Supplementary Style Guide

National Library of Australia
National Library of Australia Supplementary Style Guide
Communications & Marketing Section

18 March 2024

UNOFFICIAL
Page 1 of 38

link to page 5 link to page 5 link to page 6 link to page 6 link to page 7 link to page 7 link to page 7 link to page 7 link to page 7 link to page 8 link to page 8 link to page 9 link to page 9 link to page 10 link to page 10 link to page 11 link to page 11 link to page 12 link to page 12 link to page 12 link to page 12 link to page 13 link to page 13 link to page 14 link to page 14 link to page 15 link to page 15 link to page 15 link to page 16 link to page 16 link to page 16 link to page 16 link to page 17 link to page 17 link to page 17 link to page 18 link to page 18 link to page 19 link to page 19

link to page 19 link to page 19 link to page 21 link to page 21 link to page 22 link to page 22 link to page 22 link to page 23 link to page 23 link to page 23 link to page 23 link to page 24 link to page 24 link to page 24 link to page 24 link to page 24 link to page 25 link to page 25 link to page 26 link to page 26 link to page 26 link to page 26 link to page 27 link to page 27 link to page 27 link to page 27 link to page 28 link to page 28 link to page 28 link to page 28 link to page 29 link to page 29 link to page 29 link to page 30 link to page 30 link to page 30 link to page 31 link to page 32 link to page 33

Supplementary Style Guide

Version History
Reviewed/
Date
Actioned By
Version
Action
June 2023
Assistant-Director, Media
0.1
Draft compiled into document template
& Marketing
for reviewEnter version details here
Aug – Dec 2023
Assistant-Director, Media
0.2
Draft updated following consultation
& Marketing
Director, Communications
& Marketing

UNOFFICIAL
Page 4 of 38

Supplementary Style Guide

Introduction
Writing in plain language and having a consistent approach to referring to organisation specific services and
activities helps us to communicate clearly with our audiences. Use this guide, alongside the Australian
Government Style Manual, when writing for:
•  National Library websites (nla.gov.au and bookplate.com.au)
•  the MyNLA staff intranet
•  printed brochures, reports and guides
•  social media channels and email newsletters
•  event listings and advertising material on external digital channels
•  information signs and wayfinding signs in our building and on any digital platforms
•  formal letters
•  selected printed documents such as our Annual Report.
This includes documents intended to be uploaded and shared on any of the above websites and platforms.
There are individual standards and guides that cover:
•  catalogue entries for the Library
•  books by National Library of Australia Publishing
•  exhibition labels
•  Trove brand guidelines, including guidance on the Trove tone of voice.
If you would like training on how to for write blogs, guides are available on MyNLA or in-person training
sessions can be received by sending a request to the xxxxxxxxxx@xxx.xxx.xx inbox.
This style guide covers:
•  writing for our audience/s
•  writing about the National Library
•  our tone of voice
•  avoiding Library jargon.
If you can’t find something in this style guide, check the glossary. If it’s not there, it’s likely to be covered by
the Australian Government Style Manual, the Macquarie Dictionary or other references mentioned in the text.
Content and feedback
The National Library Style Guide is intended to be updated regularly. If you have suggestions for edits and
additions to be considered for future updates, please send them to xxxxxxxxx@xxx.xxx.xx

UNOFFICIAL
Page 5 of 38

Supplementary Style Guide

Writing about the National Library
This section covers how to refer to us in your writing and when to use different versions of
our organisation’s name. It also covers how to describe locations in the building, services,
events, formed collections and more.
Using our name
This table covers how to use our organisation’s name in different written formats:
No.
Written format
Name to use
1
Letters
Use ‘National Library of Australia’ in the first instance and ‘the National
Library’ subsequently.
2
Printed documents
Use ‘National Library of Australia’ in the first instance and ‘the National
Library’ subsequently.
3
Website text, blogs and
As our audience is already on our channels and we would like them to
channels that belong to
feel welcome, there is no need to use our full name. Use ‘we’, ‘our’ and
us (intranet,
‘us’. In instances where this wil  cause confusion, use ‘the Library’.
physical/digital signs in
The logo includes the words, National Library of Australia, if written
our building, etc).
content wil  appear in close proximity to the logo there is no need to
repeat the organisation’s name.
The exception to this rule is when a printed document is being uploaded
to the website, these should be reproduced as they appear in the
original document. As fewer printed documents are produced, this
different application of the style wil  disappear over time.
4
Responses to online
Our audience has already sent in a question and know they are
enquiries (I.e., Ask a
communicating with us, there is no need to use the National Library of
Librarian)
Australia or the National Library in text. Use ‘we’, ‘our’ and ‘us’.
In instances where this wil  cause confusion, use ‘the National Library’.
5
Social media (I.e.,
If the National Library of Australia logo is appearing there is no need to
Facebook, Instagram,
use ‘the National Library of Australia’ in the text. Use ‘we’, ‘our’, ‘us’.
YouTube)
In instances where this wil  cause confusion (such as joint
announcements with other organisations), use ‘the National Library’.
Social media channels are owned by third-party companies, so we
need to be more specific in these cases, as compared to our websites.
6
Writing for channels that  Use ‘National Library of Australia’ in the first instance and ‘the National
aren’t ours (i.e.,
Library’ subsequently.
conference papers,
It may be appropriate, depending on the context, to use ‘we’, ‘our’ or
promotional articles)
‘us’ in some of your writing. In instances where this wil  cause
confusion, use ‘the National Library’.
7
Referring to Trove
Advice on how to write about Trove is covered in the Trove Brand
Guidelines.

UNOFFICIAL
Page 6 of 38

Supplementary Style Guide

Think about audience
The above table is a guide to referring to our organisation but won’t cover every situation. When you’re
writing, think about your intended readers. If it’s a Minister or for government, you’l  need to be more formal
and use ‘National Library of Australia’ and ‘the National Library’ – even if the content wil  appear on the
website.
Printed documents for the public, on the other hand, can occasional y use ‘we’, ‘our’ and ‘us’ where the
context makes sense and don’t have to use only formal language. There is more information about writing for
different audiences in the following chapters.
Avoid the acronym
Avoid using the acronym ‘NLA’ in content intended to be read by people other than staff. Acronyms are
confusing for people who have not heard of the National Library, or who speak English as a second
language. In general, most people who are not familiar with our work are unlikely to know immediately what
the acronym stands for and this makes your writing more difficult to understand.
An exception is where NLA forms part of a trademarked name, like NLA Publishing (which is used in
conjunction with National Library of Australia Publishing branding).
Aim for inclusivity
Avoid language that creates a sense of exclusivity, we want people to feel a sense of inclusion and
belonging.
There wil  be times when you’l  need to use words like ‘our’, meaning belonging to the Library rather than
belonging to everyone, for example, ‘our digital strategy’. You can also use phrases like ‘our stories’ meaning
all of Australia’s stories, or ‘our journey’ meaning us as a nation.
When referring to the col ection, you can use ‘our col ections’, ‘the col ection’ or the name of the formed
collection. That is unavoidable especially when writing letters and responding to complaints and
compliments. It wil  differ depending on the circumstances and the audience.
General words and phrases
Use all lower case for general terms that describe our services. These include:
•  research guides
•  free guided tours
•  col ection delivery service
•  legal deposit
•  digital collections
•  government publications.
Titles of services and sections
When using the full title of a Library service or section, use initial capital letters for key words. Some
examples of this are:

