Retrieval services

Retrievals

A large proportion of the collections in the State Library are held in "stacks" or storage areas.

The catalogue record will show whether a particular item can be found on the shelves in the public areas or needs to be requested from the stack areas. If you require an item which is stored in the building's stacks, you will need to request the item via our online  retrieval system or speak a librarian at one of our services desk.

Online retrieval system

This system allows you request items to be brought out from our stack areas and held for you at one of our service desks. Here's how you place an online request:

1. Go to the State Library homepage
2. Click Search
3. Click Search our catalogue
4. Click Search the entire catalogue
5. Click Title
6. In the Title search box type the name of the item you want
7. Click Limit/Sort Search and use the limiting options to refine your search
8. Click Submit
9. An exact record or a list of possible matches for the title will appear on screen
10. Click the underlined title text of the item you want to view
11. Click the button (top left of the catalogue screen). If the button is not visible you will need to place a manual retrieval request at one of our service desks, via telephone or email
12. If you are requesting a journal, type the volume, number and year of the journal issues in the upper text box
13. If you are requesting books, maps or any other library item, type your name; date you want to read the journal; and telephone or email address in the second box
14. Click Submit. If your request was successful you will receive a message Your request was successful
15. The items you requested will be retrieved for you and delivered to the service desk of the floor on which the requested item(s) are held

Borrowing from our collections

If you want to borrow an item from our collections you will need to organise an inter-library loan through your local public library. Please see our Interlibrary Loans page for further details.

Retrieval times

Items stored in the State Library stacks and Private Archives material are retrieved every half hour.

• Monday to Thursday 9.30am to 7.30pm
• Friday 9.30am to 5.00pm
• Saturday and Sunday 10.30am to 5.00pm