Making copies
We are a reference library — you can use collection items in our reading rooms but you can't take them home. You can print, copy and scan in the reading rooms. If you can't make it to the Library we can supply copies. Some costs may apply.
Copyright and copies
Copies of most items in our collections can be made or supplied, within the limitations of the Copyright Act 1994 and our copyright guidelines. We don't hold the copyright for many of the items in our collections.
Some items can't be copied, even if they are no longer in copyright. These include full oral history interviews and items that are likely to be damaged if copying is attempted.
Copyright guidelines
Reusing objects from this site
Copyright Act 1994
New Zealand Intellectual Property Office
Formats available for copies
Copies can be made or supplied by the Library in the following formats:
photocopies of most items
digital copies of most items
printouts and digital files from microfilm and microfiche
microfilm copies
computer printouts from databases in the National Library General Collections
sound and audio-visual recordings (except complete oral history recordings)
filming of items (with permission).
Making copies when you are at the Library
If you are at the Library there are several ways you can make copies. We've listed them below.
Make copies with a digital camera
You are welcome to use your digital camera to take personal research copies of most collection items.
If photographing an item would damage it or breach copyright or other copying restrictions, we will help you find another way to use the item in your research.
National Library General collection — print, photocopy, scan
You may photocopy, print and scan items from the National Library General Collections. Photocopiers are available for your use in the Turnbull Library General Reading Room.
Alexander Turnbull Library collection — print, photocopy
Alexander Turnbull Library collections are the Library’s preservation copies, because of this, you must ask staff to make copies for you using overhead copying equipment.
In the Katherine Mansfield Reading Room, you will need to ask a staff member to do any printing you need for you.
You can get prints or digital copies of your items. Allow 10-15 working days for copies to be sent to you.
Copies from microfilm and microfiche
You can use microfiche and microfilm printers to make printouts from items in these formats when you visit us.
You can also make digital copies of microfilm and microfiche and save them onto a USB flash drive at no charge.
Can’t make it to the Library but need a copy?
If you can't make it to the Library we have copying services you can use or you may be able to interloan an item from our collections.
Order photocopies through your local library
You can order photocopies through your local library using the interloan service. Talk to your local librarian about getting items from our collections.
Interloaning from our collections
Microfilm purchase
You can purchase microfilm copies of published and manuscript items in the Turnbull Library collections. Check collection item records to see what has been microfilmed.
Free downloads
We have a pool of digital items that you are welcome to share and adapt. These are freely downloaded items for commercial and non-commercial use as long as you:
note and briefly describe any derivation or alteration of the original, and
attribute the creator (if known), and
attribute the Alexander Turnbull Library as the source.
Please link to the item's page, or cite its reference number, as this will help future researchers.
How to order images from our collections
You can purchase and reproduce material from the collections for publication or display.
Items are provided as a high-resolution download. A request to buy an image can take up to 10 working days to approve usage. The processing time will depend on copyright and how the image is going to be used.
Use the 'Add to cart' button on the item webpage to start the process. Copies are supplied as JPEGs.
We can also supply digital images in other formats, on CD-R, or as inkjet prints upon request. Payment is required when you make an order, so check the price list for details.
Allow 10-15 working days for copies to be sent to you, and large or complex orders may take longer.
If you have any questions about ordering images, use the 'Ask a librarian' service.
Watch this video for information about how to order images from us
Embedded content: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pPOB_9nEtSw&feature=youtu.beTranscript
Visual
National Library logo and natlib.govt.nz
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Music playing.
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Exterior side view of main entrance of National Library building with Beehive in background. A woman walks towards entrance. Exterior straight on view of entrance. People walk past and through entrance.
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Haere mai and welcome to the National Library of New Zealand.
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View of National Library website homepage.
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This video will help you to order and download high resolution digital images from the National Library website.
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View of an image record on National Library website. Cursor moves towards and then clicks on ‘Order copy’ button on top left hand side of image record. Image is added to checkout cart. Cursor moves to and hovers over greyed out ‘Order copy’ button. Cursor moves to and hovers over ‘Send an enquiry’ button. Cursor moves to and then clicks on ‘Checkout’ button.
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Once you have found an image you would like to purchase a copy of, click the ‘order copy’ button to add it to your shopping cart. If the order copy button is greyed out, then click ‘send an enquiry’ and a Librarian will be in touch to let you know how to get a copy of your image.
You can order up to 10 images at once. When you have the images you want in your cart, click the ‘checkout’ button.
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View of order confirmation page. Cursor moves to and then clicks on one of several options which describe image usage. Cursor moves to payment method section. Screen scrolls down.
