National Library of Australia

Pictures digitisation - progress so far

Selecting material for digitisation  

General selection criteria for the National Library’s digitisation program can be found in our Collection Digitisation Policy.

The Library aims to digitise all new Pictures acquisitions and selected materials already in the collection. The selection is usually based on historical and/or cultural significance, uniqueness of, and likely demand for, the material. Copyright and preservation considerations are also taken into account.

Progress as of 30 June 2010

Approximately 19% of the currently estimated volume of the National Library’s Pictures Collection has been digitised. This amounts to 127 361 items, consisting of 197 594 images.

Examples of Pictures collections already digitised

Future digitisation plans

The Library’s long term plan is to digitise a projected 80% of its Pictures collection. The remaining 20% represent items which are lower priority.

The Library aims to digitise all new Pictures acquisitions and a selection of other Pictures materials. Where copyright and other restrictions permit, the digitised images are displayed online. See Current priorities for more details on the 2010-11 digitisation program.

Selective digitisation of items in the Pictures collection will continue to be undertaken for inclusion in the Library’s forthcoming Treasures Gallery.

More Pictures

Other online resources

Curator's Choice

  • 2/1st Australian Army Topographic Survey Company, Kokoda, New Guinea 1944
    2/1st Australian Army Topographic Survey Company, Kokoda, New Guinea 1944

This Second World War topographic map of Kokoda shows the location of villages, tracks, a canoe route, seaplane bases and mission stations. Map images from the Library’s Digital Collection are interactive. Use the Zoom control to pan and examine details.