Editing National Library of Australia (section)

==Building==
[[File:John Gorton opening the National Library.jpg|thumb|Prime Minister [[John Gorton]] officially opening the National Library on 15 August 1968]]
The original National Library building on [[Kings Avenue, Canberra]] was designed by [[Edwin Hubert Henderson]]<!--- currently a self-referring redirect - needs an article ---> (1885–1939), who was Chief Architect of the Commonwealth of Australia from 1929 to 1939, and built in 1934. Originally intended to be several wings, only one wing was completed, partly because of the advent of World War II. The 1957 Paton Committee reported that the accommodation was inadequate for a National Library. The building was used for the headquarters of the Canberra Public Library Service until its demolition in 1968, when it became the site of the [[Edmund Barton Building]].<ref name=henderson>{{cite web | title=The first National Library in Canberra | website=Edwin Hubert Henderson Architect | date=27 May 2021 | url=https://ehhendersonarchitect.com/2021/05/27/the-first-national-library-in-canberra/ | access-date=24 January 2024}}</ref>

In 1963, prime minister [[Robert Menzies]] announced the near-completion of working plans for a new National Library building.<ref name=henderson/> The present library building was opened on 15 August 1968 by Prime Minister [[John Gorton]].<ref>{{Citation | author1=Reid, David | author2=National Library of Australia | title=Prime Minister John Gorton addressing officials and dignitaries at the opening of the National Library of Australia, Canberra, 15 August 1968 | publication-date=1968 | publisher=National Library of Australia | url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/work/37987007 | access-date=13 August 2018 }}</ref><ref>{{Citation | author1=National Library of Australia | author2=White, Harold Leslie  | title=Publications relating to the opening of the National Library of Australia, 15th August, 1968 | publication-date=1968 | url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/work/10631207 | access-date=13 August 2018 }}</ref> The building, situated in [[Parkes, Australian Capital Territory|Parkes]], was designed by the architectural firm of [[Bunning and Madden]] in the [[Australian non-residential architectural styles#Stripped Classical|Late Twentieth Century Stripped Classical]] style. The foyer is decorated in marble, with stained-glass windows by [[Leonard French]] and three tapestries by [[Mathieu Matégot]].<ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=dN028gHIng4C&pg=PA319 |page=319 |title=The Many Lives of Kenneth Myer |author=Sue Ebury |publisher=The Miegunyah Press |year=2008 |isbn=978-0-522-85546-3}}</ref> A [[Tom Bass (sculptor)|Tom Bass]] sculpture called ''Lintel Sculpture'' is installed over the entrance to the library.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2010-03-08 |title=Sculptor changed face of public art |url=https://www.smh.com.au/national/sculptor-changed-face-of-public-art-20100308-pska.html |access-date=2022-04-03 |website=The Sydney Morning Herald |language=en}}</ref>

The building was listed on the Australian [[Commonwealth Heritage List]] on 22 June 2004.<ref name=AHD/>

In 2004 the book ''A different view : the National Library of Australia and its building art'' was published which talked about the NLA building.<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/56876884 |title=A different view : the National Library of Australia and its building art. |date=2004 |publisher=National Library of Australia |isbn=0-642-10763-7 |location=Canberra, ACT, Australia |oclc=56876884}}</ref>

===Reading rooms===
The large National Library building is home to various reading rooms and collections. Usage of the reading rooms include speaking to expert staff, browsing the library's reference collection and electronic journals, ebooks, indexes, and databases. The reading rooms also provide free internet and computer use, scanning, photocopying and printing, and the request and access of collection items.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Reading Rooms |url=https://www.nla.gov.au/reading-rooms |access-date=13 July 2024 |website=National Library of Australia}}</ref> On the ground floor is the Main Reading Room — this is where the bulk of the Library's Internet access terminals are located, and where wireless internet access is available. Services are also delivered on-site from the Newspaper & Family History zone on the ground floor, the Special Collections Reading Room and the [[Edward Petherick|Petherick]] Reading Room on the 1st floor, and Asian Collections on level 3.