Use the Library
ResearchersStart your research at the Alexander Turnbull Library
LibrariansUse Te Puna, EPIC and other National Library services
Publishers & AuthorsGet an ISBN, a CiP record, and advice about Legal Deposit
SchoolsSupport for school libraries and learning
BusinessThe information you need, quickly and easily
Search the collections
National Library CatalogueSearch our published collections, including books, magazines, audio, websites and more.
Turnbull archival collectionsSearch our unpublished collections, including manuscripts, images, audio and more.
Image searchBrowse and search half a million digital images
Papers PastMillions of pages of historic NZ newspapers
National Library e-resourcesSearch electronic resources from around the world
PublicationsNZSearch everything published in New Zealand
Upcoming events
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Wed 30 Sep, 12:10pm to 1pm Working from home: resources you can access online
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Wed 30 Sep, 1pm to 2pm National Preservation Office Conservation Clinic
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Thu 1 Oct, 9:30am to 12:30pm Precious taonga – Curator for the day
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Thu 1 Oct, 10am to 11am Golden glad rags morning tea
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Fri 2 Oct, 5:30pm to 6:30pm Launch: Queer Archive Zine
See all events
Borrow for an exhibition
You can borrow items from the Alexander Turnbull Library collections to use in public exhibitions in New Zealand or internationally.
Open data
Data sets and API access to metadata for millions of records. Grab it and see what you can make!
COVID-19
Up-to-date information about National Library services, exhibition hours and events.
Rehoming our overseas published collections
Get the latest information about what we are doing with our overseas published collection.
Waiata Māori by Alfred Hill
Performed by Mayfair Orchestra
A recently digitised gem from New Zealand’s musical past.
Music collections
Donate an item
Find out how to donate or bequest an item to our collections.
Preservation advice
Learn how to take care of your precious photographs, books, and digital documents with advice from the National Preservation Office.
Interloan
Get National Library materials sent to your local library by making an interloan request. And more.
Communities of Readers
Learn about the work we are doing in a small number of communities to strengthen reading engagement.
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Turnbull EphemeraBeautiful and often rare posters, prints, and other materials from daily life.
Turnbull Rare BooksGorgeous manuscripts, intricate fine printing, and other wonderful objects.
Our strategic directions
Turning knowledge into value: this is the National Library's strategic direction to 2030.
See how we're aiming for big changes in taonga, knowledge, and reading.