UNOFFICIAL
Page 7 of 38

Supplementary Style Guide

•  Council of the National Library of Australia
•  Service Charter
•  Community Heritage Grants
•  Ask a Librarian
•  Asia Study Grants
•  Office of the Director-General
•  National Library of Australia Fellowships
•  Digitisation on Demand
•  Collaboration Branch.
Events and exhibitions
If you are creating a title for an exhibition or event, the aim is to reach the right audience by writing a clear
description that lets people know what to expect. People scan our What’s On listings and quickly decide what
is relevant to them.
Keep your title length under 60 characters, as shorter titles display better in promotions and are easier to
read. Include essential information – is the event launching a book about Australian theme parks, or is it a
public talk about Indonesian horror movies? Some examples that do this wel  are:
•  Viewfinder: Photography from the 1970s to Now
•  Online Learning: Chinese-Australian Family History
•  The Life of a Spy: Rod Barton in conversation
•  A Night in the National Library of Australia with Tim Ross
•  School Holiday Diorama workshops.
Use initial capitals for key words in the title of a series or a specific program, for instance ‘Winter Tales
presents Meredith Hinchcliffe’ or ‘Story Time: Australian Children’s Literature’. If the title has a subheading,
we use a colon to separate the two and always use an initial capital for the word fol owing the colon.
Describing collections
A significant number of Library items have been acquired as part of a collection. Some were built up by
individual collectors, families, and organisations over time (formed col ections). These formed col ections
have official names, and we use initial capitals when writing the name of the col ection, such as the:
•  Joseph Banks Col ection
•  Loke Wan Tho Collection
•  Drovers Oral History Collection
•  Manning and Dymphna Clark Collection.
However, as described above, you do not need an initial capital for ‘col ection’ if you are writing about
collections more generally, for example:
•  find out more about the col ections of Australian and British museums

UNOFFICIAL
Page 8 of 38

Supplementary Style Guide

•  the book has been borrowed from the col ection of the deBergs
•  paintings were donated from her private col ection.
Writing about Library spaces
This fol ows a similar rule to collections. We use initial capitals when using the ful  name of a specific area,
like:
•  Petherick Reading Room
•  Special Col ections Reading Room
•  Treasures Gallery
•  Friends Lounge
•  Conference Room
•  Theatre
•  Bookplate
•  ‘National Library of Australia Bookshop’ in the first instance and ‘Bookshop’ fol owing.
Use the full name of locations when writing anywhere except on temporary signage. For example, use ‘Level
1’, not ‘L1’. But when writing about spaces in the plural, or more general y, we should use lower case:
•  the reading rooms offer a comfortable place to study
•  free tours of our exhibition galleries are offered daily.
The fol owing is a list of the names of public spaces in our building, by floor. The list is not exhaustive and
may be added to or changed over time:
•  Lower Ground 1: Theatre, Paperplate
•  Ground Level: Main Entrance, Information Desk, National Library Foyer, Bookshop, Bookplate,
Treasures Gallery, Exhibition Gal ery, Main Reading Room
•  Level 1: Special Collections Reading Room, Petherick Reading Room, Ferguson Room, Council Room,
Executive Suite.
•  Level 2: Friends Lounge, Nan Kivell Room
•  Level 4: Conference Room
Since all the names are proper nouns, use initial capitals unless referring to spaces general y or in the plural,
as described in the paragraph above.
Audience
This is a general term for people who receive information from and about us. This
information could be received through our correspondence, websites, social media,
newsletters, promotions by other organisations or visits to the building.

UNOFFICIAL
Page 9 of 38

Supplementary Style Guide

Referring to our audience
When referring to people who use our services, some options are ‘visitors’, ‘patrons’ or ‘customers’. You can
also add ‘our/Library’, i.e. ‘our visitors’, our café customers or ‘Library patrons’, if you need to be specific.
Try to avoid ‘users’, even though this is a popular term in IT and design spaces. Many people don’t like being
referred to directly as users as it has negative meanings as well as generic ones. When you’re deciding
which words to use, think about how you might like to be described.
No.
Option
Examples
1
Visitors
Visitors to the Treasures Gallery…
Our visitors are welcome to…
2
Customers
Our café customers…
NLA Bookshop customers can pay by…
3
Patrons
Thank you to our Patrons and donors for making these
Capital letter when referring to
projects possible.
financial donors
4
Patrons
For the safety of our patrons unattended items may be
inspected and removed by authorised officers.
5
Researchers
This guide aims to assist researchers in identifying and
using the Library’s collection.
6
Readers
Researchers may apply for Petherick Reader status…

Current audience
Information about the Library’s current audience and how we engage with them can be found in the
Communications and Digital Community Strategy. We regularly conduct research and focus groups to keep
this information current. Read more about the findings from our market research on MyNLA.
When we talk about our current audience, we mean the people who are currently receiving information from
and about us. They might be writing to us about the col ection, visit the reading room and attend events, be
part of the Friends or share and engage with our social media posts. We know from our research that our
current audience is, on average, older (55+), wel  educated, majority female and has strong interests in
history, genealogy and visiting cultural institutions like museums, gal eries and libraries.
An example of writing for our current audience:
The National Library of Australia is a world-leading and respected custodian of Australia’s published,
written, oral, visual and digital heritage. We ensure Australian history, culture and knowledge is
sustained for all Australian people, both now and in the future.

UNOFFICIAL
Page 10 of 38

Supplementary Style Guide

The Library aims to comprehensively collect Australian publications in order to reflect the full diversity
and range of Australian life depicted in the published record. When it is not possible or practical to
collect every Australian publication—for example, ephemera, posters and websites—the Library
collects a representation of the breadth and diversity of materials.
-  from the 2020-21 – 2023-24 Collecting Strategy
The above writing has a formal tone. It uses terms specific to cultural institutions like ‘digital heritage’, and
‘ephemera’. Overall, it is written for a reader who has a high level of literacy and assumed knowledge of how
libraries work. This style works in a formal document, but it is not appropriate for a blog or event listing.
Potential audience
If, when we write, we assume our main readers are our current audience, we ignore people who might be
interested in using our services but are not currently doing so – our potential audience. This includes
younger people, those from regional and rural parts of Australia, people from culturally and linguistical y
diverse backgrounds and First Australians.
From our audience research, we know there are barriers that prevent people using our services. This might
be a lack of awareness about the Library in general, thinking you need to be a student or a researcher to get
a library card, or the idea that you can’t visit the building without an appointment.
Writing for a wider audience
Thinking about the different parts of our tone of voice, described in previous sections and through the
supporting examples, you might be getting an idea of how you could write to appeal to a wider range of
readers than just our current audience. A few more tips:
•  While you should write in plain language, you don’t have to spell out concepts or terminology as if you
were writing for a child.
•  Don’t be afraid of using engaging adjectives or grammatical tools to make a point. Your audience wil
follow you.
•  There is an enthusiasm for the Library as an institution and for books. This means you can write with
warmth and zeal. You can allow a passion for the Library content to seep into your writing.
•  Both the potential and current audiences enjoy stories. You can bring a story telling style into your
writing, where appropriate.
The audience understands the structures of journalism and you can use them, especial y in things like blog
writing, where you can apply classic long form media stylings. These writing techniques include having a
strong introductory sentence, using a conversational tone and a hierarchy, such as the ‘inverted pyramid’.
For more tips on writing for a wider audience, see the Communications & Marketing section’s blog writing
guidelines on MyNLA.

