How to donate collection material

The National Library welcomes offers of publications, personal collections and other items from members of the public, including donations made under the Australian Government's Cultural Gifts Program.

While we do love to hear about possible donations, items are only accepted if they fall within the National Library's Collection Development Policy. Items should also be:

  • in good physical condition; and
  • not already held in the Library's collection.

If you are considering offering material to the Library, please contact the Development Office or relevant collection area prior to delivering/sending it to the Library:

Unsolicited material

The Library may either retain or dispose of any unsolicited material sent to the Library based on an assessment of it against the Collection Development Policy. Items not selected may be offered to another library or discarded. Unsolicited material not required by the Library will only be returned to a donor when this has been specificially requested by the donor.

Cultural Gifts program and tax incentives

Find out more about the Australian Government's Cultural Gifts Program which provides tax incentives to encourage gifts of culturally significant items from private collections to public art galleries, libraries, museums and archives.