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The Commonwealth Parliament Library was established in 1901 with the initial goal of creating a public library comparable to the Library of Congress.
Answer: True
Explanation: Upon its establishment in 1901, the Commonwealth Parliament Library was envisioned with the ambitious goal of developing a national collection comparable to that of the Library of Congress.
In 1907, the Joint Parliamentary Library Committee envisioned the library solely as a resource for parliamentary members.
Answer: False
Explanation: The 1907 vision articulated by the Joint Parliamentary Library Committee was not to limit the library solely to parliamentary members, but rather to establish a great national public library comparable to the Library of Congress.
The National Library of Australia and the Commonwealth Parliament Library functions were merged into a single entity in 1923.
Answer: False
Explanation: In 1923, the functions were not merged into a single entity; rather, two names, 'Commonwealth National Library' and 'Commonwealth Parliament Library,' began to be used concurrently to denote the distinct national and parliamentary roles.
The Paton Committee recommended that the library remain solely under parliamentary control in 1957.
Answer: False
Explanation: The Paton Committee's pivotal recommendation in 1957 was precisely the opposite: it advocated for the establishment of the library as an independent statutory body, rather than remaining solely under parliamentary control.
The National Library of Australia was established as an independent statutory body in 1960 by the National Library Act 1960.
Answer: True
Explanation: The National Library Act 1960 legally constituted the National Library of Australia as an independent statutory body in 1960.
The concurrent use of 'Commonwealth National Library' and 'Commonwealth Parliament Library' names highlighted the institution's dual function.
Answer: True
Explanation: The concurrent application of the names 'Commonwealth National Library' and 'Commonwealth Parliament Library,' commencing in 1923, signified the institution's dual operational capacity: functioning as the nation's repository for library materials while simultaneously supporting the legislative and administrative functions of the Federal Parliament.
According to the National Library Act 1960, what is the primary responsibility of the National Library of Australia?
Answer: To develop and maintain a comprehensive national collection of library materials related to Australia and its people.
Explanation: As stipulated by the National Library Act 1960, the primary responsibility assigned to the National Library of Australia is to develop and maintain a comprehensive national collection of library materials, with a specific emphasis on resources pertaining to Australia and its populace.
What was the initial vision for the Commonwealth Parliament Library established in 1901?
Answer: To create a public library comparable to the Library of Congress, housing world literature.
Explanation: Upon its establishment in 1901 to serve the newly formed Federal Parliament of Australia, the Commonwealth Parliament Library was fundamentally driven by the objective of cultivating a comprehensive national collection. This vision encompassed the aspiration to establish a public library comparable in scope and significance to the Library of Congress, housing literature from global sources and across all eras.
Which committee recommended the establishment of the National Library as an independent statutory body in 1957?
Answer: The Paton Committee
Explanation: In 1957, the Paton Committee put forth a pivotal recommendation: the establishment of a National Library constituted as an independent statutory body.
The National Library of Australia was officially created as an independent body in which year?
Answer: 1960
Explanation: The National Library of Australia was officially established as an independent statutory body in 1960, following the passage of the National Library Act 1960.
The National Library of Australia is situated in Sydney, New South Wales.
Answer: False
Explanation: The National Library of Australia is located in Parkes, Canberra, within the Australian Capital Territory, not in Sydney, New South Wales.
The original National Library building completed in 1934 consisted of multiple fully constructed wings.
Answer: False
Explanation: Although designed with multiple wings, only one section of the original National Library building, completed in 1934, was actually constructed.
The current National Library building was inaugurated in 1968 by Prime Minister John Gorton.
Answer: True
Explanation: Prime Minister John Gorton officially inaugurated the current National Library building on August 15, 1968.
The current National Library building is designed in the Brutalist architectural style.
Answer: False
Explanation: The current National Library building is designed in the Late Twentieth Century Stripped Classical architectural style, not Brutalist.
The foyer of the National Library features stained-glass windows by artist Leonard French and tapestries by Mathieu Matégot.
Answer: True
Explanation: The National Library's foyer is indeed adorned with stained-glass windows created by Leonard French and tapestries by Mathieu Matégot.
The Main Reading Room is located on the top floor of the National Library building.
Answer: False
Explanation: The Main Reading Room is situated on the ground floor of the National Library building, not the top floor.
Where is the National Library of Australia situated?
Answer: Parkes, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory
Explanation: The National Library of Australia is precisely located in Parkes, Canberra, within the Australian Capital Territory (ACT).
Who inaugurated the current National Library building on August 15, 1968?
Answer: Prime Minister John Gorton
Explanation: Prime Minister John Gorton officially inaugurated the current National Library building on August 15, 1968.
What architectural style is characteristic of the current National Library building?
