How to make an offer

We welcome offers of collection materials. If you want to offer an item or object to the Library, you need to follow these steps.

Step 1: check the catalogue and assess your item

We only accept items that align with our Collection Development Policy and Collecting Strategy.

We don’t accept items that we already have in our collection.

We also look at other factors, like what condition your donation is in. For example, if it’s very damaged or needs a lot of preservation work we might decline your offer.

Before you make an offer

1. Review our collection development policy and current collecting priorities.
2. Check if we already have the item in our catalogue. You can use these tips on how to search our catalogue effectively.
3. Think about what condition your item is in and let us know if it's very fragile or damaged.

Search the catalogue

Digital materials

Digital material might be things like files on your computer, email correspondence or digital image files. You can offer digital material if it fits within our Collection Development Policy.

If we accept it, our digital preservation team will look after this material to make sure it’s accessible for generations to come.

Copyright

You can still make an offer even if you don’t think you own copyright over the material you are donating. Any information you have on copyright in the material can be useful to us.

Cultural Gifts Program

For more information, go to Cultural Gifts Program.

Step 2: fill out an offer form

If your item isn’t in our collection, complete an offer form. The form you need to complete depends on if the item is archival or published material.

Archival materials

Archival materials are unpublished papers or records that are considered worth preserving.

Original materials are items that can't be found anywhere else. These may include:

• manuscripts
• pictures (including artworks and works on paper).

Submit an archival offer form

Published materials

Published material can be:

• books, journals, newspapers, maps, ephemera, posters and magazines or websites
• anything produced and distributed by a company or organisation
• anything self-produced and distributed
• single items or collections
• free or for sale.

NOTE: If you are the author or publisher and the work came out in the last 5 years, the best place for your work is legal deposit.

Submit a published offer form

Step 3: provide us details about your item

Any details you can give us about your offer are appreciated.

For published material we require an item list of what you’re offering.

For archival offers please give us as much information as possible. We may be able to get back to you more quickly, and it helps us to understand what items or material is included in your offer.

Please don’t send items or materials to us until we’ve agreed to accept it. For more information, read our deaccessioning and disposal policy.

Step 4: check progress of your offer

Once we receive your offer, we will send you an email with a tracking number. You can use this number to check on how your offer is progressing.

We may also ask you for more information to help us consider your offer.

Check an existing offer

Step 5: notification of acceptance

We will let you know in writing if we can or cannot accept your offer.

Accepted offers

If we accept your offer, we will give you instructions on how to prepare your items for delivery to us. Find out how to box records and papers to deposit.

Declined offers

We may not be able to take your offer, because we already have the item in our collection or because it doesn’t fit with our Collection Development Policy. If we cannot accept your offer, we may suggest other collecting institutions that might be suitable.

Step 6: access and cataloguing

The Library makes collections available to the public as part of telling Australia’s stories. It is highly unlikely we would accept something that we can never make accessible. However, we understand that some of the material you offer may be sensitive or personal. When you make us an offer, we will work with you to decide what material can be shared straight away, and what might need to be restricted until a future date.

Once we receive your item, we take great care of it. We make sure it’s accessible to the public. This means it has its own description in the catalogue, which includes information such as how the material may be accessed and used. For original material we’ll work this out with you through a Rights and Access agreement which allows you to decide the level of access.

Suggest a title

Are we missing something in our collection? If you think we should add a title, please first have a look at What we Collect and check the catalogue to see if we already hold the title in our collection.

We welcome suggestions of titles that meet our Collection Development Policy and our Collecting Strategy.

Due to the high volume of suggestions received, we are unable to let you know whether your suggestion has been accepted. However, your generosity in making a suggestion is greatly appreciated.

Submit a suggestion