UNOFFICIAL
Page 11 of 38

Supplementary Style Guide

People working or presenting at the Library
When writing someone’s title, we always begin with their honorific (i.e. Mrs, Dr, Professor, etc) then their first
and second names, before specifying a current job title. Any honours such as Order of Australia come after
the person’s name and before their current job role. For example:
•  Professor Alex Zafiroglu, Deputy Director ANU School of Cybernetics
•  Dr Marie-Louise Ayres FAHA, Director-General of the National Library of Australia.
There are more guidelines about professional and academic titles in the Australian Government Style
Manual.
Tone of voice
Tone of voice means what we sound like as an organisation. Even though many people
write for the Library, and we don’t all sound identical, there’s guiding principles for the
impression we want to give to our audience.
Our tone of voice elements
Tone of voice is mainly applied on our social media, websites and newsletter content. This section does not
cover formal writing, including writing letters. Information about writing letters is in the Australian Government
Style Manual. The three crucial parts of our tone of voice are:
•  open and approachable
•  reliable and resourceful
•  surprising.
Open and approachable
To apply this in writing:
•  use shared pronouns where appropriate (we, us, our)
•  use positive and polite language
•  use plain language, which you can read more about in the Australian Government Style Manual
•  avoid Library jargon and don’t assume knowledge.
Example of open and approachable writing:
By bringing together our stories, we can build a rich and vibrant resource that lets current and future
generations know who we are.
-  from What We Collect
Example of writing that creates a barriers:

UNOFFICIAL
Page 12 of 38

Supplementary Style Guide

The Library is always in need of more material in order to meet its charter. Contributing collection
items that strictly adhere to our acquisition policies wil  supply knowledge to current GLAM
enthusiasts and future generations.
This above writing isn’t inclusive and reads as a directive. The language used is formal, mostly not plain
language and includes Library-specific jargon. Most of all, it’s al  about the Library’s needs, rather than being
framed as everyone being part of a collective whole.
Reliable and resourceful
To apply this in writing:
•  explain simply
•  use relevant and timely examples that people can easily understand
•  be informed and accurate but humble
Example of reliable and resourceful writing:
Another essential resource is Trove, a great online source of information from not just the Library’s
collections, but organisations across Australia.
Trove has mil ions of pages of Australian historical newspapers dating back to 1803, which carried
news of enlistments, troop movements, war reports and even letters from the front during many
armed conflicts. Trove also has collections of diaries and personal papers from many people who
served with or had links to the military.
Al  searching and access is free, no signup required.
-  from Finding Family Military History
This above example is positive in tone, but also direct, giving a clear overview of the resource.
It has helpful hyperlinks that take the reader directly to more information and lists the most likely things that
people searching for family history would be looking for: diaries, letters, war reports. This shows empathy for
the reader and their interests.
Surprising
By surprising, we mean that we love words and have fun with them. We share unexpected stories behind the
items in our collection and are passionate about helping people to uncover interesting material of their own.
To apply this in writing:
•  use story telling principles, like beginning with a captivating opening and writing from a character’s
perspective, when appropriate
•  share human-centered stories
•  have a purpose to your humour
•  encourage people to get curious
•  share how you found something or solved a puzzle.

UNOFFICIAL
Page 13 of 38

Supplementary Style Guide

Example of writing that is surprising:
If you wanted to have some fun on a voyage from Britain to the antipodes in the 19th century, you
often had to jolly well make it yourself.
To stave off cabin fever, you could read a book, write some poetry, or socialise with your fellow
passengers. Or…if you had a literary mind, and a certain lust for power, you could establish a tiny
media empire and use it to control the very ebb and flow of information on board via the ship’s
newspaper.
-  from Quips and Quirks of Facetious Mirth
This example works because it has a sense of fun which is infused through the writing. It’s written from a
definite point of view, someone writing in the style of the time (‘you jolly wel  had to make it yourself’), but
with an ironic take on the subject.
The use of the pronoun ‘you’ also keeps the reader invested in the story and makes them feel as if they are
there on the ship, trying to pass away the time. Finally, it shares stories in a conversational, engaging way
which makes the reader want to explore the subject more.
First Australians
This section contains guidance on creating public content that features or references First
Australians in a way that respects and acknowledges the diversity of Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander communities in Australia.
Consultation is the most important part of this writing process. Anything that is assessed as containing ICIP
requires:
• direct consultation with relevant community(ies)
• an appropriate approval process.
When creating any content with that features or references First Australians, always consider the impact it
may have on the community or communities involved.
Including First Australians content or references to First Australians must be relevant and within context.
Consider the purpose of the content you’re creating, and who the audience is, and then given both those
factors – whether the inclusion is appropriate.
When in doubt about what to do, refer to the Indigenous Cultural and Intel ectual Property (ICIP) Protocol. If
needed, consult with Indigenous Engagement before you begin writing and they can assist.
Approved terminology
The Library only uses the following:
•  First Australian/s
•  Aboriginal people/s
•  Torres Strait Islander people/s

UNOFFICIAL
Page 14 of 38

Supplementary Style Guide

These terms must be capitalised as shown above, as they are proper nouns. This is an approved list from
Indigenous Engagement and may be changed or added to over time. You must consult first with the
Indigenous Engagement Section if you wish to use a term that is not on this list.
Diversity of First Australians
There is a wide range of nations, cultures and languages across mainland Australia and throughout the
Torres Strait. Given this diversity, respectful language use depends on what different communities find
appropriate. There may be more than one ‘traditional’ or ‘correct’ term for something you are describing, and
this is why it is important to consult with Indigenous Engagement before you begin writing or creating
content.
When creating content, it is important to use language that is consistent with the Library and to avoid diverse
terms used primarily by and in First Australian communities. For example, avoid phrases such as ‘you mob’,
or ‘deadly’, as it is not appropriate when used by an organisation.
Keep in mind that if you would also like to use words or phrases that are from an Aboriginal or Torres Strait
Islander language, please consult with the Indigenous Engagement Section to make sure you have
permissions and the usage is correct and appropriate.
Punctuation and style
Using italics and quotation marks for words from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages is
inappropriate. If you are using words from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages in your content,
use the correct words to describe the specific language being used. For example, in our video transcripts we
use:
Jeannie: (speaks in Warlpiri). What I’ve just said can be translated in English to ‘I wil  see you’.
OR
Jeannie: kapirnangku nyanyi (in Warlpiri). What I’ve just said can be translated in English to ‘I wil
see you’.
Capitalisation of respected terms is required, such as: Elders, Traditional Owners, Traditional Custodians,
Welcome to Country, and Acknowledgement of Country.
Considerations for using archival material
Some of the Library's archival material wil  contain language from a particular era and wouldn’t be used now.
This includes not only the text of books and articles, but also image credits with terms that have loaded
meanings like ‘colonisation’ or ‘terra nul ius’. In these instances, you may need to:
•  Consult with Indigenous Engagement for more guidance, including options for updating descriptions.
•  Flag this language and alert viewers that it is there.
•  Explain this in the context of the times and how we don’t use this language anymore.
Some of the Library's archival images contain hurtful or distressing subject matter and images of First
Australians who are no longer with us. Readers also need to be made aware of this if you are using archival
images in your content, so they can make decisions that are cultural y appropriate for themselves while
engaging with our col ections.

UNOFFICIAL
Page 15 of 38

Supplementary Style Guide

Wording could read: ‘Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander viewers are warned that there are images of
deceased persons’.
Further reading
In addition to consulting with the Indigenous Engagement section about your content, we recommend the
following for learning more about creating respectful content that features or references First Australians:
•  Australian Government Style Manual on inclusive language
•  The Library’s Reconciliation Engagement Plan
•  Demonstrating inclusive and respectful language
Culturally and linguistically diverse groups
Each culture and language group is different. They have their own nuances, sensitivities
and concerns. This section contains general information and suggestions on where to
seek further guidance.
Using constitutional definitions
There can be sensitivities around things like geography or demographics or the correct cultural terms. To
avoid causing contention, go with the official definition given by the government of the country or
acknowledged community leaders.
For instance:
The Fijian Australian community is diverse, reflecting the vibrant nature of contemporary Fiji.
The Fijian Constitution defines Fijians to include those of iTaukei (Indigenous Fijian) background,
Indian background, Rotuman, European, Chinese or other Pacific Islander background.
-  from Collecting Fijian Australian Stories
This above example uses both positive language and a constitutional definition to deftly navigate through the
issue of what constitutes the Fijian Australian community.
Inclusive language
Read the Australian Government Style Manual for detailed advice on this topic.
It’s much better to use inclusive language and only draw attention to the specific cultural or language group
when it’s needed. For example:
•  If you have a connection to the Fijian-Australian community you would like to share, please contact us.
•  Australia is home to more than 1.2 mil ion Chinese-Australians, many born in Australia, with lineages that
span generations of Australian history.
Avoid using the following phrases:

