The South Australian Parliament Research Library is a division of the Joint Parliamentary Service. Library policy is approved by the Joint Parliamentary Service Committee and administered by the Parliamentary Librarian.
The principal objectives of the Library are:
- To support the democratic process through the provision of relevant, timely, confidential and impartial research and reference services to Members of Parliament and to the staff of the Parliament
- To develop and maintain relevant, responsive and accessible collections in a variety of formats
The services offered by the Library can be summarised as follows:
Research and Reference Services
The Research Services section comprises staff with either legal or post-graduate qualifications. Together, they aim to provide an accurate, impartial and confidential research and reference service to Members of Parliament including oral and written briefings and reports and the preparation of general distribution research papers on matters before Parliament or of collective interest to Members.
Research officers also, either independently or in collaboration with other Library staff, maintain or contribute to the maintenance of a number of the Library’s databases.
Library Services
The Library Services section is staffed by qualified Librarians and Library Technicians and is responsible for the provision of traditional library services including acquisitions, cataloguing, loans and interlibrary loans as well as the maintenance of the Library’s collections. Library Services are also responsible for the technical development and maintenance of databases.
The Library is situated on two levels on the northern side of Parliament House. The main reading rooms are to be found on the ground floor conveniently close to the two chambers.
Opening hours are 9 am to 5 pm Monday to Friday on non-sitting days. On sitting days the Library remains open until both Houses rise.
Dr John Weste
South Australian Parliament Research Library
GPO Box 572
ADELAIDE S.A. 5001
Phone: (08) 8237 9311
Fax: (08) 8211 7672
Email: john.weste@parliament.sa.gov.au