The National Library has been selectively collecting Australian printed ephemera since the early 1960s as a record of Australian life and social customs, popular culture, national events, and issues of national concern.

In addition, the Library also selectively collects ephemera from the Asia/Pacific region related to particular events or socio-political groups of significance. 

White and red poster for war chest day

War chest day, Friday 29th November, all comforts free

Item from World War 1 ephemera material collection.
Dairy advertisement with smiling children

Shop counter advertisements

Item from ephemera collection relating to Australian shop counter display advertisements.
Retro exhibition flyer on nuclear energy

Nuclear energy ephemera

Item from nuclear energy ephemera material collected by the National Library of Australia.

Airlines ephemera

Items from airlines ephemera material collection.
Man and women on a wheat farm

Fordson Major farms Australia

Item from collection of trade catalogues from the Australian sporting goods industry.

The Library's Australian ephemera collection include all kinds of material: minor publications and pamphlets as well as leaflets, handbills, invitations, cards, menus, junk mail etc. Larger publications, such as theatre programs or retail trade catalogues, are also included. Information content, visual and design elements, period representation, portraiture are the key elements taken into consideration when selecting items for inclusion in the collection.

Ephemera can be located on the Library's online catalogue by including the word 'ephemera' in the search terms. A key to the subjects used to file general ephemera (PDF, 1315KB) and trade catalogues ephemera (PDF, 170KB) is available

Australian ephemera is indexed by subject and arranged in named sequences: 

We aim to collect Federal election campaign materials as comprehensively as possible, including websites and efforts are made to form collections which document national events and observances (eg the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games, 2008 World Youth Day, Year of the Surf Life Saver, Forgotten Australians and Former Child Migrants).

The Library's Asia/Pacific ephemera collections include both printed material such as leaflets, posters, flyers, stickers as well as objects such as badges, t-shirts and caps. They focus either on specific events such as elections, or on socio-political groups that play an important role in the region.

Descriptions are available in the Library's online catalogue for all categories of material in the ephemera collection and Items may be requested by eCallslip for reading room use.

Also in our collection, Fragments of the everyday: a book of Australian ephemera is a fascinating compilation of items from our treasure trove of ephemera.

Highlights

Explore our ephemera collection by viewing the highlights below:

The National Library of Australia acknowledges Australia’s First Nations Peoples – the First Australians – as the Traditional Owners and Custodians of this land and gives respect to the Elders – past and present – and through them to all Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

Cultural Notification

Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are advised that this website contains a range of material which may be considered culturally sensitive including the records of people who have passed away.

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