Collection delivery times

We operate a collection delivery service because our collection items are held in closed book stacks not open for public browsing.

Please submit requests for collection material within the times indicated below for same day delivery. Requests submitted after the latest listed time will be delivered to reading rooms on the next delivery day.

There are four schedules of delivery:

• Material kept onsite
• Special collections material kept onsite
• Material kept offsite
• Manuscripts kept offsite

Material kept onsite

Our more heavily used collections are stored onsite. Items requested from these general collections are usually delivered to reading rooms within 45 minutes, provided you have placed your request within the following timeframes:

*You can still use Asian Collections material on Monday to Thursday evenings and on weekends if you arrange it in advance with staff in the Asian Reading Room.

Special collections kept onsite

Certain materials require staff supervision and are accessible only through the Special Collections Reading Room. These materials, which include: manuscripts, pictures, maps, oral history transcripts and audio, rare books, sheet music, special formed collections and ephemera, are only delivered to the Special Collections Reading Room at the set times below. The room is closed on Sundays.

Material kept offsite

Collection material kept offsite comprises mainly:

• Printed Australian newspapers published before 1 January 2011 (microfilm holdings are stored onsite);
• Printed overseas newspapers published before 1 January 2011 (microfilm holdings are stored onsite);
• Overseas journals (magazines and serials) published before 1 January 2005;
• Some Manuscripts collection material (see delivery schedule below);
• Selected other foreign language material.

We deliver material kept offsite at set intervals throughout the working day as shown below. The catalogue indicates from which reading room you can collect your requests.

*Note: If you want to use material from offsite collections on the weekend, submit your request by 2pm on Fridays.

Manuscripts kept offsite

Manuscripts kept offsite are usually delivered according to a separate schedule below. However, some material requires four weeks notice – these collections are clearly identified in the Library's Catalogue.

*Manuscripts material held offsite must be requested by 4 pm Thursday for use on Saturdays.