UNOFFICIAL
Page 16 of 38

Supplementary Style Guide

•  CALD - While we write about CALD internally in government, as a quick umbrella way to capture many
different groups, never use this acronym in public facing writing as it may cause offence.
•  Minority – this implies an inferior status within the general population.
•  Non-English speaking - could be considered offensive and may be taken to imply the person is being
categorised or is not part of the wider Australian community.
•  Avoid words like ‘foreign’, which has an implication of something not belonging, or being unnatural.
Instead, ‘other parts of the world’ is clear, factual, and inoffensive.
Writing about sensitive topics
This is a guide to helping minimise risks and consider tone when writing about a topic or
situation of a sensitive nature.
What is considered a sensitive topic
Subjects that can potential y cause distress, offence or risk to reputation if not handled correctly are
considered sensitive topics. These include:
•  A tragedy or natural disaster that affected people recently or in the past (i.e., A bushfire, a flood, a
fatality).
•  An event that causes distress to a group of people or culture recently or in the past (i.e., The Stolen
Generation, or a targeted act of violence against a person or group of people).
•  Cultural or religious subjects of sensitivity (i.e., Beliefs of a community or culture; cultural clashes or
disputes over beliefs or objects of importance).
•  Something that’s deeply affected an individual or group on a personal level (i.e., Loss of a home or land;
a political decision; harassment, abuse).
•  Vilification of an individual or group based on race, age, culture, language, gender, sexual diversity or
disability.
•  Something that’s unresolved and ongoing and is the cause of stress and anxiety (i.e., A lawsuit or legal
case; an ongoing dispute over land; a negotiation between employers and workers).
General suggestions
•  Words matter. Be aware of their consequences and how they may be received. Consider each phrase or
word careful y before using it. Refer to the Australian Government Style Manual section on inclusive
language for guidance on words that are cultural y appropriate and respectful of the diversity of
Australia’s people.
•  Empathy is key. Deal with topics factually and sensitively, but don’t get judgmental, political or emotional.
Ask yourself what it would be like to be in the shoes of the individual or group. How would they want the
topic to be approached? Stay away from aggressive, lurid adjectives (i.e. ‘horrific’ or ‘shocking’). Even if
you mean well, you won’t be supporting those affected. Write in a neutral tone and stick to the facts.
•  Put topics into context. This helps readers get a better understanding of why it is sensitive and how it
may affect people. This can be done through giving a brief historical context or the topic’s wider
implications on society.

UNOFFICIAL
Page 17 of 38

Supplementary Style Guide

•  Avoid slang or jargon, words that could be pejorative or any words that are controversial.
•  When in doubt, consult with an expert. Before you publish sensitive content, contact the Communications
and Marketing Section, or Indigenous Engagement Section.
Example of how to write about a sensitive topic:
During the summer of 2019 – 2020, Australia experienced a catastrophic bushfire season. Many
deadly fires broke out around the country. It was a landmark event in Australian history. The NSW
towns of Cobargo, Quaama, Nerrigundah and the surrounding regions were devastated.
-  from The Badja Forest Road Fire Oral History Project
The above example uses facts, empathy and adjectives to describe the event but stays away from
sensationalism or casting judgement. It stays focused on the event, the consequences, and the geographic
area.
When to seek advice
You should consult and seek advice if you are unsure about how to write about the delicate nature of the
content. For example:
•  If you’re writing about a legal matter that is before court.
•  If anything may potentially be libelous or defamatory. This can occur if you’re writing about a person or
group’s character or something they are al eged to have done.
•  When you’re simply quoting another source that is potentially libelous or defamatory.
•  If you are writing about a cultural group of people or their experience and are unsure what appropriate
words to use.
•  When you’re writing about a past historical event that has multiple, conflicting perspectives.
If your writing covers sensitive topics that you feel you lack sufficient expertise and knowledge in, please
submit your ideas via the monthly content submission process coordinated by the Communications and
Marketing Section.
Disclaimer to use
You may come across material written from another time that could now cause offence or be considered
contentious. For instance, material that is racist or sexist.
If you are writing for an external channel, for example a conference presentation or paper, please talk to your
supervisor or the Communications and Marketing Section and discuss if a disclaimer such as the one below
should be included alongside your content.
The National Library of Australia’s col ections contain terms that reflect authors' views, or those of the
period in which the item was written or recorded, but may not be considered appropriate today. These
views are not necessarily the views of the National Library. While the information may not reflect current
understanding, it is provided in an historical context.

UNOFFICIAL
Page 18 of 38

Supplementary Style Guide

Support services
In some instances, it may be appropriate to include information where people can go to for support, if content
in an article has caused them distress.
Example of how to write a support services message:
For crisis support, contact Lifeline on 13 11 14, chat with them online at www.lifeline.org.au or text them
on 0477 13 11 14. Lifeline services are available 24/7.
If the material you are writing about includes these sensitivities, please make sure your content is reviewed
by your supervisor before it is made public.
Image captions & in-text citations
We use the Australian Government Style Manual for most citations, with the following
exceptions described in this section. Examples provided for guidance.
Image captions
Use the following guidelines for crediting images in content written for newsletters, on Library websites, or for
external digital channels. This style should also be used by media outlets and other organisations who are
using our images if they don’t have a house style for image credits.
For guidance on providing context for historical image credits that may contain hurtful and offensive
language, please see the section in this style guide on using archival documents.
This guidance does not apply to image credits and citations in books published by NLA Publishing, or to
exhibition labels.
Image available online (link to Trove)
If an image has been digitised and is available online, link to Trove in the image caption. Use the short form
of the image’s URL, which contains a persistent identifier (a code that ensure the link stays active and
correct in the long term). This short form URL is part of the full URL when viewing the image in Trove – the
section needed is ‘nla.gov.au/nla.obj-XXXXXXXXX’. Use the following order of information for the image
credit:
Creator, Title (in italics), date (if not included in title), short form URL, credit (if required)
If any part of this information is not known or not relevant, skip it and move onto the next section. For
example:
•  Samuel Thomas Gil , Pitt Street from King St., looking south, 1856, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-135663067
•  Peter Dombrovskis, Icicles on creeping pine, Cheyne Range, Tasmania, 1979, (detail),
nla.gov.au/nla.obj-148521911, courtesy Liz Dombroskis
•  Ellis Rowan, Blue flycatcher, 1917, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-138743765
In one of the examples above, ‘(detail)’ has been included in one of the image credits where the image
pictured is not the entire work. If a title is very long, shorten it by removing extra information in brackets, or
any words not necessary for understanding the subject or context.

UNOFFICIAL
Page 19 of 38

Supplementary Style Guide

Keeping the ‘nla.gov.au’ section in the short form URL means it can be be cut/pasted or copied into a
browser and wil  open directly to the image in Trove, even when the text can’t be hyperlinked.
Example from digital content:

Image not available online (link to catalogue)
If an image is not yet digitised, link to the Library catalogue in the image caption instead of to Trove. The
short form of the catalogue link can be found in the ‘cite this’ option on the catalogue record – the section
needed is ‘nla.gov.au/nla.cat-vnXXXXXXX’ Use the following order of information for the image credit:
Creator, Title (in italics), date (if not included in title), catalogue identifier, credit (if required)
If any part of this information is not known or not relevant, skip it and move onto the next section. For
example:
•  Ellis Rowan, Spring landscape, nla.gov.au/nla.cat-vn8676056
•  Peter Dombrovskis and Les Walkling, She-oak cones (Al ocasuarina littoralis), east Freycinet, Tasmania,
2017, nla.gov.au/nla.cat-vn7386656, courtesy Liz Dombroskis
•  Wil iam Yang, Stiletto Oscars, 1976, nla.gov.au/nla.cat-vn7250851
If a title is very long, shorten it by removing extra information in brackets, or any words not necessary for
understanding the subject or context.
Keeping the ‘nla.gov.au’ section in the link means it can be cut/pasted or copied into a browser and wil  open
directly to the catalogue record, even when the text can’t be hyperlinked.

