Print & microfilm

Onsite Use - Print

Current issues of selected English-language overseas print newspapers are made openly available in the Newspapers and Family History zone of the Main Reading Room. Recent previous issues are shelved in our closed access newspapers collection and are available by placing a request through the catalogue.

Selected newspapers in a range of languages are available for reading in the Library's Reading Rooms.

Onsite Use - Microfilm

Unlike our microfilmed Australian newspapers there are no microfilmed overseas newspapers available on open access within the Newspapers and Family History zone.

Closed Access - Print and Microfilm

Besides the current issues of selected titles, as no overseas newspaper titles or dates are held in the reading room, you will need to search the library catalogue to check for holdings and to request available items from our closed newspaper stacks.



To request material from the newspaper stacks you must be registered as a National Library Reader.

Both print and microfilm newspapers will normally be delivered to the Newspapers and Family History zone within 45 minutes unless they are stored offsite. Login to the catalogue and view your list of requested items or ask our staff at the Newspapers and Family History zone Information Desk to check for delivered material.

Offsite Storage

As all the Library’s holdings of print overseas newspapers published before January 2011 are housed offsite they are not available for immediate access but can be requested for delivery to the Newspapers and Family History zone.

Delivery times for items held offsite can be viewed on our Collection Delivery Service page. 

Accessing newspapers from outside the Library

Although print and microfilmed newspapers in the Library's collection can only be used in the Newspapers and Family History zone, access to many  overseas newspapers in digital format is provided to registered Library users via eResources.