When a Library is WAY More than a Library! State Library NSW, Australia

I am a book fiend from way back so it was only natural that I should make a beeline to book heaven – the State Library NSW – in downtown Sydney. It was a grey ol’ day as I made my way through Sydney’s manic CBD and the umbrellas were soon flourished as the heavens opened, and scurrying commuters scurried even faster.

It was absolutely teeming as I dived for shelter under the Library’s portico, joining a large number of similarly bedraggled people and, after shaking off as many drips and drops as I could, entered the imposing library doors.

As I looked up and around, it was only then that I realised that the State Library NSW was way more than just a library!

What Is the State Library NSW?

• Yes, the name does give it away slightly!
• The Library, a grand sandstone building, opened in 1845 and is the oldest, continuously operating library in Australia, with its origins in the 1820s. The huge pillars that front the building say that this building is not to be trifled with and is a serious place of endeavour. Lucky for us there is humour aplenty in its hallowed halls too.
• The Library complex covers approximately 1,500sqm, including a much more modern wing facing Macquarie Street and it’s mindboggling that it houses over 6million items. It is home to galleries, reading rooms, map rooms, the Shakespeare room, a café and bookshop (yes, to buy more books), and numberless nooks and crannies where study can be done…or sleep.

• The heart of the building is the Mitchell Library Reading Room. It’s a room that makes my heart beat faster with its sky-high book shelves, but that beating has to be done quietly so as not to disturb all the brainiacs beavering away on their computers. It’s in this room that you can don your white gloves and request access to historic and rare publications under the ever-watchful eye of the Collections Librarian. Take care.
• There is something for everyone in the library with author talks, history talks, tours, exhibitions, presentations, workshops, book clubs, after-school clubs and a bar!
• Phew! I think I am going to have a little sit down to take it all in.

Where Is It? 1 Shakespeare Place, Sydney – just on the edge of the CBD.

When to Visit?

• The Library is open seven days per week from 9am-8pm, with slightly shorter opening hours on weekends.
• It hosts a range of exhibitions and these run for different periods of time. Check out their opening and closing dates on the Library’s website.
• Allow a good couple of hours to explore the Library in detail. There is so much to see and experience.

Why Visit?

• This building offers so much! There is sure to be something of interest for even the most picky or obscure special interest person.
• It’s FREE!
• It’s comfortable, it’s central, accessible and it’s changing all the time. This sounds like a living, breathing library!

How to Get There?

• The easiest way to get to the State Library NSW is on foot.
• Alternatively, catch a taxi or bus, or the closest train station is at Martin Place.

Who is it for?

• This was a very popular place to be on a rainy Spring day.
• We were old and young, students of all ages, tourists like me, and locals meeting for a coffee at the café.
• Not every student is researching or studying using books, but it is obviously a quietly inspirational place to be.
• The building is fully wheelchair accessible and there are hearing loops too.

General Comments:

• No doubt you can tell that I am a fan! The biggest highlight for me, and totally unexpected, was the Tasman Floor Map. The Map is a 5.7m x 4.3m representation of a map drawn in the 1640s representing Abel Tasman’s two voyages to Australasia on behalf of the Dutch East India Company.
• The original Tasman paper map was present to the Library in 1931 and is one of the most precious and fragile objects in the State Library’s collection. The floor map took over two years to complete and is made of 45 slabs of 22mm thick marble, marble granules and inlays of brass to indicate routes, coats of arms, wind compasses and mythical sea monsters. It’s a true gem and a real work of art.

• The Library is a lovely place to be and an easy place to lose track of time. I was completely oblivious to what was happening outside (still raining) and three hours passed in a blink of an eye.
• When I visited, everything was a little topsy turvy due to some major renovations of the Macquarie Street building. They have overcome that though and have made it very easy to find all the relocated features via excellent signage and printed maps.

• I recommend you keep an eye on their website as the range of exhibitions are always changing and there is a full calendar of workshops, talks and tours. There is even an exhibition about housing in Australia called The Australian Dream. What housing has to do with a library, I have no idea although it does fit nicely with the Library’s 2025 theme – The Year of Architecture.
• I made the most of the exhibitions and will share some of those over the next few posts.

I realise libraries may not be everyone’s cuppa, but my visit to the State Library NSW really changed my perception of what makes up a library and what role it plays in a community. I will definitely be visiting more libraries in my travels to see how they are reinventing themselves.

Do you have a favourite library? If Yes, what are its best bits?

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