Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2019L00148:reg:2017:p29
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2019L00148
Segment Type: reg
Provision Reference: reg 2017 (pt 29/81)
Character Range: 119871–122843

(a), (f) and (h);
     * value under criterion (b) has been added;  and
     * the values indicated under criterion (e) have largely been shifted to criterion (f), given the lack of evidence to support the use of (e).



The National Library of Australia is a place of considerable heritage value related to its history and role, for its landmark qualities, for a range of creative qualities related to its contribution to the significant cultural landscape of the Parliamentary Zone, architecture, construction, notable interiors, integrated artworks and original furniture, and its associations with a range of important people.

The Library is historically significant in reflecting a key point and period in the long development of the concept of a national library for Australia.  This commenced with the National Library being part of the Parliamentary Library in 1901, and reached maturity with the creation of a separate statutory entity in 1960, followed by the construction of the high quality National Library building.  The building is also important as the home of the National Library of Australia which has provided national bibliographic and other library functions during a period of rapid development of electronic resources in information technology.  It is important for housing Australia's valuable book collections and magazines, newspapers, manuscripts, pictures, photographs, maps, sheet music, oral history and folklore recordings, paintings, ephemera, archived website, electronic collections and other treasures.

The close historical association between the Library and Parliament is reflected in the Library being chosen as one of the two institutions to flank the proposed (but later abandoned) Parliament House by the lakeside (the other being the High Court).  This historical association is still reflected in the appointment by Parliament of a Member of the House of Representatives and a Senator as the members of the National Library of Australia Council.

The Library, constructed during the period 1961-1968 with the podium extensions in the early 1970s as originally planned, was the first of the permanent purpose built national institution buildings in the Parliamentary Zone, reflecting a major change in the planning of the national capital by bringing national institutions south of the lake.

(Criterion (a))

As the only Australian national library, the Library holds a rare and important place in Australia's history since its opening in 1968.

(Criterion (b))

The National Library of Australia is a good and confident Canberra example of the Late Twentieth Century Stripped Classical style, which is both large and prominent in the city.  Key features of this style displayed by the building include the symmetrical facade, horizontal skyline, regular bays of vertical proportion, colonnade, use of columns without bases or capitals, the use of a broad horizontal member at the roof line echoing classical entablature, and