Over 32,000 items, including rare books, pamphlets, maps, and ephemera, covering topics such as Oceania, transport, and literature. Compiled by Sir John Alexander Ferguson, it is a key resource for Australian history and bibliography.

Books, pamphlets, broadsides, posters, periodicals, newspapers and some manuscripts mostly relating to Federation and political and constitutional history.

4000 books, 6000 pamphlets and sets of 40 periodicals published between about 1620 and 1940, including the works of the major English, Scottish and Irish political economists and writers. 

Over 6000 books, pamphlets and journals mainly related to Australian history and politics, as well as personal papers and a significant number of British and American imprints.

About 2000 books, pamphlets and serials in various languages, mostly about the history and culture of countries in Asia, particularly Burma/Myanmar.

About 2100 books, pamphlets, government publications, tourist booklets, magazines and other works about Mauritius and the Indian Ocean. Mostly in French or English, but also a few items in Mauritian Creole.

About 350 titles and a total of about 3000 issues of comics published between 1940 and 1960. Most are Australian publications, although many are reprints of US or British publications.

About 5000 books, pamphlets and periodicals, over 11,000 paintings, drawings and prints, around 800 maps and over 300 manuscripts mostly published 1770-1900. Largely relating to Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific including Antarctica.

Over 10 000 books, pamphlets and issues of periodicals, published between the late sixteenth and mid-twentieth century. The main strength is English literature, particularly of the eighteenth century.

667 books and periodical issues in English relating to Japan published 1856-1942. The subject range is broad, including history, biography, religions, politics, literature, folklore, fine arts, gardening sports and more.

Pamphlets, newspapers, printed ephemera, transcripts from archives in Ireland and Australia, records of Irish organisations in Australia, and personal papers of Irish nationalists and Catholic clergy. Also about 1200 photographs of Australian places and people with an Irish connection.

Pamphlets, journals and other publications documenting many strands of American radicalism.