State Library of South Australia, Public library in North Terrace Cultural Precinct, Adelaide, Australia
The State Library of South Australia is a public library in the North Terrace Cultural Precinct in Adelaide. It occupies three connected buildings that represent different periods of architecture: a modern wing, a Victorian hall with two galleries and wrought iron railings, and an older structure from the mid-19th century.
This institution was founded in 1860 and began collecting documents and materials about South Australian history from the start. The oldest surviving building dates from 1861, while the Victorian wing and the modern addition were built later to meet growing needs for space and services.
The name honors Catherine Helen Spence, a 19th-century writer and reformer who lived in Adelaide and campaigned for education and women's rights. Visitors today can walk through different reading rooms and watch students and researchers using the historical collections, while others work at computers in the modern sections.
Those planning to do research should check ahead for opening times, as individual rooms and collections are accessible at different hours. The main entrance is on North Terrace and leads directly into the modern section, while the historical wings are reached from inside.
In the Mortlock Chamber, glass panels in the floor of the upper gallery let visitors look down at the shelves holding rare books and manuscripts. This design was intended to bring more light into the space while allowing people to see the collections below from an unusual angle.
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