Our guides contain key resources on selected subjects that will help get you started on your research.
About the guides
Use our guides to explore the depths of our rich collections. You will find research advice, key resources, featured collection items, selected websites and research case studies.
We also have a number of other related resources to assist you in your research, including:
Featured guide

A guide to finding information published in official government gazettes
Browse the Research Guides
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What is a gazette? A gazette is an official publication for the purpose of notifying the actions and decisions of the government. All Australian governments (Commonwealth, State and Territory) publish official gazettes. Notices published in government gazettes cover all aspects of government...Topics: Government Publications, Law & Politics, Communications & Media
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Introduction The National Library holds law reports published in Australia from 1825. Historical sets of law reports are also held for many overseas countries. Overseas law reports are currently collected mainly from the Asia/Pacific region. International law is represented through the reports of...
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Introduction The League of Nations existed from 1919 to 1946. The League oversaw the Permanent Court of Justice, and several other agencies and commissions were created such as the Health Organization, International Labour Organization, and Permanent Mandates Commission. The Library’s collection...
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Introduction The National Library has a large collection of Australian and overseas newspapers in print, microform and electronic formats. This guide contains a select listing of print and microform indexes that can assist you with access to these newspapers. Items that are available in electronic...
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The National Library of Australia guide to Pacific Collections is a general guide to locating Pacific-related materials in the National Library and elsewhere. The Library's catalogue can be searched to locate other materials on the Pacific Island Region. Select Browse Subjects and use terms such as...
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Introduction Ship and passenger records are found throughout the National Library in books, journals, newspapers, manuscripts, microform, pictures, maps and electronic media. Material includes information on ships, voyages, shipping companies, shipping and passenger lists and registers, shipwrecks...
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The Macquarie Dictionary defines statistics as the 'science which deals with the collection, classification, and use of numerical facts or data.' It may be necessary to obtain statistical data to support or illustrate your research. This guide is intended to help you with this. What the Library...Topics: Census and Demography, History, Social Sciences, Statistics
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Introduction Theses completed for higher research degrees (PhD, Masters or Honours) form an important body of original research. The Library does not receive a copy of every thesis presented to an Australian university, but it does have a selection and has several indexes to assist in locating...
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Introduction The United Nations (UN) was established on 24 October 1945 by 51 countries committed to preserving peace through international cooperation and collective security. Today nearly every country in the world belongs to the UN, and current membership totals 193 countries (as of July 3 2006...
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The National Library receives major U.S. government documents including annual reports, serials and Congressional publications. These documents are collectively known as the SUDOC (U.S. Superintendent of Documents) Collection. This guide provides information on how to access this large collection,...
