State Library of Western Australia

State Library of Western Australia This page shares updates, stories and photographs from the State Library of Western Australia. Sources, when relevant, are included at the end of posts.

The State Library treasures Western Australian stories and builds, preserves and shares physical and digital collections that reflect the State’s rich heritage, diversity and history. This page shares updates, stories and photographs from the State Library of Western Australia. Our posts are not intended to be a comprehensive history and are often condensed for brevity, clarity and approp

riateness. In the case of oral histories, stories are based on an individual’s recollections and may not be a factual retelling of events. The State Library of WA has an active community on social media. You are warmly invited to join us. While comments are encouraged, comments that do not align with our code of conduct may be removed slwa.wa.gov.au/about/corporate-information/regulations-policies-guidelines/client-code-conduct

For more information about the State Library or to explore our online catalogue, visit slwa.wa.gov.au

Our page and inbox is sometimes unattended. For urgent enquiries, please contact us at 9427 3111 or [email protected]

The Read WA bookshelves on the Ground Floor of the State Library bring together nearly 2,000 fiction and non-fiction boo...
07/09/2026

The Read WA bookshelves on the Ground Floor of the State Library bring together nearly 2,000 fiction and non-fiction books by Western Australian authors, with stories on Noongar bush tucker, Fremantle's musicians, wildflowers and more.

They're all available to borrow with your free State Library membership.

🔗 Learn more and discover the greatest hits of our Read WA collection
https://slwa.wa.gov.au/collections/collections/read-wa

Take a trip back to Gosnells and Kelmscott in the 80s and 90s! Were any of these your local spots?
06/09/2026

Take a trip back to Gosnells and Kelmscott in the 80s and 90s! Were any of these your local spots?

Join Laura Elizabeth Woollett, for an essential conversation with ABC Radio’s Christine Layton, as she launches her new ...
05/09/2026

Join Laura Elizabeth Woollett, for an essential conversation with ABC Radio’s Christine Layton, as she launches her new book Hell Days.

Delve into the stories women's bodies tell, the illnesses too often left unspoken, and the power of turning personal experience into public understanding.

Whether you have a personal connection to women's health issues, a special interest in contemporary non-fiction, or just love a book launch, this event is not to be missed.

This event is presented in partnership with Books in the Brewery.

Heading to the game? In celebration of Fremantle Dockers finals charge, we went down low to unearth these gems from the ...
03/09/2026

Heading to the game? In celebration of Fremantle Dockers finals charge, we went down low to unearth these gems from the State Library's ephemera collection. Heave ho! ⚓

Let's throw it back to Joondalup Resort in 1996!Have you ever checked in for a stay? Share your memories in the comments...
02/09/2026

Let's throw it back to Joondalup Resort in 1996!

Have you ever checked in for a stay? Share your memories in the comments!

31/08/2026

See, hear and feel the great southern live and breathe in our current exhibition, Kinjarling Djinnang Ngalak | Country Sees Us.

This immersive exhibition pairs newly recorded oral histories from Menang Elders with stunning historic and contemporary images of the Kinjarling/Albany landscape. Marking 200 years since colonisation began on Menang Country, the exhibition invites visitors to encounter Kinjarling not as a backdrop to history, but as a living landscape with its own voice and memory.

Curated by Denien Toomath. Produced in partnership with Community Arts Network.

📍 Ground floor, State Library
🕥 On now until early 2027
🎟️ Free exhibition, no tickets required

25/08/2026

Final weeks to discover a WA legend! Visit The Story Place Gallery and immerse yourself in the story of Western Australia's most famous escape artist.

Joseph Bolitho Johns, also known as Moondyne Joe, captured the public imagination with his daring prison breaks in the 1800s. Today, his legend lives on in a vibrant new exhibition designed especially for young visitors.

See the recently acquired original illustrations and drafts from Mark Greenwood and Frané Lessac's much-loved picture book, displayed alongside heritage items from our collection that connect the legend to the history behind it.

📍 The Story Place Gallery, State Library
🕥 On now until 13 September
🎟️ Free exhibition, no tickets required

Looking for a pocket of calm in the middle of the city? Our Shortlist Readers' Lounge is waiting for you.Filled with the...
23/08/2026

Looking for a pocket of calm in the middle of the city? Our Shortlist Readers' Lounge is waiting for you.

Filled with the 2026 WA Premier's Book Awards shortlisted titles, it's the perfect spot to take a break, kill time between meetings or simply watch the world go by. Choose a book, settle in and stay for a while!

Check out these North Perth institutions in the 1980s! What are your memories of these places?Images: 311856PD, 313414PD...
22/08/2026

Check out these North Perth institutions in the 1980s! What are your memories of these places?

Images: 311856PD, 313414PD, 314444PD, 313413PD, 311854PD, 313411PD and 322089PD.

Curious about your family and where you come from? The State Library has an array of resources to help you trace your hi...
17/08/2026

Curious about your family and where you come from? The State Library has an array of resources to help you trace your history this National Family History Month. Our collection includes birth, marriage and death indexes, directories, electoral rolls, newspapers, maps and passenger lists, along with records on cemeteries, census, convicts, courts, immigration, land allocation, probate and the military.

If you're just starting out, we recommend beginning with yourself and working backwards one person at a time. Dig out any certificates, photographs, letters or diaries you might have at home and talk to relatives about what they remember.

Need a hand along the way? Volunteers from Family History WA are on-site Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday mornings from 10am–1pm on Level 3. You can also Ask a Librarian online, or in person at the J.S. Battye Library of West Australian History also on Level 3.

Address

25 Francis Street
Perth, WA
6000

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 8pm
Tuesday 9am - 8pm
Wednesday 9am - 8pm
Thursday 9am - 8pm
Friday 9am - 5:30pm
Saturday 10am - 5:30pm
Sunday 10am - 5:30pm

Telephone

+61894273111

Website

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