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Accessing items in the Collection

Some items in the AIATSIS Collection can be viewed on site in the Stanner Reading Room or you can request a copy of the collection item to be sent to you (fees may apply). Note that we are unable to lend materials from the Collection.

We encourage you to search the Collection before contacting us to make a request or if your request is related to native title, please read about our native title research and access service.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people can access items in the Collection for personal use via our Return of material to Indigenous communities (ROMTIC) program. 

  • Document copying fees
    Service Fee
    Interlibrary loans and document supply (for libraries only) Standard Australian Interlibrary Resource Sharing (ILRS) rates
    Photocopies $12.00 per item for up to 50 pages (all copying is done by our staff)
    Rare materials* 50c per page (all copying done by our staff)
    Pamphlet manuscripts**# $12.00 per item
    Australian Indigenous Electronic Collections# $12.00 per item

    * Available at the descretion of Rare Book Collection manager due to the nature of the materials.
    ** No more that five items can be requested at one time.
    # Subject to access conditions

  • Audio copying fees
    Product Processing details Fee
    MP3 file (up to 10 files per CD) Processing fee for digitised material $7.00 each
    WAV file (only 1 file per CD) Processing fee for digitised material $7.00 each
    WAV/MP3 file Processing fee for undigitised material $35 per 30 minute block
    CD File carrier $2.00 each
    USB File carrier $10.00 8GB / $12.00 16GB
    Exhibition / broadcast / web fee Per second (minimum 30 sec) $2.50 per second (commercial)
    $1.25 per second (community NFP)
  • Moving image copying fees
    Product Processing details Fee
    DVD file + DVD Processing fee for digitised material + DVD $25.00 each
    Pro Res HD (broadcast quality) Processing fee for undigitised material on demand $135.00 per hour
    DVD File carrier $6.00 each
    Exhibition / broadcast / web fee Per second (minimum 30 sec) $25.00 per second (commercial)
  • Photographic copying fees
    Product Size Fee
    Digital file (image already digitised) 72 dpi JPG
    300 dpi JPG
    300 dpi TIFF
    Custom scans
    $10.00
    $20.00
    $30.00
    $120.00
    Digital file
    (images not yet image digitised incur an additional processing
    fee)
    As above
    image digitised incur
    an additional processing
    fee)
    plus $10.00 per
    + CD/DVD File carrier $2.00
    USB File carrier $10.00 8GB
    Digital prints B5
    A4
    A2
    $15.00
    $25.00
    $75.00
    Publications / exhibition / broadcast / web fee Per image $110.00 (commercial)
    $55.00 (community NFP)
  • Postage
    Service Parcel size Fee
    Standard postage (within Australia) Small (500 g) $9.00
    Standard postage (within Australia) Medium (3 kg) $14.00
    Standard postage (within Australia) Large (5 kg) $17.00
    Overnight delivery (AusPost) or courier delivery (within Australia) All POA

Conditions of access and use

All requests must comply with the Copyright Act 1968. Visit the Australian Copyright Council for information about copyright.

Some unpublished collection items are not owned by AIATSIS. To view, listen to or get copies of these items, permission from the copyright owners might be required. This may involve getting permission from the depositor and/or from the relevant Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander person, family or community representatives.

If the material is being used for publication or broadcast, permission from the copyright owner is required. Permission from the relevant Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander person, family or community may also be required. Our staff will provide advice about obtaining permissions.

We cannot guarantee that all materials requested will be made available to all clients, or that permissions will be received within a set time frame.

For further information about access and use of collection materials, please read our access and use policy.

What happens when I make a request for collection material?

  • You will be contacted shortly after we receive your request.
  • We will let you know the approximate waiting time before an Access Officer can commence you request.
  • We will send you an indemnity form to sign which lists the items requested and your intended use.
  • We will advise you if permission is required, and if fees apply.
  • Once a signed indemnity form is received, permission clearance is completed, and payment is received your requested material will be supplied.
Last updated: 07 March 2024