over the image you would like to download, and click the right mouse button. Choose the appropriate “save” option for your browser (save picture as/save image as/save image). Then select a directory in which to save the image.

To download an image from a book or serial on a Macintosh computer, place your mouse over the image you would like to download and then hold the mouse button down. Select the appropriate save option for your browser (save picture as/save image as/save image). Then select a folder in which to save the image.

 

Printing Digital Collection Items

You may print Digitised Books and Serials Collection items for personal or research purposes. You may download, display a print and reproduce this content for personal or non-commercial use but only in an unaltered form and with copyright acknowledged.

If you wish to publish an image in any way, including as part of another website, you will need written permission from the National Library of Australia to do so.

 

Print Button

Print button

If you are using a PC, you can print the current page you are viewing by clicking on the "Print" icon. This will print the page exactly as you see it. If you are using a Macintosh computer, you may need to print a single page through your browser print option.

Printing Through Your Browser

You may also print a single page of the item using the print option in the file menu of your browser software. The printed results will vary according to your browser and page set-up. We advise that you print the View Copy of the page as these dimensions have been designed to fit a standard A4 page.

Printing Background Colours and Images

If you are using Internet Explorer as your web browser, you will need to make a change to your settings if you want to print the background colours and images of this website. Select the Tools Menu and then select Internet Options. Click the Advanced Option and scroll until you locate the Printing section. Tick the box marked 'Print background colours and images'.

 

Obtaining Higher Quality Copies

Where copyright permits, you can order higher quality copies of material from the National Library of Australia's collections through the Copies Direct Service. Copies are provided on a fee-paid basis.

 

Publishing Digital Collection Items

If you wish to publish Digitised Books and Serials Collection items in any form, including books, journals, other websites or merchandise (e.g. postcards), you will need written permission from the National Library of Australia to do so. You may also need the permission of the copyright owners.

 

Citing Digital Collection items

Online resources need to be cited correctly if you have used them for your research. The Digitised Books and Serials Collection provides detailed information to allow you to cite whole items and pages.

 

Persistent Identifiers

Persistent identifier

The National Library of Australia uses persistent identifiers (PI's) as a permanent naming scheme for Internet resources. Persistent identifiers for whole items - or for pages or images within an item – mean that URLs you include in your research references will always be 'live', even if there is a change in the way the National Library's Digital Collection is stored and made accessible.

For more information regarding the National Library of Australia's persistent identifier scheme, please read: http://www.nla.gov.au/initiatives/persistence.html

 

Item and Page Citation

To cite an entire digital item, use the bibliographic information and persistent identifier found on the More Information page of the item you wish to cite.

To cite a particular page from the Digitised Books and Serials Collection, use the citation details located below each image.


For example:

Cite page

To cite a particular view of a page - for example, if you wish to reference a handwritten annotation on a book or serial displayed through the Digitised Books and Serials Collection - reference the higher resolution examination copy.

 

For example, to cite a view copy page use:

Cite view copy page

For example, to cite an examination copy page use:

 

Cite examination copy page

Accessing Original Collection Items

Use Within the Library

To view or use collection items at the National Library, you will need to register as a National Library reader and request the desired items through the Library's Electronic Requesting System. Information on registering and requesting is available at the Get a Library Card page.

Borrowing Book and Serials Collection Items

The National Library of Australia does not lend its collection items to individuals. However, your local library may be able undertake an Inter Library Loan on your behalf through the Library's Document Supply Service. Please note that the Library may lend photocopies only – not originals – in the case of rare or unique items. Further information, including Document Delivery charges, is available at: http://www.nla.gov.au/dss/

 

Other Digital Collections

You can find digitised copies of the National Library's collection items through the Library Catalogue (www.nla.gov.au/catalogue). Images of selected items in the Pictures, Manuscript, Sheet Music and Rare Map Collections are available in this way. You can view a selection of digitised items from these collections on the Digital Collections page. The National Library of Australia releases its Digital Collections as they become available.

Selected Australian web sites and web-based online publications are available through PANDORA (Preserving and Accessing Networked DOcumentary Resources of Australia).

 

Feedback

Please provide us with your feedback, comments and reports of any problems you experience using the Digitised Books and Serials Collection. Email us using the online form on our Contact Us page, and be sure to include your email address if you require a reply.
Requests for research assistance should be directed to the Library's Information Services staff: http://www.nla.gov.au/infoserv/prr.html