Answer: Late Twentieth Century Stripped Classical
Explanation: The current National Library building is designed in the Late Twentieth Century Stripped Classical architectural style.
Which artists are associated with the stained-glass windows and tapestries found in the National Library's foyer?
Answer: Leonard French and Mathieu Matégot
Explanation: The National Library's foyer is adorned with stained-glass windows created by Leonard French and tapestries by Mathieu Matégot.
The primary mandate of the National Library of Australia, as stipulated by its foundational legislation, is to develop and maintain a comprehensive collection of library materials with a specific focus on Australia and its populace.
Answer: True
Explanation: The National Library's core responsibility, as defined by its enabling legislation, is indeed to maintain and develop a comprehensive national collection, with a particular emphasis on materials related to Australia and its people.
The NLA's collection development focuses exclusively on acquiring materials from overseas institutions.
Answer: False
Explanation: While the NLA collects overseas materials, its collection development strongly emphasizes acquiring materials related to Australia and its people, not exclusively overseas institutions.
The National Library's Australian collection includes only books and serials.
Answer: False
Explanation: The National Library's Australian collection is diverse, encompassing not only books and serials but also a wide range of other materials such as newspapers, maps, manuscripts, pictures, and oral histories.
As of June 2019, the National Library's manuscript collection occupied over 17,000 meters of shelf space.
Answer: True
Explanation: As of June 2019, the National Library's manuscript collection occupied approximately 17,950 meters of shelf space.
The Pictures collection focuses primarily on European art history.
Answer: False
Explanation: The National Library's Pictures collection primarily focuses on documenting Australian people, places, and events, rather than European art history.
The PROMPT collection consists of historical government documents.
Answer: False
Explanation: The PROMPT collection is the Performing arts ephemera collection, not a collection of historical government documents.
The NLA's collection of manuscripts primarily focuses on materials related to New Zealand and the Pacific region.
Answer: False
Explanation: While the manuscript collection includes materials related to New Zealand and the Pacific, its primary focus remains on materials pertaining to Australia.
What is the guiding principle for the National Library's collection development regarding Australian materials?
Answer: Collecting material produced by Australians, for Australians, or about the Australian experience.
Explanation: The core principle underpinning the National Library's collection development strategy is the acquisition of materials produced by Australians, intended for Australians, or concerning the Australian experience. This directive encompasses a broad spectrum of formats, extending beyond conventional printed materials.
Which of the following is NOT explicitly mentioned as a type of material collected by the NLA within its Australian collection?
Answer: Digital games
Explanation: While the National Library collects a wide array of materials including newspapers, oral histories, maps, and posters, digital games are not explicitly mentioned as part of its Australian collection in the provided information.
As of June 2019, approximately how many items were held in the National Library's collection?
Answer: 7.7 million
Explanation: As of June 2019, the National Library's collection encompassed an estimated 7.7 million items.
The NLA's collection of printed ephemera includes items such as:
Answer: Pamphlets, invitations, theatre programs, and retail catalogues.
Explanation: The Printed ephemera collection at the National Library comprises a broad range of minor publications, including pamphlets, invitations, theatre programs, and retail trade catalogues, selected for their informational content and design merit.
What is the primary focus of the National Library's Pictures collection?
Answer: Documenting Australian people, places, and events.
Explanation: The National Library's Pictures collection is primarily dedicated to the documentation of Australian individuals, locales, and occurrences.
The NLA has particular strengths in Asian and Pacific collections, holding the largest Asian language collections in the Southern Hemisphere.
Answer: True
Explanation: The National Library of Australia possesses notable strengths in its Asian and Pacific collections, notably housing the most extensive Asian language collections found within the Southern Hemisphere.
The Pandora Archive, maintained by the NLA since 1996, is dedicated to preserving physical rare books.
Answer: False
Explanation: The Pandora Archive, under the stewardship of the National Library of Australia since 1996, is specifically tasked with the preservation of digital heritage, not physical rare books.
The NLA's Asian collections are considered the most significant in Australia and the Southern Hemisphere due to their size and scope.
Answer: True
Explanation: The National Library possesses notable strengths in its Asian and Pacific collections, notably housing the most extensive Asian language collections in the Southern Hemisphere, making them highly significant.
The NLA holds substantial collections related to which region, including the largest Asian language collections in the Southern Hemisphere?
Answer: Asia and the Pacific
Explanation: The National Library holds substantial collections related to Asia and the Pacific region, notably including the largest Asian language collections in the Southern Hemisphere.
What is the primary purpose of the Pandora Archive maintained by the NLA?
Answer: To preserve selected Australian websites as part of digital heritage.
Explanation: The Pandora Archive, under the stewardship of the National Library of Australia since 1996, is specifically tasked with the preservation of digital heritage, primarily through collecting selected Australian websites.
