National Library of Australia
NLA
23 March 1961 – present
Previously Commonwealth National Library (1923–1961).
The national library, which builds and gives access to the national collection of Australian library material and leads national bibliographic and digital services such as Trove.
Names over time
- Commonwealth National Library1923–1961
- National Library of Australia1961–present
How it came into existence
Constituted as a statutory authority governed by a Council when the National Library Act 1960 came into force on 23 March 1961, separating the Commonwealth National Library from the Parliamentary Library; the Library's Archives Division was separated at the same time as the Commonwealth Archives Office.
Reconstituted as a statutory authority under the National Library Act 1960.
Legislation: National Library Act 1960
Changes during its life
- 15 August 1968The Library's building on the shore of Lake Burley Griffin was opened.
- film and sound recording collections
- Portrait gallery and exhibitions in Old Parliament House
The National Library of Australia managed the portrait gallery in Old Parliament House from 1994 until the gallery became an institution in its own right in 1998.
Main functions
- national collection of library material
- national reference and access services
- legal deposit
- national bibliographic database
- Trove online discovery service
- cooperation with Australian libraries
Where it sits
In the portfolio of Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, Sport and the Arts.
- Type of body
- Corporate Commonwealth entity
- Portfolio
- Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, Sport and the Arts
- Accountable authority
- Council of the National Library of Australia – National Library Act 1960 section 5, with reference to sections 15(1) and 17E notes (membership section 10)
- ABN
- 28 346 858 075
Lineage
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Sources
Primary sources
- List of Commonwealth entities and companies under the PGPA Act, 1 July 2026 (Department of Finance)
- Australian Government Organisations Register (Department of Finance, data.gov.au) (listed from 11 December 2014 to the latest release (30 June 2026))
- National Library Act 1960 (Federal Register of Legislation)