The Lesbian and Gay Archives of New Zealand (LAGANZ) collection is housed in the Alexander Turnbull Library within the National Library building in Wellington. The collection is owned by a community trust.
The Archive collects, preserves and makes available records of historical and cultural interest. It aims to reflect the diversity of the New Zealand lesbian, gay and takatāpui communities.
The Archive includes over 600 manuscript collections from organisations and individuals, several thousand books and hundreds of serial titles from all over the world. It also holds a wide range of ephemera such as posters, flyers and buttons, as well as sound and video recordings.
Some areas of common research interest are:
- the gay liberation movement
- lesbian feminism
- sexual law reform
- human rights and discrimination
- sexuality / sexual orientation
- HIV / AIDS
- censorship.
Contact the curators if you would like to donate material to the LAGANZ collection.
Planned changes to collection access
The National Library's building redevelopment means access to some collections will change over the coming relocation period.
Most of the manuscript material in this collection will be available through the redevelopment period.
Most of the printed materials will be unavailable. Sound and video material will not be available, unless a listening copy or viewing copy has been made.
For available materials, there will be temporary closures while they are carefully packed and moved to an alternative location for access. The dates of closure and reopening will be advised.
For unavailable material, we will give you at least one month’s notice before any closure.
Find out more about planned changes to collection access
Access items in this collection
The LAGANZ website lists the manuscripts and serials collections. The website also gives access to the logs of sound recordings about the campaign for homosexual law reform in 1985 - 1986 through an Audio Database.
You’ll need to contact a curator before you visit the collection, and some material may also have special access conditions.
When you visit us you can use a card catalogue and inventories to search the collection. Most material is made available in the Manuscripts reading room on the first floor, 9am-5pm, weekdays.
Audio Database - LAGANZ website
Get copies from items in this collection
Copies can be made from items in this collection if copying doesn’t breach copyright. You can order photocopies of some items but original versions may not be borrowed.
More about copyright and usage
Get help
We can answer your enquiries in person, by letter, phone or email. Research services are provided by a small group of lesbian and gay staff. Contact us to make an appointment before visiting the collection.
| Contact Us | Alexander Turnbull Library collections |
|---|
