Acknowledging the National Library of Australia as the source and citing rare and unique material accurately:
- ensures that the moral rights of the creator are acknowledged
- allows others to follow your research path
- saves time for anybody looking for the same item in future.
This page outlines your responsibilities in acknowledging the National Library in your publication. You should also be aware of your responsibilities in relation to the Copyright Act.
Minimum requirements
In general, the rule is to provide sufficient information to identify the item uniquely.
The minimum details include at least:
- Creator/s name
- The words 'National Library of Australia'
- Collection or item identifying number
For example, for a digitised artwork or photograph:
- John William Lewin, National Library of Australia, nla.obj-136179059
Complete citation
Where space allows a more complete citation is preferred. This is because, particularly for archival material, collections may contain hundreds of items that are not uniquely identified or numbered so more information is required to locate them.
Manuscripts
Items from this collection generally have a call number starting with 'MS'.
A correct citation of manuscript material should contain:
- Description of the item
- Name of the individual collection
- The words 'National Library of Australia'
- Collection number, series number and folder number
For example:
- John Gavan Duffy to Deakin, 24 September 1903, Deakin Papers, National Library of Australia, MS 1540/15/7
A second reference to the same item, suitably abbreviated, could read: NLA MS 1540/15/7
- Minute Books, Records of the Australian National Research Council, National Library of Australia, MS 482A/1/4-5
An abbreviated reference to the same item: NLA MS 482A/1/4-5
Maps
Items from this collection generally have a call number starting with 'MAP'.
A correct citation of map material should contain:
- The creator
- Title
- The words 'National Library of Australia'
- Collection number
For example:
- Abraham Ortelius, Typus Orbis Terrarum, National Library of Australia, MAP NK 10001
Music
Items from this collection generally have a call number starting with 'MUS'.
A correct citation of music material should contain:
- The composer (lyricist/arranger)
- Title
- Date of publication
- Publisher
- The words 'National Library of Australia'
- Collection number
For example:
- Peter Sculthorpe, Small Town: for Chamber Orchestra, London: Faber Music, 1981, National Library of Australia, MUS Nm 785.3054 S437
Oral History
Items from this collection generally have a call number starting with 'ORAL TRC'.
A correct citation of oral history material should contain:
- Name of the interviewee
- Name of the interviewer
- Date
- The words 'National Library of Australia'
- Call number
For example:
- Peter Cundall interviewed by Rob Linn, 1-2 November 2010, National Library of Australia, ORAL TRC 6237
Pictures
Items from this collection generally have a call number starting with 'PIC'.
A correct citation should contain:
- The creator of the work, e.g. artist, photographer
- Title of the work
- Year of creation
- The words 'National Library of Australia'
- Reference number, e.g. nla.obj-148147368 (unique identifier) or PIC/8505/86 (call number)
For example:
- Jeff Carter, 1955 or 1956 Tobacco Road, National Library of Australia, nla.obj-147206695