UNOFFICIAL
Page 20 of 38

Supplementary Style Guide

Captioning images from books, newspapers etc.
When using an image sourced from a larger work (such as the page of a newspaper or magazine), use the
following order of information for the image caption:
Description of image or image title, Work title (in italics), publication date, link to Trove or catalogue,
page number/s
Whether you link to Trove or the Library catalogue wil  depend on whether the work is available online or not.
More guidance on this is available in the sections above. If some of this information is not known or not
relevant, skip to the next part. Examples:
•  Mr Carter, Canberra Times, Wed 5 Dec 1973, nla.gov.au/nla.news-article131696178, p.9
•  View of Brisbane River from Kangaroo Point, Beautiful Brisbane: 36 new views of the pearl city of the
Commonwealth, 1933, nla.gov.au/nla.cat-vn126889, p.17
•  Tokelauan dancers stirred the crowds with their songs, Pacific Islands Monthly, vol.59 no.10 (Oct 1
1988), nla.gov.au/nla.obj-338249427, p.22
•  Portrait of Balbir Singh, The Argus (Melbourne, Vic), Tues 6 Nov 1956, nla.gov.au/nla.news-
article71764125 , p.6
If the image is from a newspaper, double-check whether the name of the newspaper includes ‘The’ in the
title. For example, newspapers The Age or The Australian both have a capitalised ‘The’ in their titles,
however Northern Territory News and Canberra Times don’t.
Include the place of publication in brackets after the title when it is not clear from the title, as per example
above.
When linking to a newspaper article in Trove instead of an image, the short form URL looks slightly different
to the one for images and has the format ‘nla.gov.au/nla.news-articleXXXXXXXXX’, as per examples above.
Captioning internal images
Images taken by internal photographers/Library staff members for promotional purposes do not need to be
captioned. However, it wil  sometimes be appropriate to write an informal descriptive caption to give some
context to the image.
Example of descriptive captions on internal images:

UNOFFICIAL
Page 21 of 38

Supplementary Style Guide

In-text citations and reference lists
Hyperlinks and in-text citations
If you’re referring in your writing to another source (i.e. a blog, web page or newspaper article) and it wil  be
published on digital channel like a website or newsletter, link directly to the source in your text. For example:
The Windsor and Richmond Gazette wrote that A Woman of Mars ‘should be read by every student of
political economy’.
-  From the blog post From Braidwood to the Red Planet
In this example, the link goes to the newspaper article from the Gazette on Trove and because it is a blog
and not scholarly work, a hyperlink is more suitable than an in-text citation.
If you are writing for an audience that expects more academic-style referencing, use the author-date system
for your in-text citations, as detailed in the Australia Government Style Manual.
Reference lists
If you’re using in-text citations as per the author-date system as described above, you wil  also need to
provide an alphabetical reference list with full information on each of the sources cited. Format this in line
with the guidance in the Australian Government Style Manual.

UNOFFICIAL
Page 22 of 38

Supplementary Style Guide

Formatting for titles
Guidance on italics, capitalisation and other formatting for titles, that are specific to the
Library, are outlined in this section.
General formatting for titles of works
In content for Library websites and newsletters, titles of works should be in italics and reflect the
capitalisation used by the work itself. For example:
•  The Narrow Road to the Deep North by Richard Flanagan
•  The Great Book-swapping Machine by Emma Al en & Lisa Coutts
•  Searching for Charlotte: The Fascinating Story of Australia's First Children's Author by Kate Forsyth &
Belinda Murrell
On social media, we use single quotes for titles of works in place of italics. This is because italics aren’t
available for text formatting on some social media platforms.
This guidance does not apply to catalogue entries.
Formatting for subtitles
Subtitles within work titles are separated with a colon and always begin with an upper-case letter. For
instance:
•  Cook’s Endeavour Journal: The Inside Story
•  In Bligh’s Hand: Surviving the Mutiny on the Bounty
•  A Brush with Birds: Australian Bird Art from the National Library of Australia.
As above, titles in content for Library websites and newsletters should be in italics, and in single quotes on
social media.
Dates in titles
Dates should not be italicised unless the date is part of the title. As in this example:
•  Don McMurdo, Portrait of Leona Mitchel  in Idomeneo, the Australian Opera, 1979
But not in this example, which is an artwork image credit that includes the date the artwork was produced:
•  Minnie Lumai, Yab-yab-gnerni-gnim (Sugarbag Dreaming), 2009
Other works that may have dates in their title and italicised may include:
•  Lectures, such as Peter Greste’s, Press freedom in Australia and why it is in crisis, 2019
•  Legislation, such as Copyright Act 1968
•  Music pieces such as Midday Show Theme 1991

UNOFFICIAL
Page 23 of 38

Supplementary Style Guide

Italics in series or collection titles
A series title is italicised only if it is a work itself, for example, a volume of an anthology. For instance, The
New Australian Book of Verse.
However, the Kenneth Myer Lecture would not be italicised because it is the name of a series of individual
lectures and not the name of a standalone work or anthology. The titles of the individual lectures in this
series would be italicised, for instance:
•  Anne Summers, 20/20 vision: Where is Australia headed?, 2017
A name for a series of podcasts such as Bookmark This is italicised because it is a definite series of works.
The episode title of each podcast would be also italicised. An exhibition title such as On Stage: Spotlight on
Our Performing Arts is also italicised.
Titles on web pages
For titles on web pages and blogs, we use sentence case. Italics are not required, because they are not titles
of works. Here are some examples of web page headings in sentence case:
•  Buy our books
•  Published guides and bibliographies
•  General guides to the col ections
We use title case for a heading only when the heading is all made up of proper nouns. For instance:
•  Special Col ections Reading Room
•  The Copyright Status Tool
Sometimes it may not be clear what is a proper noun or which case to use. For example:
•  Summer Long Reads - Part 1
•  Summer of Stories: A Spoonful of Magic
In these examples of blog titles, Summer Long Reads and Summer of Stories are clearly intended as a
series, so they use title case.
Further reading
See the section in this style guide on Writing about the National Library of Australia for more information on
capitalisation used for specific Library terms.
Web page layout
The key to a clear and engaging web page layout is to consider the needs of your
audience with each design decision.
Page layout vs content
This section covers how to structure a web page using elements such as headings, lists and images to
improve the readability and accessibility of your content. For guidance on writing specific content, such as

UNOFFICIAL
Page 24 of 38

Supplementary Style Guide

blogs and articles, please see the blog writing guidelines on MyNLA or contact xxxxxxxxxx@xxx.xxx.xx to
arrange in-person training.
Be aware that your content on a web page may look different to how it looks in a Word or PDF document.
However, the underlying structure wil  be the same: headings wil  stil  be headings, paragraphs wil  stil  be
paragraphs, lists wil  stil  be lists. Websites use styles that are optimised for online reading and ensure
consistency of content across the whole website.
Headings
Headings act as signposts that guide readers through an article. They provide spacing and structure to the
content and al ow readers and assistive technologies to scan the content and understand what to expect
from each section and the article as a whole. Screen reader technologies also often use headings as
navigation, allowing readers to quickly jump from one heading to the next.
There are six nested heading levels that may be used on web pages. Headings on web pages should always
be in hierarchical order, from H1 (most important) through to H6 (least important). Heading levels must not
be skipped, for example do not follow a H2 heading with a H4 just because you don’t like the look of the H3.
Hierarchy of web page heading levels
H1: The Title and “Big Idea” of the page
H2: First Point
H3: Subsection of H2
H4: Subsection of H3
H5: Subsection of H4
H6: Subsection of H5
H2: Second Point
H3: Subsection of H2
Etc.
H1 –This is the title of your page. There wil  be only one H1 on a web page.
•  Keep your H1 under 60 characters, including spaces. This ensures the page title won’t be cut-off in
search engine results or on mobile devices.
•  Between the H1 and the first H2, you might like to include a paragraph of one or two sentences
summarising what the page is about. This may help with search engine results and ranking if you include
keywords that you think readers might be searching for.
H2 – A Heading 2 is like a chapter title that groups information into a logical section.
•  Your H2 should describe the main idea of that section of text.
•  A H2 may also appear in a menu or table of contents to allow readers to quickly navigate the page.
H3 – A Heading 3 is a further breakdown of information that further clarifies or groups information under the
previous H2.

