Library and Information Week - exploring the roots of democracy
The theme this Library and Information Week (29 July – 4 August) is Roots of democracy.
The ANU Library holds collections dedicated to both British and Australian Parliamentary resources to support studies covering all aspects of politics and democratic processes, from the signing of the Magna Carta to current transcriptions of Australian Parliamentary sessions.
Browse collections
British Parliamentary History, 1102-1803
Charting the roots of democracy from its early beginnings in Britain, this collection covers the most important events which gave rise to the modern British state, from Magna Carta and the Civil Wars to the Act of Union and the birth of Empire. The documents include Parliamentary papers, debate records, and private diaries. Given its breadth and depth, this collection is one of the most significant resources available to students of British political history.
The British Politics and Society database enables researchers to explore materials about British domestic and foreign policy, trade unions, Chartism, utopian socialism, public protest, radical movements, the cartographic record, political reform, education, family relationships, religion, leisure and many others. With this archive, scholars have instant access to a range of never-before-available primary sources, including manuscripts, maps, drawings, newspapers, periodicals, government correspondence, letters, diaries, photographs, poster, pamphlets and more.
Including papers of British statesmen, Home Office records, ordnance surveys, working class autobiographies, and other unique collections, British Politics and Society is a remarkable resource for scholars looking to explore the political and social history of Britain.
Parliamentary papers (Australia. Parliament)
The Australian parliamentary documents search engine, ParlInfo, allows users to access Senate chamber documents, House of Representatives chamber and business documents, bills and legislations, Hansard and more. The database is the most comprehensive collection of documents pertaining to Australian politics and democratic processes available, with records going back as far as Federation.
Discover more resources about politics and the history of democracy available through the ANU Library in our political science Library Guide or explore:
