8.1 The review of the conservation management plan should involve independent relevant heritage expertise specifically commissioned by the National Library of Australia to assist it. The regular five-year review will be undertaken in light of the three-yearly review of the National Library of Australia Heritage Strategy.
Training and Liaison
Policy 9 Training and awareness
Training for key staff shall be initiated within the National Library of Australia to raise awareness of the range of management responsibilities and roles of the Library in relation to the heritage values of the place.
Implementation strategies
9.1 The National Library of Australia will introduce a heritage awareness and information training program for key staff working in the Library.
Any new personnel moving into such positions will receive heritage awareness training within three months of commencement.
Other staff responsible more generally for heritage matters will receive presentations about the National Library of Australia heritage values and responsibilities, and Commonwealth heritage obligations. This process will be repeated at least every five years.
9.2 The relevant heritage obligations will be summarised as part of any presentation to the Corporate Management Group seeking decisions impacting on heritage values of the place.
Policy 10 Stakeholder liaison
The National Library of Australia will seek to liaise with all relevant stakeholders, including community and professional groups, on developments affecting the heritage significance of the place.
Implementation Strategies
10.1 The National Library of Australia will regard the list of stakeholders at Section 5.3 of this CMP as the core list of stakeholders with an interest in the Library.
Commentary: This includes the Kamberri/Ngunnawal community as noted in Section 5.3.
10.2 Periodically or as developments are proposed, the National Library of Australia will seek to inform stakeholders of activities in a timely fashion and provide them with an opportunity to comment on developments.
10.3 Where changes are proposed involving the place, consultation will be guided by current national standards, namely:
• the Commonwealth Heritage Management Principles; and
• Article 26.3 of the Burra Charter.
10.4 The Library shall develop a procedure for triggering and facilitating consultation.
10.5 The Director, Building and Security Services will be identified within the National Library of Australia as the single initial point of contact for heritage matters, and this will be indicated on the Library intranet.
Section Implementation Strategies - National Library of Australia Conservation Management Plan - Implementation Strategies | Zoe
Conservation of the National Library of Australia
Policy 11 Conservation of the National Library of Australia and its significant attributes
The National Library of Australia and its significant attributes shall be conserved. These attributes are the:
the whole building including its podium extensions and its national library use;
Council Room;
the building’s Late Twentieth Century Stripped Classical style evidenced in:
the symmetrical façade;
horizontal skyline;
regular bays of vertical proportion;
colonnade, using columns without bases or capitals;
the use of a broad horizontal member at the roof line echoing classical entablature;
central entrance;
its location in a prominent and strategic location, and its freestanding character, dominating views across Lake Burley Griffin;
its proportions;
its fine craft construction and the use of high quality materials is reflected in:
the external building cladding and finishes of the building and podium;
the design and/or finely crafted details of the surviving original internal spaces of note, these being the:
entry foyer, twin stair cases and mezzanine (GR:55, L1:78);
café and bookshop;
Main Reading Room (GR:31);
Council Room (L1:11);
former Director General’s office (L1:01);
Chairman’s Room (L1:05);
Nan Kivell Room (L2:24)
Nan Kivell Room Foyer (L2: 25);
former Manuscripts Librarian’s office (L2:38);
former Keeper of Rare Books office (L2:11);
Asian Collections Reading Room (L3:58);
former viewing rooms and projection room (L3:30, L3:31, L3:34);
Lamson tube room (LG1:34);
Conference Room (L4:92);
Brindabella Room (L4:91);
Theatre (LG1:77);
parts of lower ground 1 Foyer (LG1:48);
the general use of marble window surrounds;
the use of quality standardised special door frames and hinges, some of which survive;
artworks by Bass, French, Robb and Matégot;
furniture specifically designed as part of the original building, or otherwise associated with key developments in Library use;
the building’s use as a public library with the particular attributes being the publicly accessible parts of the building;
the original building design; and
use of the building as a repository for the Petherick and Nan Kivell collections
Implementation Strategies
11.1 Planning for future changes in the Library will recognise and respect the heritage values of the spaces or attributes involved, and will seek professional heritage advice, as appropriate and as outlined in Policy 6, in reaching planning and design outcomes compatible with the conservation of those heritage values. Appropriate conservation processes might include preservation, restoration, reconstruction or adaptation, depending on the nature of heritage values, as well as maintenance.
Commentary: See also Policy 17 below – Changes to the interior spaces of cultural significance.
11.2 The list of priority conservation works and issues provided at Appendix E will be reviewed and addressed.
11.3 Works associated with current proposals to rectify external cladding and window problems, shall be planned and executed so as to conserve the significance of these components. In general, stone to be replaced should be replaced with marble to closely match in appearance the original marble finish. Window upgrade work should maintain the general appearance of the existing windows and the high quality finishes of the original.
11.4 Where changes are required to meet the Building Code of Australia, such as to meet safety or disabled access standards, the National Library of Australia will seek solutions that are compatible with the retention of cultural significance of the area affected.
Policy 12 Conservation of furniture of heritage value
The furniture within the National Library of Australia of heritage significance shall be appropriately identified, entered in the Library’s Heritage Furniture Register, conserved and managed.
Commentary: A range of furniture is housed within the Library that is of heritage significance. This includes in particular library furniture and fittings that were designed as part of the original design or are part of significant changes in library operations and expansion (see Section 2.4 and Chapter 3 above). The Heritage Furniture Register was created following a furniture audit and assessment in 2012 and a furniture audit is undertaken annually.
Implementation Strategies
12.1 The Library will maintain the Heritage Furniture Register, and manage items on it according to the existing policies applying to registered furniture.
12.2 Newly identified significant furniture will be added to the Heritage Furniture Register and managed accordingly.
Policy 13 Access to the National Library of Australia
Public access to key components of heritage significance (listed in Section 4.2) shall be maintained.
Commentary: This plan deals with the Commonwealth Heritage place and the attributes which embody or convey Commonwealth Heritage values. However, the Library is also the repository for extensive and important collections and items. While the role of the place as the repository of collections is recognised and linked to its heritage values, the scope of the plan does not extend to the range of policies and other guidance regarding the assessment, conservation, management, use and access to the collections. The Library has extensive and separate policies and other guidance regarding such matters.
With regard to collections or items significant to Indigenous people (see www.nla.gov.au/what-we-collect/indigenous), whilst access to some of this material is restricted for cultural reasons, and is securely stored, the Library is working on drafting policies around accessibility and sensitivities regarding access.
With regard to the Library as a place, as noted in Chapter 3, no specific associations or access issues have been identified with the National Library of Australia site by representatives of the Ngunnawal community when previously consulted.
Implementation Strategies
13.1 Public access to the ground floor, the theatre on LG1, the reading rooms on Levels 1 and 3, and the Conference Room is currently available and should be maintained.
13.2 Special tour access to other areas of the Library, including the Lamson Tube Room should be maintained.
13.3 The nature of access might change over time due to reader and Library needs, and might include restricting entry to specific reading rooms but providing views in through glass doors and windows (as is currently the case with the Nan Kivell Room).