I went to the NSW State Library to explore it and do some work. It's a very impressive place and houses a wonderful art gallery.
Interesting facts about the library
- Australia’s oldest library, originally established in 1826.
- Home to about 5 to 6 million items, including more than 2 million books, 1.2 million microforms, 2 million photographs, alongside newspapers, maps, manuscripts, and unique artworks .
- Treasures include Cook’s voyage journals, HMS Bounty logs, and the UNESCO-listed Holtermann Collection.
- Attracts over 1 million visitors annually for research, exhibitions, and cultural programs.
- Legal deposit library since 1879, receives a copy of every work published in NSW—be it books, newspapers, pamphlets, music, maps, or charts—helping preserve the region’s cultural heritage.
- Commenced digital cataloguing in the 1980s; by 2012, over one million electronic catalogue records were created, and approximately 12 million pages of newspapers, manuscripts, pictures and books have been digitised.
- Fun and supportive environment for students: during exam season, HSC students flock to the Library, which has responded with creative stress‑busters—from ‘unicorn visits’ and midday snack bars to cozy study “lock‑ins”.
Art gallery
Pix magazine exhibit