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You will then be asked for some details of how you intend to use the image. This is important as we do need to approve your usage for each image.
We will get in contact if we have any questions.
You can pay by credit card or by invoice. But please note that only New Zealand
organisations, and not individuals, can pay by invoice.
You do not pay for your image until it has been approved and is ready to be downloaded.
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Cursor moves to and hovers over link to terms and conditions. Cursor moves to and clicks on tick box confirming agreement to terms and conditions. Cursor moves to and then clicks on ‘Logon and Proceed to checkout’ button.
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Once you have read and accepted the terms and conditions, you can then press the ‘logon and proceed to check out’ button.
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View of Real Me login page. Cursor moves to and hovers over ‘Create your RealMe login’ button. Cursor moves back to username and password fields. Username and password are entered. Cursor moves to and then clicks on ‘Login’ button.
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To continue, you will need a RealMe account. If you do not already have a RealMe account, you can create one now.
It is important to remember your RealMe username and password as you need them to get your images after your order has been approved.
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View of final order confirmation page. Cursor moves down as screen scrolls. Cursor moves to and then clicks on “Confirm” button.
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Once you have logged in, you will return to the checkout to review your order before clicking ‘confirm’ to submit your order.
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View of email received from National Library. Email confirms receipt of image order and has information about order
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You will then receive an automated email confirming that the library has received your order.
If you have ordered a free image, this is now able to be downloaded. All other orders will be processed by library staff. This can take up to 10 working days and we will be in touch if we need any further information.
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View of email inbox with a new email from National Library. Cursor moves to and clicks on email. Email confirms image is ready to download. Cursor moves to and then clicks on link in email.
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Once your order has been approved you will receive another email with a link to pay for and download your images.
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View of user’s order page. Cursor moves to and clicks on ‘Pay now’ button. View of credit card payment page. Cursor moves to and hovers over “card holder” field.
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Click ‘pay now’ to go to a secure platform to put in your credit card details.
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View of user’s order page. ‘Pay now’ button has changed to ‘Available’ button. Cursor moves towards and then clicks on “Available” button. Loading animation briefly appears in place of button. “Download” button appears in place of animation. Cursor clicks on “Download” button. A new window opens in front of page.
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Once the image has been paid for, you can download the image by clicking the ‘available’ button.
Then click ‘download’ to save the image to your computer.
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View of user’s account page. Page opens with “My details” tab selected. Cursor moves to and then clicks on “My orders” tab.
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If you need to download the image again, or to look at any of your other orders, you can do so by logging onto the National Library website.
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View of user’s account page with “My orders” tab now selected. Cursor moves to a table listing previous orders. Cursor moves to and clicks on link to most recent order, listed at the top of the table.
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Then click on ‘my account’ and then ‘my orders’.
If you have any questions or need help, please contact us by clicking Ask a Librarian or by phoning 0800 474 300.
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National Library logo and natlib.govt.nz
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Music playing.
Any errors with the transcript, let us know and we'll fix them. Please add the link to the page you are emailing us about. Email digital-services@dia.govt.nz
Costs for copy of digital items for publication or display
We charge $30 for high-resolution digital copies of most images, to recover the marginal costs of the work involved which includes:
staff time to retrieve
prepare
photograph, and
check rights for the item.
If you're planning to reproduce the image there may be additional fees. We won't invoice you for the copy of the image or any reproduction fees until we have been in touch with you.
Sound and audio-visual recordings
We can make digital copies of sound recordings in the Alexander Turnbull Library collections, except for oral history materials, but you must provide written permission from all copyright holder or holders.
If a sound recording is no longer in copyright, permission will not be required. Copies cost $50.
Request copies by using the 'Send an enquiry' button on the item's record page, or contact us through 'Ask a Librarian'.
Oral history interviews permission needed for sound extracts
Prior permission is required to order audio excerpts from oral history interviews and other recordings held in the Oral History Centre for public use, including exhibitions, websites, broadcasts and lectures.
To seek permission please contact us through 'Ask a Librarian'.
Filming at the Library
Film and television production crews should contact us in advance to make arrangements for filming in the National Library building. Some filming will require staff supervision.
Filming in the reading rooms during public opening hours is not permitted. Please get in touch with us to arrange filming outside of these hours.
Hourly filming fees apply for the filming that requires staff supervision.
For media-related queries, arranging an interview, or filming at the library, please get in touch with us on 027 535 8639 or email media@dia.govt.nz.
Contents
Copying prices
You can order digital copies and photographic prints of Turnbull collection items.Related content
Copying prices
You can order digital copies and photographic prints of Turnbull collection items.