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Collection guide
Alston Collection

The Alston Collection is a treasure trove of over 1,800 works on philology and linguistics. From rare books and manuscripts to Robin Alston’s personal drafts and correspondence, this collection is a must for anyone exploring the history of language and early bibliographical studies.

Collection guide
The front page of The Australian Panorama Arabic Newspaper. The masthead is written in red Arabic script.

(2008). The Australian panorama Arabic newspaper. [Panorama Arabic Newspaper], [Parramatta, New South Wales] https://www.panoramanews.net nla.gov.au/nla.obj-747828340

Arabic

Topic

Migration from Arabic nations to Australia has a complex and multifaceted history.

Digital Classroom
A page from The English Chinese Advertiser newspaper written in Chinese.

(1858, August 7). The English and Chinese Advertiser (Vic.: 1856–1858), p. 1., nla.gov.au/nla.news-page15910530

Chinese

Topic

Stringent colonial restriction laws affected early Chinese migration to Australia.

Digital Classroom
A large, old text with Chinese characters is bound with traditional thread stitching, sitting on a shelf, supported by a white fabric strap wrapped around its cover. The edges of the pages are uneven, showing wear with the stitching slightly frayed. Other colourful books with Chinese characters are lined up alongside it on the shelf.
Chinese collections research guide

Get help to find and access material from the Library’s Chinese collection and beyond.

Research guide
Collection guide
Coedès Collection

Books, pamphlets, reprints and single issues of serials, mainly in French, relating to the ancient history, archaeology and culture of Southeast Asia.

Collection guide
Indigenous people next to a river

William Habgood & C. Grellett, Scene on Melville Water near Perth, Western Australia, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-135263049

First Australians language collections

Explore manuscripts and records that give a glimpse into the approximately 250 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages.

First Australians
Research guide
A page from a French newspaper titles Courrier Australien.

LA CLIQUE DARLAN (1943, January 1). Le Courrier Australien (Sydney, NSW : 1892 - 2011), nla.gov.au/nla.news-article161749598

French

Topic

French settlement in Australia commenced soon after the arrival of the First Fleet.

Digital Classroom
A page from the Adelaider Deutsche Zeitung, 1851.

(1851). Adelaider Deutsche Zeitung (SA: 1851–1862), nla.gov.au/nla.news-title277

German

Topic

German migrants came to Australia as founding pioneers following colonisation, with 10,000 migrating during the gold rushes of the 1850s.

Digital Classroom
Japanese print depicting scenes where Western, Japanese and Chinese people interact at a trading house

Sadahide Utagawa, Yokohama ijin shōkan no zu, 1861, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-151495391

Introduction to the Asian language collection

Learn what is available and how you can find and access items in our Asian language collections in this webinar.

Learning activity for adults
Video
A page from La Stampa Italiana (or The Italian Press) newspaper.

LE DIRETTIVE DEL GOVERNO ITALIANO NELLA POLITICA MONDIALE IL DISCORSO DEL DUCE A NAPOLI. (1931, December 3). Stampa Italiana = The Italian Press (Perth, WA: 1931–1932), nla.gov.au/nla.news-article249697143

Italian

Topic

Migration from Italy to Australia can be dated back to the 1800s and, since that time, many groups have followed.

Digital Classroom
The front page of the Japanese Perth Times. The masthead is written in Japanese. There is a stylised rat on the front page with the text 'A Happy New Year!! 1996'

(2018). Japanese Perth times, nla.gov.au/nla.news-title1386

Japanese

Topic

Japanese migrants first came to Australia in the late 1800s.

Digital Classroom
Collection guide
Kern Collection

950 books on bibliography, history, law, religion, ethnography, archaeology and fine arts of Indonesia, 629 books relating to the languages of Austronesia and some manuscripts, including transcripts of a collection of Sudanese manuscripts.

Collection guide

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