State Library of Western Australia

What State Library of Western Australia does

The State Library of Western Australia (SLWA) is a statutory government cultural institution governed by the Library Board of Western Australia under the Library Board of Western Australia Act 1951, headquartered at 25 Francis Street within the Perth Cultural Centre. Founded in 1886 as the Victoria Public Library, it operates with 119 employees and supports a statewide network of 233 public libraries in partnership with local government. Its core function is to collect, preserve, and provide free public access to Western Australia's documentary heritage, including approximately one million images, the J.S. Battye Library of West Australian History, Aboriginal collections, historical newspapers, oral histories, and contemporary publications received under legal deposit requirements.

SLWA's core technology is its online catalogue platform (Encore/Classic), an integrated discovery system providing keyword, title, author, subject, call number, and ISBN/ISSN search across State Library collections, public library stock, and the WA Health Libraries Network. A new online media viewer launched in June 2024 modernizes the digital interaction layer with an enhanced responsive interface and improved accessibility, building on a prior-year base of over 750,000 digital material accesses. The catalogue integrates with Trove (National Library of Australia), WorldCat, VisAbility Library, and NED (National edeposit), positioning SLWA within the broader Australian library ecosystem. Other operational products include eResources (eBooks, audiobooks, databases, Ancestry, Kanopy), digital collections, Aboriginal cultural programs (Storylines), family history services, the Better Beginnings literacy program (a 20-year initiative), learning programs for educators, and venue hire services.

Name

State Library of Western Australia

Legal name

State Library of Western Australia

Website

https://slwa.wa.gov.au

Company type

Public

Founded year

1886

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

The State Library of Western Australia is a statutory government cultural institution, founded in 1886 and headquartered in Perth, which collects, preserves, and provides free public access to Western Australia's heritage collections, eResources, and literacy programs across a network of 233 public libraries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Library and Cultural Heritage Services

NAICS

Libraries and Archives (51921), Web Search Portals, Libraries, Archives, and Other Information Services (5192)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Libraries & Information Services (BPAIACAO)

akta.pro secondary industries

Archives, Special Collections & Preservation Operations (Rare Materials, Conservation) (EDAEAGAJ), Library Collections & Cataloging Services (Acquisitions, Metadata, Circulation) (EDAEAGAE), Digital Library & Electronic Resources Operations (e-Resources, Repositories, Licensing) (EDAEAGAF), Library-Based Learning Programs (Public Libraries) (EDAAAFAA)

Keywords

• Public library services
• Cultural heritage preservation
• Digital collections
• Historical archives
• Family literacy programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Perth

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Government Funding: As a state government cultural institution, the State Library of Western Australia is primarily funded through government appropriations and operates as a public service institution providing free access to collections and services.

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The State Library of Western Australia is a government-funded public library and cultural heritage institution that collects, preserves, and provides free public access to Western Australian documentary heritage including books, manuscripts, photographs, maps, oral histories, films, newspapers, and Aboriginal collections. It operates the integrated SLWA Online Catalogue (Encore/Classic), an online media viewer, and eResources platform, while coordinating 233 public libraries across Western Australia and delivering literacy, learning, and research programs such as Better Beginnings.

Product overview

The State Library of Western Australia operates as a state library system providing public access to cultural heritage, research materials, and digital content. The core offering is the SLWA Online Catalogue (Encore/Classic) which provides access to physical and digital collections. Supporting products include eResources (databases, eBooks, streaming services), the J.S. Battye Library of West Australian History, Aboriginal Collections (including Storylines), Family History Services, Better Beginnings literacy program, Digital Collections, Learning Programs, and Venue Hire services. The library partners with NSLA for national initiatives like NED (National edeposit) and provides services to 233 public libraries across Western Australia.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Better Beginnings: Family literacy and early reading program celebrating 20 years of operation
• WA Reflections
• J.S. Battye Library

