We aim to support research on a wide range of topics relating to the society, culture, and history of New Zealand and the Pacific.
The Turnbull Library collections in particular seek to cover every aspect of the Pacific region (broadly defined as Polynesia, Melanesia and Micronesia) from the earliest possible date to the present day – and especially New Zealand.
New Zealand and Pacific Book Collection
This Turnbull Library collection is the most comprehensive collection of current and historical books from and about New Zealand and the Pacific. It includes many rare books in Māori and Pacific Island languages, and the world’s most complete collection of printed Māori material.
You can use the books in the Library. Search for items using the National Library Catalogue.
More about the New Zealand and Pacific Book Collection
Manuscripts Collection
The Turnbull Library Manuscripts Collection contains unpublished music, letters, journals, documents, and other manuscript records relating to New Zealand and the Pacific (including the original manuscript log kept by Captain Cook on board HMS Eagle in the 18th century). You can use manuscript items in the Library. Search for items using TAPUHI.
More about the Manuscripts Collection
Find New Zealand and Pacific websites - Te Puna Web Directory
You can browse or search for websites (including online journals, magazines and newspapers) relating to New Zealand and the Pacific Islands using the Te Puna Web Directory.
More about Te Puna Web Directory
Find articles from or about New Zealand - Index New Zealand
Index New Zealand describes over half a million articles published in or about New Zealand over the past 20 years. The titles indexed range from popular magazines such as North and South and Consumer to more specialised journals such as New Zealand Law Review and Art New Zealand. Search Index New Zealand.
Turnbull Library Pictures and Timeframes
You can browse copies of many images from the Turnbull Library collections in Turnbull Library Pictures on the ground floor of the Library, or make an appointment to see the originals. Selected images are also available online in our database of heritage images, Timeframes.
More about Turnbull Library Pictures
National Newspaper Collection
The National Newspaper Collection contains current and historical newspapers from New Zealand and the Pacific. You can use the newspapers in the Library. Search for items using the National Library Catalogue.
You can view selected 19th century New Zealand newspapers online in our digital collection Papers Past.
Digital copies of selected niupepa (Māori language newspapers) from the collection are also available online at the New Zealand Digital Library website.
More about the National Newspaper Collection
General Lending Collection
The General Lending Collection supports the current information needs of all New Zealanders. It contains many books relating to New Zealand and the Pacific. You can borrow the books through interloan or use them in the Library. Search for items using the National Library Catalogue.
More about the General Lending Collection
General Serials Collection
The General Serials Collection contains New Zealand and Pacific magazines, journals, and selected newspapers to support the current information needs of New Zealanders. Search for items using the National Library Catalogue.
More about the General Serials Collection
New Zealand Serials Collection
The New Zealand Serials Collection in the Turnbull Library contains complete sets of many New Zealand magazines and journals like Radio Record/Listener, Landfall, and Pacific Islands Monthly.
You can use magazines and journals in the Library. Search for items using the National Library Catalogue.
More about the New Zealand Serials Collection
Photographic Archive
The Turnbull Library Photographic Archive holds original photographs of New Zealand and the Pacific from the 1850s onwards. You can view the photographs in the Library by appointment. Search for items using TAPUHI.
More about the Photographic Archive
Drawings, Paintings and Prints collection
The Turnbull Library Drawings, Paintings and Prints collection contains drawings, prints, paintings, cartoons and architectural plans from earliest European contact to the present day. You can view items in the collection by appointment. Search for items using TAPUHI.
More about the Drawings, Paintings and Prints collection
Cartographic Collection
Maps of New Zealand, the Pacific and Antarctica, including historical and current maps, charts and atlases, are in the Turnbull Library Cartographic Collection. You can use collection items in the Library by appointment. Search for items in the National Library Catalogue or on TAPUHI.
Digital copies of some published maps are included in the National Library Catalogue. Selected unpublished maps are available online in Timeframes.
More about the Cartographic Collection
Printed Ephemera Collection
Published programmes, posters, menus, advertising, pamphlets, and other ephemera relating to New Zealand, the Pacific, and New Zealanders overseas, are in the Turnbull Library’s Printed Ephemera Collection. The collection can be used in the Library. Search for items using TAPUHI.
More about the Printed Ephemera Collection
Oral History Centre collection
The Oral History Centre holds recordings of oral history interviews with people from throughout New Zealand and the Pacific. Most of the collection has been recorded since the 1960s. Access is by appointment only.
More about the Oral History Centre collection
Special Printed Collections
Printed accounts of most early voyages to the Pacific (particularly accounts that mention New Zealand), and printed materials relating to the explorer Captain James Cook are in the Turnbull Library Special Printed Collections.
You can use the collections by appointment in the Library. Search for items using the National Library Catalogue.
More about the Special Printed Collections
Māori Reference Collection
This collection contains published Māori material across all subject areas, including the Journal of the Polynesian Society, the Transactions and proceedings of the Royal Society of New Zealand, and the Index of Māori names compiled by H J Fletcher in 1925. You can use the collection in the Library. Search for items using the National Library Catalogue.
More about the Māori Reference Collection
New Zealand Music Archive
This collection includes manuscripts, unpublished scores and music recordings, correspondence and other material relating to New Zealand musicians, composers, performers and organisations. You can use original items from this collection in the Library. Search for items using TAPUHI.
More about the Archive of New Zealand Music
New Zealand Music, Sound, Audio-visual collection
This New Zealand Music, Sound, Audio-visual collection contains commercially available music recordings, published music scores and sheet music relating to New Zealand and the Pacific. You can use collection items in the Library. Search for items using the National Library Catalogue.
More about the New Zealand Music, Sound, Audio-visual collection
General Music Collection
The General Music Collection is international in focus but also includes traditional and contemporary Māori and Pacific Island song. You can borrow items by interloan, or use them in the music room on the ground floor of the Library. Search for items using the National Library Catalogue.
More about the Music Collection
New Zealand and Pacific Collection
This collection contains resources about New Zealand and the Pacific Islands, including government publications. You can use the collection in the Library. Search for items using the National Library Catalogue.
More about the New Zealand and Pacific Collection
National Children’s Collection
This collection contains New Zealand and Pacific books for children and young people, including many books in Māori and Pacific languages. Selected books are also available online in the International Children’s Digital Library. You can borrow the books through interloan or use them in the Library. Search for items using the National Library Catalogue.
More about the National Children’s Collection
More about New Zealand books in the International Children’s Digital Library