UNOFFICIAL
Page 25 of 38

Supplementary Style Guide

H4, H5, H6 – Headings 4, 5 and 6 break information down into even smaller chunks under the previous
headings. In most cases, H4 is the lowest you should go within web content, but H5 and H6 might be needed
for more detailed plans and reports.
Heading examples
H1: A guide to locating rare manuscripts
H2: Locating rare manuscripts in Australia
H3: Rare manuscript specialist societies in NSW
H4: NSW Central Coast
Paragraphs and spacing
Each new idea or topic on a web page should get a new paragraph.
Order your paragraphs in the way that makes the most sense to the reader.
Do not make paragraphs too long. If possible, try to keep them to two or three sentences. Web pages
become hard to read and it is hard to engage the reader when they are presented with a wal  of text. Long
paragraphs are also harder to read on mobile devices.
Remember that the white space on a page is just as important as the text and images. The space provides a
buffer and makes the text easier to read.
Lists
Bulleted and numbered lists are a great way to make a page more readable and help readers scan and
understand a series of related items. Read about how to format and punctuate lists in the Australian
Government Style Manual.
Images
Images provide visual breaks between sections of text. They add white space to the page and make the web
page look more interesting.
Make sure that any images you use:
•  are useful, relevant to the content, and convey meaning
•  do not overwhelm the page – avoid putting multiple images or large images close together
•  are accompanied by appropriate alt text and image credits.
Talk to Indigenous Engagement before using First Australians imagery in your content.
If you want an image carousel as part of your content, discuss it with the Communications and Marketing
Section.

UNOFFICIAL
Page 26 of 38

Supplementary Style Guide

Hyperlinks
Hyperlinks can help readers and search engines easily navigate to related content. However, you should
only link to things that help the reader. Links are styled differently to normal text on a web page so they
increase the cognitive load on the reader and can reduce the readability of the content.
Make sure your links are on relevant text that makes the destination clear, for example ‘…copyright in Library
collections…’
Do not put links on generic terms, such as ‘Read more’ or ‘Click here’, or on web addresses, such as
www.nla.gov.au/using-library/copyright-library-collections.
Read more about using and formatting links in the Australian Government Style Manual.
Call-out boxes
A cal -out box makes text stand out from the normal text on a web page. It is designed to catch the reader’s
eye and draw attention to something important.
We use call out boxes to provide contact information at the end of a section, or at the top of the page
to let readers know about an important change or information about the Library.
The look of a call-out box depends on the website that you’re publishing content on, but they wil  be
consistent across that website.
Try not to overuse call-out boxes in web content. Too many on a web page reduces the effectiveness of
them and readers wil  start to skip over them.
Alt text for images
Alt text (alternative text) helps people who cannot see an image understand what that
image depicts.
Alt text serves several functions.
•  Screen reader technologies announce alt text in place of an image, which helps users with visual or
cognitive impairments to understand the content and the function of the image.
•  Browsers present alt text visually in place of an image that is slow to load, fails to load, or where the user
has blocked images.
•  Search engines factor alt text into their assessment of the purpose and content of the web page.
Alt text is not usually visible on a web page (unless an image has not loaded) or in a PDF document. It is
included in the ‘back-end’ markup of the web page and the tagging of a PDF document.
When to use alt text
We use alt text for al  images that are displayed on a web page, as wel  as in documents published in PDF or
Microsoft Office formats. This includes:
•  photos
•  drawings

UNOFFICIAL
Page 27 of 38

Supplementary Style Guide

•  artworks
•  cartoons and il ustrations
•  posters
•  logos
•  graphics
•  infographics.
Read the WC3 decision tree to help know when to use alt text.
Alt text versus image credits
Alt text should describe the elements of the image and may provide some context. An image credit describes
who took the photograph, who appears in the photograph and the date and location if known.
For example:

From: Anna Zhu tells the story of a lifetime in pictures
The alt text is: ’An elderly couple stand arm in arm outside a brick building’
The image credit is: Anna Zhu, Home, 2008, nla.gov.au/nla.obj-2988779738
Here, the alt text describes what we see in the image, not their names, cultural background or where the
photo has been taken.
Alt text for different image types
Decorative images
A decorative image is one that can be removed from the content without losing meaning or context.
Contrary to guidance in the Australian Government Style Manual, we need to use captions for decorative
images if they are from the collection.
For decorative images, the alt text attribute is stil  required in the web page markup, PDF tags, and Microsoft
Office documents. This tells technologies that the image is not necessary to understand the content. In the
web page, an empty alt attribute is used in the image tag (alt=””). In PDF and Microsoft Office documents,
the alt text should be set to ‘Decorative image’.
Images from our col ections
Alt text for Library collection images should be neutral and factual. Think of alt text as a shorthand way of
quickly describing an image.
•  Keep it short. If possible, keep it under 100 characters, including spaces.

UNOFFICIAL
Page 28 of 38

Supplementary Style Guide

•  Do not start the alt text with “Image of” or “Graphic of” or “Photo of”. Technologies such as screen
readers wil  recognise it as an image and wil  announce that to the user anyway.
•  Don’t make assumptions about the reader’s knowledge. For example, for a photo taken during a famous
event such as WW2 or the Sydney Mardis Gras, don’t describe the event in the alt text, only what can be
seen in the picture. The event itself should be described within the text of the page to give context.
•  When the image contains text, that text should be included in the alt text. For example, the alt text for an
image on this Philanthropy campaign web page would be: “Cropped book title page of the ‘Victorian
Almanac 1867’”
•  You can describe the type of image or how close it is. For instance, ‘a close up of a face’. Or ‘a group of
soldiers seen from a distance’. Or you could say it’s a painting or photo with a filter to add blur or a
graphic effect.
•  Never put hyperlinks in alt text.
Logos
Write the ful  name of the organisation in the logo’s alt text. For instance, the alt text for the National Library
of Australia logo would be ‘National Library of Australia’. You must include all the text that appears in the
logo.
You don’t have to include the word ‘logo’ unless that adds context to why the image is being used. For
example, on a page with logos of exhibition sponsors, those logos would all need to include the word ‘logo’ if
the organisation names were also used within the web page text.
Functional images
For images that have a function – such as a logo within content that links to another web page or website, or
an icon that prints, downloads, or saves an item – the alt text wil  describe the function, rather than
describing the image.
For example, an icon of a printer that you might click to print a page should have the alt text: ‘Print this page’.
Do not use generic text, such as ‘Read more’, as alt text for images that link to something because it
provides no context for where the link leads.
If you use a logo or image to link to another web page or another website, the alt text should include an
indication of where the link leads to. For example, if you use the NED logo in content and have it link to the
NED website, the alt text for that logo would be: ‘National edeposit website’.
The use of a logo in the header of web pages to link back to the Home page of the website is a common
convention that most people understand. The alt text for the logo in this case can just be the organisation’s
name. For example, the logo of the National Library of Australia in the web page header has the alt text
‘National Library of Australia’. A screen reader wil  read this as: ‘Link, Graphic, National Library of Australia’
and most people wil  understand where the link wil  take them because of where the image is on the page.
You can include the word ‘home’ if you think it might be confusing for some of your audience (so: ‘National
Library of Australia home’).
More information is available from the W3c’s functional images guide.
Other formats
Please refer to the Australian Government Style Manual for writing alt text for images in other formats.

