Join Clare Hallifax for a teacher professional development workshop along with educators and curators from the National Library of Australia. Author Clare Hallifax will discuss her brand-new young adult novel, 'A House Divided', a coming-of-age story delving into the events of the 1975 Dismissal, from the perspective of a Year 5 girl. The workshop will […]
Award-winning author Christos Tsiolkas delivers the 2025 Ray Mathew Lecture, exploring the concept of ‘Fence-sitting’, and its place in the modern world at the National Library of Australia.
2025 National Library of Australia Honorary Fellow Dr Andrew Carr discusses his research on the history of Australian defence policy. During his Fellowship, Dr Carr explored the personal papers of Australian politicians, as well as defence and diplomatic officials from the 1960s to the 1980s, to better understand how they thought about protecting the continent. […]
Join Dr Chris Carter and the Friends of the National Library for an enlightening talk about how water is essential for human survival. Archaeologist Dr Chris Carter will describe some of the ways people have managed water for power and pleasure. Travel from the driest deserts in the world – the Atacama Desert of Chile […]
What does it take to write an award-winning book? Join the winners of the 2025 Prime Minister’s Literary Awards in conversation with Andra Putnis, Artistic Director of the Canberra Writers Festival, as they discuss their experiences of writing their successful book titles. Following the discussion in the National Library Theatre, the authors will be available […]
Curious about daily life in the past? Join the National Library’s Education team as they time travel back 50 years! Participants will explore the new exhibition 1975: Living in the Seventies, then make creative responses to the fashion and food from the time. All craft materials will be supplied. This activity is suitable for children […]
Reflect on the women’s liberation movement of the 1970s and examine what feminist activism looks like today. Catherine Dwyer, Elizabeth Reid, and Biff Ward will sit down with Virginia Haussegger to discuss the evolution of feminism in Australia and the making of the acclaimed documentary 'Brazen Hussies'. The conversation will be followed by a screening […]
Join the National Library of Australia and internationally acclaimed American novelist Eric Puchner for a special event focused on his new novel, 'Dream State'. Renowned for the sheer beauty of his sentences and immersive storytelling, Puchner has earned numerous prestigious accolades, including as a winner of a California Book Award and as a finalist for […]
Cartographic historian Chet Van Duzer discusses early modern maps and the methods used by map makers to indicate certainty and uncertainty about the accuracy of their maps at the National Library of Australia. We tend to trust maps as accurate depictions of the world, and most early modern cartographers are content to benefit from that […]
Join 2025 National Library of Australia Fellow, Dr Sanjiao Tang, to discuss his recent Fellowship research focused on the history of the Chinese Communist Party and its new regime. The year between 1949 and 1950 witnessed the most drastic and profound changes in modern China. Triumphing in the Civil War and taking over the entire […]
Join the National Library for a live webinar where we’ll discuss items in the '1975: Living in the Seventies' exhibition with the Library’s Exhibitions team.
The Friends of the Library present their annual collection viewing event. This year’s focus is on children’s literature – from gumnut babies and magic puddings to Mr Chicken and green sheep. This special evening will start with an introduction from well-known author Stephanie Owen Reeder, who has been fossicking around in the treasure trove that […]