AUSTRALIANA Collecting Books Antiquarian

In the spring of 1768, Captain James Cook was about to embark on a remarkable voyage to the Pacific, which would see him witness the transit of Venus and take formal possession of New Zealand and the east coast of Australia in the name of King George III.

One hundred and fifty-five years later, Cook’s journal was purchased at a sale in London on behalf of the Commonwealth Government for the institution that would become the National Library of Australia. The purchase of this rare treasure, which describes a remarkable event in the history of our continent, also represents a turning point in the development of one of Australia’s foremost cultural institutions. From its beginnings in the Commonwealth Parliamentary Library in Melbourne in 1901, the National Library has gathered together extraordinary resources for research and reference, through the acquisition of major formed collections, gifts from private benefactors, and numerous purchases.

Remarkable Occurrences: The National Library of Australia’s First 100 Years 1901-2001 celebrates the people and the stories behind the collection, preservation and interpretation of Australia’s documentary heritage.

• Canberra : National Library of Australia, 2001
• xiii, 283 pages : illustrations (some colour), maps (some colour), portraits (some colour) ; 28 cm.
• illustrations on endpapers.
• Includes bibliographical references and index.
• National Library of Australia — History
• Commonwealth Parliament Library (Australia) — History
• Commonwealth National Library (Australia) — History
• National libraries — Australian Capital Territory — Canberra — History
• National libraries — Collection development — Australian Capital Territory — Canberra — History
• National libraries — Acquisitions — Australian Capital Territory — Canberra — History
• Australian
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