Products and services

• SLWA Online Catalogue (Encore/Classic) The State Library's primary discovery system providing search across millions of items in physical and digital collections, including books, images, maps, newspapers, films, oral histories, and archives. Integrates with Trove, WorldCat, VisAbility Library, and WA Health Libraries Network.
• eResources Digital content platform offering free access to apps, eBooks, audiobooks, magazines, newspapers, databases, Ancestry, Kanopy, and other electronic resources for library members and public library visitors.
• J.S. Battye Library of West Australian History Heritage collection dedicated to Western Australian materials including manuscripts, photographs, oral histories, and archives spanning the state's history from pre-colonial times, housed on levels 3 and 4 of the Alexander Library Building.
• Aboriginal Collections Specialised collections including Indigenous music, oral histories, the Storylines project (reconnecting Indigenous culture and heritage), and Aboriginal family history resources for Aboriginal community members and researchers.
• Family History Services Research services, databases, genealogical resources, ships and passengers records, Australian Joint Copying Project access, and the Dead Reckoning WA Family History Guide for family historians and genealogists.
• Better Beginnings Family literacy and early reading program that celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2025, providing early reading resources, baby packs with wordless books like Baby Days, and community grants ($208,000 distributed in Round 5 to 15 recipients) supporting literacy activities.
• Venue Hire Meeting rooms and event spaces available for hire including the Gascoyne Room, Kimberley Room, Geographe Room, Goldfields Room, and State Library Theatre in the Perth Cultural Centre for seminars, meetings, and events.
• Digital Collections Online access to digitised photographs, films, audio recordings, maps, documents, and collection items including the Pictorial Collection of approximately one million images, accessed over 750,000 times annually via the online viewer.
• Learning Programs Educational offerings including online incursions, excursions, classroom resources, adult literacy collection, and programs for teachers and students across Western Australian schools.
• Stories and Exhibitions Online exhibitions, podcasts (including Game Changers, Rare Stories from the West, 16 Days 16 Stories), documentary initiatives (WA Reflections in partnership with Screenwest), and thematic story collections on Aboriginal history, ANZAC stories, and WA history.

Quantifiable outcome

• 233 public libraries supported across Western Australia
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles7 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered major, core and minor.

• Magabala BooksmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Partnership with Magabala Books for the Daisy Utemorrah Award, an award for unpublished manuscript by emerging Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander writer or illustrator, offered in conjunction with the Western Australian Premier's Book Awards.
• ScreenwestmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Screenwest and State Library partnership offering up to $25,000 production funding for early to mid-career filmmaking teams to produce short documentaries based on historical collection items (WA Reflections initiative).
• Centre for StoriesmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019Collaboration to create the '16 Days, 16 Stories' collection - courageous audio stories presented in solidarity with survivors of domestic violence, recorded for the 16 Days in WA campaign.
• National and State Libraries Australasia (NSLA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNSLA is a leading library sector collaboration delivering value for the people of Australia. The nine members are the National, State and Territory libraries of Australia and the National Library of New Zealand. SLWA contributes to multiple NSLA working groups including Culturally Safe Libraries Working Group, eResources Consortium, Digital Preservation Community of Practice, and others.
• Local Government and Public LibrariescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState Library partners with local government to provide library services to Western Australia through 233 public libraries. Partnership includes public library grants, eResources for public library members, and professional development support.
• Historical Records Rescue Consortium (HRRC)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHRRC Project supported by Lotterywest has helped preserve and make available many historical images in the State Library collection.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Library & Archives NT: Northern Territory's combined library and archives service. Directly comparable peer delivering state/territory-level library and archival services with similar Indigenous heritage emphasis.
• ACT Library Service: Australian Capital Territory's library service offering public library operations and heritage collections. Comparable peer at the territory level within the same federated Australian library system.
• State Library of New South Wales: One of Australia's oldest state libraries, operating heritage collections, legal deposit, and public library coordination in New South Wales. Highly comparable as another Australian state library with similar statutory mandate and service mix.
• State Library of South Australia: South Australia's state library offering heritage collections, digital resources, and public library coordination. Comparable peer with similar mandate and service portfolio as another Australian state library.
• State Library of Queensland: Queensland's state library providing heritage collections, digital access, and public library services. Comparable peer offering similar statutory functions within an Australian state context.
• Libraries Tasmania: Tasmania's state library service combining public library operations and heritage collections. Directly comparable peer delivering state-level library services in a smaller Australian jurisdiction.
• State Library of Victoria: Victoria's state library with extensive heritage collections, digital programs, and public library coordination. Directly comparable peer in mandate, scale, and operational scope as an Australian state library.

Regional players

• National Library of New Zealand: New Zealand's national library, fellow NSLA member with similar statutory heritage and digital collection roles. Comparable peer across comparable mandate but serves a different national jurisdiction.

Broad incumbents

• National Library of Australia: The national reference library and apex institution in Australia, coordinating national initiatives like Trove and NED. Broader incumbent that SLWA collaborates with via NSLA but operates at a national rather than state level.

Others

• Public Libraries Western Australia: Industry association supporting the 233 public libraries SLWA coordinates. Adjacent ecosystem partner representing the local government libraries that SLWA funds and supports.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/statelibrarywa/featured
• Facebookfacebook.com/StateLibraryWA
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/state-library-of-wa
• Instagraminstagram.com/statelibrarywa

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about State Library of Western Australia