State Library of Western Australia

The new State and Local Government Agreement for the Provision of Public Library Services has been enacted, a five-year partnership to guide the delivery of valuable public library services for all Western Australians. With more than 12 million in person and online visits to Western Australia’s public libraries every year, this agreement outlines a shared commitment to a responsive and sustainable public library network. Discover more: https://lnkd.in/gxSbgQfe Agreement signatories pictured L-R: Anthony Vuleta MLGP, President, LG Professionals WA; Hon Simone McGurk MLA, Minister for Creative Industries; John Day, Chairman, Library Board of Western Australia; Cr Karen Chappel AM JP, President, WA Local Government Association (WALGA)

Families are enjoying a wordless book, Baby Days by Renae Hayward and Rebecca Mills, as a new addition to the State Library’s Better Beginnings baby packs. Wordless books allow families to read to children in their own languages or use their own words to tell a story.  Baby Days is included in the reading packs thanks to support from the program’s major partner, Rio Tinto. This year, the State Library’s Better Beginnings program celebrates 20 years of supporting parents and carers as their child’s first and most important teacher by encouraging early reading activities at home. Discover more: https://lnkd.in/gbvqvtAF

Apply now for the 2025 Better Beginnings Community Grants Program! A pool of $200,000 is available for public libraries, community groups and not-for-profit organisations to kickstart or expand innovative and inclusive early reading activities. Two types of grants are available: 🌱 Micro Grants: $5,000 to $10,000 for small projects ☀️ Innovation Grants: Up to $30,000 for larger projects Applications close at 5pm on Friday 26 September 2025. Discover more: https://lnkd.in/gTKUMCJe Pictured: Let’s Play book launch at the State Library, 22 August 2025. Play Matters Australia was awarded a grant in 2024 to produce dual language resources and audio recordings that encourage in-home play and reading activities.

Would you like to work at the State Library? We’re seeking a Coordinator Information Services (full-time, permanent) to coordinate and support the day-to-day delivery of library services for a diverse range of clients and community groups in the State Library building. Responsibilities include staff rostering, training, inductions, coordinating public orders and reporting. Applications close on 19 September 2025. Discover more: https://lnkd.in/gyNjS7jB

We are delighted to introduce the 2025 Western Australian Premier’s Book Awards winners!  🌟 Children’s Book of the Year  A Leaf Called Greaf by Kelly Canby, published by Fremantle Press 🌟 Young Adult Book of the Year  My Family and Other Suspects by Kate Emery, published by Allen & Unwin  🌟 Poetry Book of the Year  G-d, Sleep, and Chaos by Alan Fyfe, published by Gazebo Books  🌟 Non-Fiction Book of the Year  Anatomy of a Secret: One Man's Search for Justice by Gerard McCann, published by Fremantle Press  🌟 Fiction Book of the Year   Shadows of Winter Robins by Louise Wolhuter, published by Ultimo Press 🌟 Emerging Writer  Matia by Emily Tsokos Purtill, published by UWA Publishing 🌟 Daisy Utemorrah Award for Unpublished Indigenous Junior and Young Adult Fiction, sponsored by Magabala Books Beau Windon – Jax Paperweight and the Neon Starway 🌟 Book of the Year, sponsored by Writing WA and selected from the winners of the six main categories  G-d, Sleep, and Chaos by Alan Fyfe, published by Gazebo Books Congratulations to all the winners and shortlisted authors! Discover more about the Awards: https://lnkd.in/gAUYGUrv Roger Cook Simone McGurk Department of Creative Industries, Tourism and Sport Copyright Agency

Our Collection Services team is hiring a Coordinator. The role is responsible for developing, managing and monitoring processes and workflows that support collection acquisition and description at the State Library.   The Coordinator will provide administrative support across the Collection Services team and help deliver strategic objectives.   This is a full-time, fixed-term contract through to 12 June 2026, with the possibility of extension.   Applications close on 1 September 2025.    Discover more: https://lnkd.in/gNzWPABj

Free family fun day at the State Library 🎉🤸 📚 This year, the Children's Book Council Of Australia turns 80! To celebrate, grab your Book Week costume and join us for a jam-packed day of author events, illustrator battles, LEGO® Masters winners, book signings, Sensorium Theatre, Paper Bird pop-up bookshop, face painting, giveaways, scavenger hunts—and so much more. The Birthday Book Adventure Family Day will take over part of the Ground Floor and Mezzanine on Saturday 23 August from 10:00am to 4:30pm. 🎂 Check out the full program on the State Library’s website. https://lnkd.in/gQi-HzSF Fremantle Press, The Literature Centre, Sensorium Theatre Inc, Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators

Explore the State Library’s Picture Book Illustration Collection 🚣🎨🗺️ Don’t miss a rare opportunity to take a behind-the-scenes tour of the State Library's Peter Williams Collection of artwork from Australian picture books—in person on 19 or 20 August or online on 21 August. Book here: https://lnkd.in/gpACWs7y Can’t make it to the tours? Our new exhibition Book an Adventure! showcases this collection and celebrates 80 years of the Children's Book Council Of Australia. Venture through the rich and wondrous worlds found in the pages of Australia’s best-loved and award-winning children’s books. Now open on the Mezzanine level. The collection began in 2006 with a generous donation of 107 artworks from children’s literature expert Dr Peter Williams and has grown to include thousands of sketches, storyboards, colour studies and paintings by renowned Australian authors and illustrators. 

We were delighted to welcome the Perth Comic Arts Festival to the State Library for an exciting weekend celebrating creativity and storytelling. The two-day festival brought together readers, creators and educators to deepen their knowledge of comic creation and the industry. Sunday’s Market Day featured the largest gathering of comic authors in Australia. Over 130 artists presented their original works to the comic enthusiasts of Perth, who came in droves! The weekend also included the launch of Gestalt Comics: The First Twenty Years, an exhibition tracing two decades of work by Perth-based comic publisher Gestalt, on show at the State Library until February 2026. Photos by Benjamin Loh

A large crowd of enthusiastic readers and writers turned out for Stories from the West, a special event to get to know the 2025 WA Premier’s Book Awards shortlist. The event featured three panels with authors from the Emerging, Non-Fiction and Fiction categories. Their thoughtful discussions dived into bringing a book to life, the complexities of using memoir to tell bigger stories and the impact of the Western Australian identity on their work. A special thanks to our wonderful moderators Alan Fyfe, Georgia Tree and Molly Schmidt. Start reading your way through the shortlist now: https://lnkd.in/gqntc74R The winners will be announced in late August. Photos by Tori Lill