Parliamentary Library of Australia

The Parliamentary Library of Australia is a significant research and information service that supports the Parliament of Australia. Established in 1901, the library is an integral part of the Department of Parliamentary Services and provides independent, impartial and comprehensive information to members of Parliament, namely members of the Senate and House of Representatives, their staff and the broader parliamentary community.

History

The library was established in 1901, the year of the federation of the Commonwealth of Australia. Control of the new library was controversial as the fledgling parliament was located in Melbourne where the Victorian premier and the library committee of the State Library of Victoria sought to influence the control and management of the library.

From 1923 the library used two names describing the two roles and two collections Commonwealth Parliament Library which designated the parliamentary collection and Commonwealth National Library to designate the national collection. The collections were relocated from Melbourne to Canberra in 1927.

Sir Harold White served as Parliamentary Librarian from 1947 to 1967. In 1960 the National Library of Australia was created by an Act of parliament. The collections were separated when the National Library of Australia building was completed.

Organisation and services

The Parliamentary Library lies within the Department of Parliamentary Services (DPS), one of four departments supporting the functioning of Parliament.

The staff of the Library is led by the Parliamentary Librarian, a statutory officer responsible for the control and management of the Library, who is on the DPS Executive Committee. This committee is the department's primary governance body, comprising the Secretary (chair), Deputy Secretary, Parliamentary Librarian, Chief Operating Officer, Chief Information Officer, First Assistant Secretary for Building and Security Division and Chief Finance Officer, First Assistant Secretary Security Division, First Assistant Secretary Corporate Services Division; and the Head, Design Integrity and Collections.

In September 2023, Steven Fox was appointed Parliamentary Librarian for a 5 year term.

Key Functions

Research and Analysis: The library conducts in-depth research and analysis on a wide range of topics, including policy issues, legislation and international developments. This research is presented in the form of briefing papers, research papers and other publications.
Information Services: The library provides parliamentary clients with access to a vast collection of books, journals and other resources, both in print and digital formats.

Importance in the Parliamentary Process

The Parliamentary Library plays a crucial role in supporting the work of Parliament by:

Informing Policy Debates: The library's research and analysis contribute significantly to the development of informed policy debates, enabling parliamentarians to make well-informed decisions.
Enhancing Transparency and Accountability: By providing accurate and unbiased information, the library helps to promote transparency and accountability in the parliamentary process.

Publications

Some major, publicly available products of the Parliamentary Library include Bills digests, Research publications and Parliamentary handbooks.

Bills digests: The library prepares detailed analyses of bills before Parliament, providing an objective assessment of their policy implications.

Research publications: Research Papers provide in-depth analysis on a wide range of policy topics, while Quick Guides provide a concise overview of key policy issues, including definitions, context and relevant data.
Parliamentary handbooks: Detailed information about Parliament, including lists of senators and members, and details of elections.
Budget Resources: The annual Budget Review is a series of articles intended to support consideration of the Budget and the various issues the Budget is intended to address.

Other Products

Dashboards: Visualizations presenting key economic and social indicators, election and referendum results, census statistics and statistical geography
Chronology of Australian Government: A detailed chronology of significant events and milestones in Australian government and politics.

References

External links