Library & Quiet Lounge
The Library occupies a south-facing room on the first floor, its shelves holding over two thousand volumes assembled around the themes of Australian federation history, parliamentary biography, ACT regional geography, and the literature of the high country from Banjo Paterson forward. It is a room designed for the kind of unhurried reading and quiet conversation that Canberra's particular temperament - more contemplative than any other Australian capital - naturally encourages. Access is open to all guests throughout the day and evening, with a librarian available each afternoon between two and six o'clock.
Federation History Collection
The library's primary collection spans federation-era parliamentary records, first-edition histories of the ACT's planning and construction, and a dedicated reading shelf of Commonwealth constitutional documents in facsimile.
High Country Literature Shelf
A curated shelf of Australian literature tied to the Monaro, Snowy Mountains, and ACT tablelands runs from nineteenth-century pastoral accounts through to contemporary writers working in that country today - assembled with the guidance of the Australian National University's library faculty.
Resident Afternoon Librarian
Between two and six o'clock each afternoon, a librarian with a background in Australian political history is present to assist with research requests, reading recommendations, and context for guests exploring Canberra's institutional landscape.
Writing Tables & Reading Chairs
Six leather reading chairs - deep-seated, with proper footrests and individual reading lamps - face the garden window, while four writing tables along the east wall are equipped with house stationery, ink, and reference materials.
Guest Book Loan Programme
Guests may borrow up to two volumes from the circulating collection for the duration of their stay, returning them to a dedicated drop shelf at checkout - a small but deliberate gesture toward the idea that reading begun in a good room deserves to be finished.
Private Research Briefings
On request, the librarian team can prepare a personalised written research briefing on any aspect of Canberra's history, architecture, or governance - a service favoured by international journalists, visiting academics, and guests preparing for ministerial meetings in the capital.