Library & Archives NT is the "state" library and archives for the

Northern Territory The Northern Territory (abbreviated as NT; known formally as the Northern Territory of Australia and informally as the Territory) is an states and territories of Australia, Australian internal territory in the central and central-northern regi ...

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...

. It has three venues located in Darwin (on the ancestral lands of the Larrakia people) and

Alice Springs Alice Springs () is a town in the Northern Territory, Australia; it is the third-largest settlement after Darwin, Northern Territory, Darwin and Palmerston, Northern Territory, Palmerston. The name Alice Springs was given by surveyor William ...

(on the land of the

Arrernte people The Arrernte () people, sometimes referred to as the Aranda, Arunta or Arrarnta, are a group of Aboriginal Australian peoples who live in the Arrernte lands, at ''Mparntwe'' (Alice Springs) and surrounding areas of the Central Australia regi ...

). It is the premier public research and archival organisation focused on the history, development and culture of the Northern Territory. The library holds more than 108,000 books and 30,000 items. The archive holds Northern Territory Government records, which are normally opened 30 years after they were created. The institution resulted from a 2020 merger of the Northern Territory Library and the Northern Territory Archives Service. It is within the Department of Families, Housing and Communities.At the time of the merger, the department's name was Department of Tourism, Sport and Culture. Library & Archives NT provides its services to the public through the Northern Territory Library at Parliament House; the Northern Territory Archives Centre in Kelsey Crescent, Millner; at the Alice Springs Reading Room in Hartley Street; and through a range of online channels. In August 2023 Tracy Puklowski was appointed as the Library & Archives NT Senior Director, this followed her role as Senior Director for the Northern Territory Government's proposed National Aboriginal Art Gallery in Alice Springs.

Services

Library & Archives NT holds the largest collection of books, journals, newspapers and audio-visual materials relating to the Northern Territory. The institution provides support to 32 public libraries across the Northern Territory, including many in remote communities, since public libraries "develop community literacy and learning, provide access to the Internet and other technology, build digital skills and act as safe and trusted community spaces". It also holds regular events and exhibitions. As a member library of

National and State Libraries Australia National and State Libraries Australasia (NSLA) Inc., is an incorporated association and the peak body that represents the national, state and territory libraries of Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand. NSLA coordinates collaborative projects, n ...

, the organisation collaborated on the creation of the

National edeposit National may refer to: Common uses * Nation or country ** Nationality – a ''national'' is a person who is subject to a nation, regardless of whether the person has full rights as a citizen Places in the United States * National, Maryland, c ...

system, which enables Australian publishers to upload electronic publications as per

legal deposit Legal deposit is a legal requirement that a person or group submit copies of their publications to a repository, usually a library. The number of copies required varies from country to country. Typically, the national library is the primary reposit ...

requirements, and makes eligible publications publicly accessible online.

Digital archive

Library & Archives NT has a comprehensive archive of historical and culturally significant materials in the

. The collection, titled ''Territory Stories'', includes documents, photographs, and audio and video files to which the public contribute, especially through local knowledge centres managed by the community, including Indigenous communities.

Eric Johnston Lecture

Library & Archives NT hosts the Eric Johnston Lectures, which provide a view of the Northern Territory's past, present and future through the eyes of people who have committed their lives and careers to its betterment. The lectures were named in honour of Commodore Eric Johnston (1933–1997), long-serving NT Administrator who as a Royal Australian Navy officer played a crucial role during and after

Cyclone Tracy Severe Tropical Cyclone Tracy was a small but destructive tropical cyclone that devastated the city of Darwin, Northern Territory, Darwin, in the Northern Territory of Australia, in December 1974. The small but developing easterly storm was or ...

. Other prominent Territorians to deliver the lecture following his inaugural address included Thomas Mayo (2020), Banduk Marika (2010), Tom Calma (2008), Mandawuy Yunupingu (1996), and Ted Egan (1998).

Other events

Library & Archives NT also host the following annual events: * Northern Territory Literary Awards; these awards acknowledge and celebrate the outstanding literary talents of established and aspiring NT writers. There are awards across seven categories including: essay, flash fiction, non fiction, poetry, short story, theatre (this award is in partnership with Brown's Mart) and youth. * The Chief Minister's Northern Territory History Book Award; this award looks for the most significant book about the Northern Territory history published in the last year. The award was established in 2004 and the three person judging panel consists of academics, historians and/or curators working in the field of Northern Territory history. * The Annual History Colloquium; this colloquium is designed to showcase research by established and emerging historians and archaeologists whose field of study incorporates the NT. This event is run in partnership with the Professional Historians' Association (NT), Charles Darwin University and the

Australian National University The Australian National University (ANU) is a public university, public research university and member of the Group of Eight (Australian universities), Group of Eight, located in Canberra, the capital of Australia. Its main campus in Acton, A ...

. Numerous other events including book talks, floor talks, workshops, documentary/movie screenings and 'Evenings at the Archives' are also held on a regular ad hoc basis.

Notes

References

External links

*
Territory Stories Database
{{DEFAULTSORT:Library and Archives NT Buildings and structures in Darwin, Northern Territory Tourist attractions in Darwin, Northern Territory State libraries of Australia Libraries in the Northern Territory Education in Darwin, Northern Territory Libraries established in 1980 1980 establishments in Australia