About the Library

The core of the collection consists of books purchased by the late Sir Paul Hasluck (1905-1993). It started with books about Western Australia but gradually reflected the collector's career as a Perth based journalist, an Australian diplomat at the formation of the United Nations, Minister for Territories, Minister for External Affairs and, eventually, as Governor General of the Commonwealth of Australia. To this has been added books relevant to the research and private interests of Lady Alexandra Hasluck (1908-1993) and their son Nicholas Hasluck who inherited the original collection.

The library has been transported to new premises in Claremont in its entirety. It was formerly distributed between three locations and has now been brought under one roof for the first time. Although a manual index exists for the majority of the collection an electronic database is needed to give greater access. The sorting and classifying of books, papers and photographs continues as time permits.

During Sir Paul Hasluck's lifetime many public and private papers were deposited in the National Library and National Archives in Canberra with personal research papers on Western Australian history being lodged in Battye Library and the State Archives in Perth. This process will continue.