What is a library?

A library in Australia is a free public service that lends books, magazines, audiobooks, ebooks, music, and films, and provides community spaces for reading, study, and digital access. Public libraries are usually run by local councils, with state libraries operating major collections and the National Library of Australia in Canberra holding the country's most comprehensive research collection.

There are about 1,500 public library service points across Australia, including main libraries, branch libraries, and mobile library buses that serve rural and remote areas. Membership is free for residents of the council area. New members usually need to provide proof of identity and a current address, after which they receive a library card that allows them to borrow books and other items, usually for three to four weeks at a time. Most libraries have agreements with neighbouring councils that let members borrow across LGA boundaries.

Beyond lending, public libraries offer a wide range of free services. Most have free wifi and computer terminals with internet access and Microsoft Office software. Many run regular programmes such as Storytime for preschoolers, Rhymetime for babies, school holiday activities, homework help, English conversation groups, tech help sessions for older Australians, and author talks. Most libraries also subscribe to online research databases, language-learning platforms, and ebook lending services like BorrowBox and Libby.

State and territory libraries hold major collections including rare books, manuscripts, maps, photographs, and oral history archives. The National Library of Australia operates Trove, a free online discovery service that aggregates more than 14 billion records from libraries, archives, museums, and galleries across Australia. Trove includes digitised newspapers from 1803 onwards, government gazettes, photographs, maps, and oral history. The National Library also operates the legal-deposit programme that preserves a copy of every book published in Australia and runs a major collection of Indigenous Australian materials with Traditional Owner consent.