30 Apr 2009

Limited public access to National Library collection during renovations

8:49 am on 30 April 2009

Cuts to the budget for an upgrade of the National Library will result in limited public access to its collection during the renovation.

The Government announced on Wednessday that the $82 million budget will be reduced to $52 million due to the recession.

Chief executive Penny Carnaby told Morning Report that public access to the collection will be compromised, as it will be moved to temporary premises 100km away during the renovation.

Ms Carnaby said the library houses over $1 billion worth of photos, art and oral collections.

Plans to spend millions of dollars digitalising the collection have been criticised in some quarters.