What role does the NLA play in relation to the Australian Web Archive?
Answer: It manages the archive, which includes PANDORA and the Australian Government Web Archive.
Explanation: The National Library of Australia manages the Australian Web Archive, which encompasses both the PANDORA Archive and the Australian Government Web Archive.
Under the Copyright Act 1968, Australian publishers are not required to deposit copies of their publications with the NLA.
Answer: False
Explanation: Contrary to the Copyright Act 1968, Australian publishers are mandated to deposit copies of their publications with the National Library of Australia.
The National edeposit (NED) service is managed solely by the State Library of New South Wales.
Answer: False
Explanation: The National edeposit (NED) service is managed and hosted by the National Library of Australia, in collaboration with several state and territory libraries.
The NLA provides national leadership in developing collaborative online services for the Australian library community.
Answer: True
Explanation: The National Library of Australia exercises national leadership by developing and managing collaborative online services in conjunction with the Australian library community.
The National Library offers publishers services like providing International Standard Book Numbers (ISBNs).
Answer: False
Explanation: While the National Library offers services to publishers, these include a Prepublication Data Service and the provision of International Standard Serial Numbers (ISSNs) and International Standard Music Numbers (ISMNs), not ISBNs.
Trove, launched in 2009, is primarily known for its collection of digitized historical maps.
Answer: False
Explanation: Trove, launched in 2009, is an online library database aggregator most widely recognized for its extensive collection of digitized Australian newspapers, not historical maps.
Funding cuts to the Trove service in 2016 were successfully averted due to a public campaign and government commitment.
Answer: True
Explanation: In 2016, threatened funding cuts to the Trove service were indeed averted following a public campaign and a subsequent government commitment of A$16.4 million.
What legal obligation requires Australian publishers to provide copies of their publications to the NLA?
Answer: The Copyright Act 1968
Explanation: Pursuant to the Copyright Act 1968, the National Library of Australia is legally obligated to acquire a copy of every Australian publication.
Which service, managed by the NLA, facilitates the deposit of born-digital content required by legal deposit legislation?
Answer: National edeposit (NED)
Explanation: The National edeposit (NED) service, managed and hosted by the National Library of Australia, facilitates the deposit of born-digital content as mandated by legal deposit legislation.
What is Trove, launched by the NLA in 2009?
Answer: An online library database aggregator known for digitized newspapers.
Explanation: Trove, launched by the National Library of Australia in 2009, is an online library database aggregator most widely recognized for its comprehensive collection of digitized Australian newspapers.
Which of the following services does the NLA offer to Australian publishers?
Answer: Prepublication Data Service and ISSN/ISMN provision
Explanation: The National Library of Australia extends several services to Australian publishers, including a Prepublication Data Service and the provision of International Standard Serial Numbers (ISSNs) and International Standard Music Numbers (ISMNs).
What benefit does free library membership confer upon Australian residents?
Answer: Access to licensed electronic resources from offsite locations.
Explanation: Free registration as a library member grants Australian residents access to several benefits, including offsite access to a curated selection of licensed electronic resources, such as the complete text of the Encyclopaedia Britannica.
What challenge did the NLA face regarding its Trove service in 2016?
Answer: Threatened funding cuts that jeopardized its future.
Explanation: In 2016, the National Library faced threatened funding cuts impacting its Trove service, which jeopardized its future operation.
The National Library building was added to the Commonwealth Heritage List in 2004.
Answer: True
Explanation: The National Library building was inscribed on the Australian Commonwealth Heritage List in 2004, recognizing its heritage significance.
The J.C. Williamson Distributed Collection and the AusStage database were added to the UNESCO Australian Memory of the World Register in 2021.
Answer: True
Explanation: Both the J.C. Williamson Distributed Collection and the AusStage database achieved significant international recognition through their inscription on the UNESCO Australian Memory of the World Register in 2021.
The National Library's budget for the 2025-2026 financial year is projected to be A$10 million.
Answer: False
Explanation: The projected budget for the National Library for the 2025-2026 financial year is A$100 million, not A$10 million.
In 2016, the National Library employed approximately 400 people.
Answer: True
Explanation: In 2016, the National Library of Australia's workforce consisted of approximately 400 employees.
The National Library building was added to the Australian Commonwealth Heritage List on what date?
Answer: June 22, 2004
Explanation: The National Library building achieved official recognition on the Australian Commonwealth Heritage List on June 22, 2004, an inscription acknowledging its profound heritage significance.
The J.C. Williamson Distributed Collection and the AusStage database were recognized by inclusion in which international register in 2021?
Answer: The UNESCO Australian Memory of the World Register
Explanation: In 2021, both the J.C. Williamson Distributed Collection and the AusStage database achieved significant international recognition through their inscription on the UNESCO Australian Memory of the World Register.