Planning your school visit
Please consider this information before and during your visit.

Making a booking
Maximise your time at the Library by planning your day strategically. Consider the desired outcomes for your school group, and which combination of booked services, individual experiences and resources can best achieve them.
Our Bookings Officers is ready to help arrange your visit to the Library but our phones are often busy. Faxing or emailing your enquiries or request may be more effective and receive a faster response.
To make this process easier for our education audience we have provided a printable education booking request form with all the required information fields to successfully make your booking. Please email or fax this request to our Bookings Officer. Education program booking request form.
When contacting the Library about making a booking please have ready and provide the following information:
1. School/TAFE/University: Organisation and contact details (including which State or Territory, and city) include email, phone and fax details
2. Department: Name of the course or study or subject area of group visiting
3. Teacher/Lecturer name: Officer to contact for this visit
4. Teacher/ lecturer contact details: Email and phone contacts
5. Program required: Name of tour, presentation, study day, or workshop required for the group (see education tours and programs)
6. Dates: Have two alternative dates if your first preference is not available
7. Time of arrival and departure: Have two alternative times if your first preference is not available
8. Transport: How is your group arriving? ie: coach company, or by foot
9. Student year level: Student academic year(s), as well as any special needs such as access to ramps or wheelchairs
10. Number of students: How many students? Please note the maximum size of groups for which the Library is able to provide facilitated tours and programs, and note our required student - teacher ratios for visiting groups
Confirming your booking
Once your booking has been finalised you will receive a confirmation by fax within two working days, and an invoice if this is a program with a cost. Please check all details are correct, and if there are any queries contact the Bookings Office immediately to amend the details on (02) 6262 1271.
Payment
Whilst many education services are free, certain education programs and events listed will indicate they require payment. For programs which require payment, this must be received in full five days in advance of your school visit to secure a place.
Please make cheques payable to: Education, Public Programs, National Library of Australia, Parkes Place, CANBERRA 2600. Bankcard, Mastercard, Visa and Amex are accepted, however the Library cannot direct debit for enrolment in educational events.
Booking cancellations and amendments
Admendments or cancellations must be received by fax or email two working days prior to the scheduled booking. Cancellations received after this time carry full liability for payment this involves a paid education program.
Please note The Library does not take tentative bookings for group tours and presentations. All bookings for facilitated tours and programs will only be accepted in writing via fax or mail. A minimum of two weeks notice is required for a serviced booking. This includes presentations from education, collection or exhibition curatorial staff, or from reference librarians. The Bookings Officer will not send confirmation for self-guided visits to the Library’s exhibition gallery. If your desired group tour or program is unavailable, the Bookings Officer will notify you immediately. Enquiries for all group excursions should be directed to the Bookings Officer on (02) 6262 1207 or bookings@nla.gov.au
Student - Teacher Ratios
These student - teacher ratios for group visits are strongly advised to maximise the educational outcomes and experiences at the Library for each group, and the wider general public. Please note them when requesting a facilitated tour or program.
Years K-6 and Home Schoolers 1 teacher: 8 students.
Years 7-12 1 teacher:15 students
Tertiary 1 teacher: 30 students
Student - Teacher Responsibilities
Travel as lightly as possible and avoid bringing individual student bags. Please leave student bags on the coach.
No responsibility is taken by the Library for the loss of valuable items or bags. On your arrival:
1. Aim to arrive 5 minutes early for serviced group tours and presentations
2. Check in with a Visitor Services Officer at the foyer Information Desk to advise of your arrival
3. Place any bags or water bottles in storage trolleys or at the cloak room as directed by Visitor Services Officer. It is preferable not the bring these
4. Wait with your school group outside the Library ’s front entrance to meet your Education Officer or Gallery Guide
5. Facilities for students with a disability are available. Please ask Visitor Services Officers at the Information Desk staff for further information
Please note: Student behaviour, safety and security are a teacher's responsibility. Groups must be supervised and accompanied by a teacher at all times. Turn off mobile phones in advance of your tour commencing, or at any time in the Reading Rooms and Gallery. Touching artwork in the Library’s exhibition spaces is not permitted. Touching movable machinery such as compactus shelves, scanners or automatic trolleys on Library building tours is not permitted. Ballpoint and felt-tip pens are not permitted in the Library’s exhibition space. A pencil and small sketchbook are preferred. Photography of the Library’s non-public spaces, members of the public, and permanent collection, is not permitted. Photography, specifically of your students in the Library’s public spaces is permitted only without a flash or tripod. Eating, drinking or chewing gum during school tours and presentations is not permitted.
Getting Here
For the Library's street address and parking details
Facilities for schools
Toilets
Toilets are located on the Ground Floor next to the cloakroom, or on the Lower Ground One, adjacent the Library’s Theatre.
Wet weather
The Library has limited undercover areas for large groups of students. In case of wet weather, please have a contingency plan for meeting and eating points and wet weather gear for staff and students.
Bags and storage
The Library has limited storage facilities for bags. Groups are advised where possible no bags or the minimum amount of bags necessary. K-6 teachers are advised to bring essential equipment only and student lunches for your class in one excursion bag or tub.
Eating spaces
The Library has no internal spaces for students and teachers to eat morning tea or lunch, however the lawns outside the Library, as well as Reconciliation Place nearby are recommended for these eating breaks.
Access
For information on access to ramps, wheelchairs, as well as for individuals who are blind or vision impaired, or deaf or hearing impaired.
Disabled parking spaces available at the front of the Library. Two lifts together service all levels of the Library building. Two wheelchairs are available by contacting the Visitor Services Officer in the foyer.