UNOFFICIAL
Page 29 of 38

Supplementary Style Guide

Temporary signs
When writing content for temporary signs around the Library, aim to be succinct and clear.
Follow the guidelines below to request physical and digital signage for display in public
areas of our building.
Temporary sign types
Temporary signs can be seen around our building. They are usual y public facing messages aimed at:
•  pre-empting user inquiries
•  giving useful information and directions
•  warning about dangers or important issues
•  advertising events or occasions.
Temporary signs can be physical (usual y paper/laminated) or digitally displayed on screens. If you wish to
display a sign in an any public area of our building, follow the guidance below.
Physical signs
For physical event signs, there is currently an A4 sign template available for use in the branding resources
section on MyNLA. If you require a temporary sign, outside of standard event signage, please complete a
design brief. The online design brief form is accessible through MyNLA, and wil  automatically send to the
Communications & Marketing section when completed.
When fil ing out the brief, keep in mind that you want your sign to be easy to understand. Use active voice
and structure your information over no more than 3 levels, such as:
•  a headline - to grab attention and convey the critical points or message.
•  key information - including more detail of the message conveyed in the headline.
•  special information – such as dates, locations, prices.
Example of physical sign:

UNOFFICIAL
Page 30 of 38

Supplementary Style Guide

Digital signs
There are 3 digital displays in the public areas of our building: the Library foyer, the Main Reading Room and
The Hub on Lower Ground 1. Communications and Marketing have responsibility for creating and scheduling
digital signs for the display and decide what’s required based on our monthly content calendar and additional
information from Community Engagement, Exhibitions and Reader Services.
If you would like to request a digital sign, get in touch with the Communications and Marketing staff member
contact for your team. If you’re unsure of who this is, or they’re not currently available, email the
xxxxxxxxx@xxx.xxx.xx inbox with the details of your request.
As with the physical signs, keep in mind that your digital sign wil  need to be simple and clear. Structure your
information over no more than 3 levels, as described above. Also think about how long a potential viewer is
likely to be engaged with the display, with some common examples being:
•  Short-term viewing (passing by): 5-8 seconds
•  Mid-term viewing (standing in foyer or at reading room information desks, or waiting for cafe takeaway):
30 seconds
•  Long-term viewing (seated in foyer, study areas or in reading rooms): 2 minutes or more.
How much engagement your sign wil  get wil  depend on where your digital display is positioned. This in turn,
should inform the way you present your digital sign.
Examples of digital signs:

UNOFFICIAL
Page 31 of 38

Supplementary Style Guide

Glossary
A guide to words and phrases used by the National Library of Australia. Included words
and phrases are either specific to us, or have rules about usage that differ from the norm.

UNOFFICIAL
Page 32 of 38

Supplementary Style Guide

Other information sources
If you can’t find a word or phrase here, it’s likely because our usage (spel ing, capitalisation, punctuation etc.)
follows what is recommended by either the Australian Government Style Manual or the Macquarie
Dictionary. If you have suggested edits or inclusions for this section to be considered for future updates,
please send them to xxxxxxxxx@xxx.xxx.xx
A
Aboriginal people/s: See section on First Australians for further guidance on approved terminology.
Asia Study Grants/Asia Study Grant recipient: The names of our grant and fel owship programs have
initial capitals, as they are proper nouns. The word ‘recipient’ is lower case, but some recipients may have an
additional title that is capitalised as a proper noun, such as ‘Fel ow’.
Australian Web Archive: This a proper noun, as it is the name of a Library collecting service, so use initial
capitals for each word. Its acronym is AWA, which can be used for subsequent mentions in the same piece
of content after flagging the acronym in brackets after the first full name mention, i.e. ‘the Australian Web
Archive (AWA) has been collecting website snapshots for decades’.
B
Bookplate: The name of the cafe on the Ground Floor is written as one word. If you think that using just
‘Bookplate’ on its own wil  confuse readers in some contexts, use the full name of the business - ‘Bookplate
cafe’.
Bookshop: Use for references to the National Library of Australia Bookshop, when writing for our digital
platforms (including the initial capital). If the content wil  appear on external digital platforms, use ‘National
Library of Australia Bookshop’ for the first reference, to give context.
b&w photograph: If additional information is needed beyond ‘photograph’ in your text, use ‘black and white
photograph’, with no hyphens or abbreviations. Using ‘b&w’ is a convention in cataloguing that doesn’t need
to be replicated in our general writing.
C
cafe: Or cafes for plural. We don’t use an accent (ie. café), including when referring to the Library’s
Bookplate cafe – as per glossary entry above.
catalogue: Avoid using the American spelling of ‘catalog’. This guidance also applies for related words
‘catalogued’, ‘cataloguer’, and ‘cataloguing’. Only use an initial capital for this word when part of the proper
noun ‘National Library of Australia Catalogue’. On our own digital platforms, there’s usually no need to be so
specific, and lower case ‘catalogue’ can be used in nearly all instances.
col ection/s: Use initial capitals only when this word is part of the name of a formed col ection, otherwise
use lower case. See Writing about the Library for more information.
Community Heritage Grants: This is a proper noun, so use initial capitals. Its acronym is CHG, which can
be used for subsequent mentions in the same piece of content after flagging the acronym in brackets after
the first full name mention, i.e. ‘applications for Community Heritage Grants (CHG) are now open’.
Copies Direct: TBC

UNOFFICIAL
Page 33 of 38

Supplementary Style Guide

Council of the National Library of Australia: This has initial capitals for key words as it is a proper noun,
as established by the National Library Act 1960. For subsequent mentions in the same piece of content, use
‘the Council’ as this is also reflected in the Act.
Council member/s: The ‘member/s’ part of this term does not need to be capitalised as it is not a proper
noun, unlike ‘Members of Parliament’.
D
digital col ections: This term is preferred over ‘digitised collections’, as the meaning is broader and used
more often in non-GLAM environments and on the websites of cultural organisations similar to the Library.
You do not need initial capitals it, as it’s a generic term, not a proper noun – see Writing about the Library for
more information.
Director-General: Both words have initial capitals in this hyphenated title. For more information on using
titles, see Writing about the Library.
E
ebook: Always write this lower case and with no hyphen.
edeposit: Always write this lower case and with no hyphen.
eNews: This word has a capital ‘N’ when you are referring to the specific Library newsletter.
epublishing: Always write this lower case and with no hyphen.
eResources: This word has a capital ‘R’ when you are referring to the specific Library service.
exhibition galleries: General references to our exhibition gal eries, in the plural, are in lower case – see
Writing about the Library for more information
Exhibition Gal ery: This term has initial capitals when referring to the specific area in the building that
shows our temporary exhibitions. See Writing about the Library for more information.
F
Fellow: Where this forms part of an honorific title for the recipient of a Creative Fellowship or National
Library of Australia Fel owship, you should use an initial capital. For example: ‘In January, we wil  have a new
National Folk Fellow arriving to start their research’.
Fel owship: A proper noun that must always be capitalised when referring to a National Library of Australia
Fellowship or Creative Fellowship program. For example: ‘applications for the 2024 National Library of
Australia Fellowships are now open’.
First Australian/s: See section on First Australians for further guidance on approved terminology.
foyer: Is spelt lower case unless it’s part of the proper noun referring to the space in our building, for
example, ‘the performance wil  be held in the National Library Foyer tomorrow’. A more general use that
doesn’t need capitalisation would be something like, ‘our 3 large tapestries have been removed from our
foyer for cleaning’.
Friends: This has an initial capital when referring to the Friends of the National Library of Australia program.
Also capitalise it for related phrases like ‘Friends Event’ and ‘Friends Lounge’, where Friends is treated as an
adjective, and as such, no apostrophe is needed (e.g., not ‘Friends’ Lounge’).

