Books and other resources
The State Library of Queensland provides resources in many subjects and you can search for most of them online. It also provides Info Guides [in English] to help you conduct research.
Table of contents
Books | Film and video | Job and career information | Maps | Manuscripts | Photographs | Digital stories | Family and local history
Books
- Public Library Services catalogue [in English]
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- to search for books and other materials in your language, or in English. To find a list of the languages other than English that are available, search the LOTE collection [new window
31 kb] [in English]. - for resources about learning English as a Second Language (ESL).
- to search for books and other materials in your language, or in English. To find a list of the languages other than English that are available, search the LOTE collection [new window
You can borrow these books and other materials from your local public library. To find a public library [in English] in your area you can search the alphabetical list of Queensland towns and suburbs. You can also identify which libraries have public internet access.
- State Library of Queensland’s South Bank collections catalogue [in English]
Search this catalogue for material on a wide variety of topics, including information about Queensland. These items cannot be borrowed but can be used onsite at the State Library.
Film and video
The film and video collection [in English] consists of DVDs, VHS videocassettes and Laserdiscs. It includes language feature films and documentaries, some of which are subtitled. You can also search the catalogues of the State Library South Bank Collections [in English]. Search the State Library catalogue for a specific language DVD e.g. use the words Japanese and DVD in the Search option to identify DVDs with Japanese language or subtitles. Visit the State Library to view films, videos and DVDs using your e-services card [in English]. Items may be available for loan to individuals through your local Queensland public library [in English]. Your local public library will also assist you to locate items of interest.
Job and career information
Our career resource guide [in English] list websites designed to help you find information on the Internet about educational opportunities, careers and jobs. Useful information includes English language courses, overseas skills recognition and job searching.
Maps
The maps collection [in English] has over 45,000 sheet maps and 300 atlases, gazetteers, globes and other map-related resources from Australia and around the world.
The John Oxley Library [in English] map collection focuses on historical maps of Queensland. This collection is only available for viewing at the State Library.
Manuscripts
Search Manuscripts Queensland [in English] for information about unpublished documents and artefacts relating to Queensland’s personal, pastoral and corporate history and held by the State Library. The materials include:
- personal and family papers such as letters and diaries, including many that record the early migrant experience in Queensland
- minutes and reports of businesses and other organisations, including records of migrant societies
- photographs and works of art
- audiovisual materials
- artefacts
- original maps and plans
- oral histories
Search for these items by keyword, e.g. Finnish, Japanese, German.
Visitors can view materials in the Heritage Collections reading room on Level 4 of the State Library.
Photographs
To find digitised photographs, search the State Library of Queensland's image database, Picture Queensland [in English]. You can search for specific nationalities using different variations of words, eg. Greek, Greeks, Greece. You can also browse by theme (e.g. Multicultural Queensland) or place (e.g. Mareeba, Innisfail, Stanthorpe).
Picture Australia [new window] [in English] has over 2 million images including digitised photographic collections from many participating agencies, including the State Library of Queensland. You can search all of these collections for specific nationalities using different variations of words, eg. Greek, Greeks, Greece. Or take one of the ‘Picture Trails’ where you can browse images on particular themes, including Multicultural Australia.
Digital Stories
Queensland Stories [in English] are 3-4 minute mini movies where you are the storyteller and moviemaker. It provides digital stories about Queensland people, communities and special places. You can also browse by theme (e.g. Memories, Arrivals) or place (e.g. Logan).
In partnership with Queensland public libraries and community groups the State Library conducts 3 day digital story workshops. Visit the Queensland Stories website for more information on submitting your story.
Family history
The State Library collects a wide range of material relating to family history research [in English], including immigration and shipping records, naturalisation indexes, births, deaths and marriages records and old electoral rolls. Some of these are available in hard copy, some in electronic versions or microform.
Many Info Guides [in English] are available to help you with your family and local research, (e.g. naturalisations, immigration and shipping, German immigrants and immigration).
Last updated: 19th October 2009
Creatively linking Queenslanders to information, knowledge and each other