UNOFFICIAL
Page 34 of 38

Supplementary Style Guide

G
Ground Level: When referring to the area of our building, this is a proper noun that must use initial capitals.
Do not shorten unless for certain types of temporary signage.
H
hard cover (noun): Always use lower case and write as two words when it’s a noun. For example: ‘The book
had a hard cover made from cardboard and wrapped in blue paper’.
hard-cover (adjective): Write with a hypen when using as an adjective. For example: ‘You can find the hard-
cover edition of this book over here’.
I
Information Desk: This is a proper noun, to describe the area in our foyer that provides information and
assistance to visitors. Use instead of ‘Front Desk’ or ‘FID’.
interlibrary: We write this as one word, not as ‘inter-library’, when describing our interlibrary loans program.
It only needs an initial capital when it is part of a proper noun for a program or policy name, i.e. ‘our
Interlibrary Loan Policy’.
L
lecture: This is lower case unless it’s a proper noun used for one of our annuals events like the Kenneth
Myer Lecture. But if it’s an ordinary lecture that is not part of a titled series, we would write ‘they attended a
lecture at the Library’.
legal deposit: This is lower case, as legal deposit is a general service/legislated requirement that State and
National libraries provide, and is not a proper noun for the title of a specific service.
Level 1, 2, 3 and 4: This is the preferred way of writing out the levels of our building, not ‘2nd Floor’ or ‘Floor
Two’ or ‘Second Floor’. For some temporary signage, we can shorten if needed to ‘L1’, ‘L2’ etc. See Writing
about the Library for more information.
librarian: We use librarian in lower case in the same way as other profession descriptions like doctor,
teacher or lawyer. Librarian only becomes capitalised when it’s part of a title, for example: Teacher Librarian.
Or it’s a specific proper noun for the name of a service such as Ask A Librarian.
library: We use the lower case of library when it’s not a proper noun. For instance, ‘my aunt’s private library
fil s two rooms of her house’ or ‘here are some of our favourite libraries around the world’.
Library: We write out the ‘National Library of Australia’ in full in the first mention. Subsequent mentions differ
depending on format – see Writing about the Library for more information. For our writing, ‘the Library’ only
ever refers to the National Library of Australia. For other state/territory/international libraries we would use
their full name, e.g., ‘the State Library of Victoria’ or ‘the National Library of Scotland’.
Lower Ground 1, 2: This is the preferred way of writing out the lower levels of our building. For some
signage, we can shorten if needed to ‘LG1’ or ‘LG2’. We don’t write ‘Lower Ground Floor’, ‘Lower Ground’ or
‘Lower Ground One’. See Writing about the Library for more information.

UNOFFICIAL
Page 35 of 38

Supplementary Style Guide

M
Main Entrance: This is a proper noun, to describe the public entrance of our building. We use this instead of
‘front entrance’.
Main Reading Room: This is a proper noun, to describe the reading room on the Ground Floor of our
building. General references to our reading rooms, in the plural, i.e., ‘our reading rooms are an enjoyable
place to study’, do not need initial capitals.
N
National edeposit: This is a proper noun to describe a program, but only needs an initial capital on
‘National’. Its acronym is NED, which can be used for subsequent mentions in the same piece of content
after flagging the acronym in brackets after the first ful  name mention, i.e., ‘National edeposit (NED) is an
exciting collaboration between Australia’s national, state and territory libraries’.
National Library of Australia Bookshop: Use this full proper noun for your first reference to our Bookshop
on digital platforms that aren’t ours, or in contexts where using just ‘Bookshop’ could confuse readers.
National Library of Australia: Depending on the format of your content, you wil  often need to use this full
proper noun for your first reference to our organisation. In these cases, subsequent references wil  usually be
to ‘the National Library’. We don’t use ‘NLA’ except when it’s part of a proper noun, such as NLA Publishing.
See Writing about the Library for more details.
O
Oral History and Folklore Col ection: This is a proper noun for a formed collection, so use initial capitals
for key words.
P
PANDORA: This is the name of an early web archiving program and is written in all upper case. The current
name of our public web archiving program is the Australian Web Archive and is the term that should be used
when creating new content about our web archiving activities, except for historical references to previous
programs.
Paperplate: The name of the cafe on Lower Ground 1 is written as one word. If you think that using just
‘Paperplate’ on its own wil  confuse readers in some contexts, use the ful  name of the business - ‘Paperplate
cafe’.
Petherick Reader/s: This is a proper noun to describe a member of the Petherick Readers, who are granted
special access to the collections for their advanced research. The term should have initial capitals.
Preservation Needs Assessment: This is a proper noun to describe a Library-specific work process, so
should have initial capitals.
R
recipient: A recipient is not an honorific so it doesn’t need an initial capital, but the name of the grant being
received might be a proper noun. For example: ‘please welcome our new Asia Study Grant recipient’.

UNOFFICIAL
Page 36 of 38

Supplementary Style Guide

S
Significance Assessment: This is a proper noun to describe a Library-specific work process, so should
have initial capitals.
Special Col ections Reading Room: This is a proper noun, to describe the reading room on Level 1 of our
building. General references to our reading rooms, in the plural, i.e., ‘our reading rooms are an enjoyable
place to study’, do not need initial capitals.
stacks: Unless you are referring to the proper noun of a named stack in our building, for example the Hurley
Stacks on Level 1, this word does not need an initial capital.
Scholars: Where this forms part of an honorific title for the recipient of a National Library of Australia
Scholarship, you should use an initial capital. For example: ‘last year, we welcomed eight new National
Library of Australia Scholars’.
Scholarship: A proper noun that must be capitalised when referring to a National Library of Australia
Scholarship program. For example: ‘here are the guidelines for the 2024 National Library of Australia
Scholarships’.
social media handles: These are the shortened versions of our organisation’s name that we use on social
media. Our current names for each platform are – Instagram: @national ibraryaus , Facebook:
National.Library.of.Australia (URL facebook.com/National.Library.of.Australia) , Twitter/X: @nlagovau, and
Youtube: @NationalLibraryofAustralia ( URL youtube.com/channel/UCv51AT4rmiwH1M9aLDE1AIA).
T
Theatre: This term has an initial capital when referring to the specific auditorium on Lower Ground 1. It can
be referred to as the Theatre (if writing for our own digital platforms) or the National Library of Australia’s
Theatre (if writing for an external platform and more context is needed). See Writing about the Library for
more information.
Torres Strait Islander people/s: See section on First Australians for further guidance on approved
terminology.
Treasures Gallery: This term has initial capitals when referring to the specific area in the building that shows
our rotating display of permanent collection items. See Writing about the Library for more information.
Trove: Use an initial capital when referring to our online research service, rather than all caps (so not
‘TROVE’).
Trove Partner/s: This term has initial capitals when referring to an organisation enrolled in the specific
program that collaborates to share items/materials on Trove.
trust: Only use an initial capital where ‘trust’ is part of a proper noun. For example: ‘the Ray Mathew and
Eva Kollsman Trust’.

UNOFFICIAL
Page 37 of 38

Supplementary Style Guide

National Library of Australia
Visit the National Library of Australia website
© Commonwealth of Australia 2024

With the exception of the National Library of Australia logo and
all photos and graphics, this report is licensed under a Creative
Commons Attribution 4.0 International Licence. Licence is a
standard form license agreement that al ows you to copy,
distribute, transmit and adapt this publication provided that you
attribute the work. The Commonwealth’s preference is that you
attribute this publication (and any material sourced from it)
using the fol owing wording:
Source: Licensed from the Commonwealth of Australia under a
Creative Commons At ribution 4.0 International Licence.
To view a copy of this licence visit the Creative Commons
website.
Disclaimer:
The Commonwealth of Australia does not necessarily endorse
the content of this publication.

UNOFFICIAL
Page 38 of 38

Document Outline