The University of Queensland

Welcome to the Fryer Library

The Fryer Library is one of the 15 branches of the University of Queensland Library. It contains the Library's special collections. The Fryer Library holds significant collections of Australian Studies resources to support the teaching, learning and research needs of staff and students in the Faculty of Arts and the Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences. Parts of the collection such as theses, rare books, architectural plans and manuscripts support wider cross-disciplinary teaching, research and community use. The Fryer Library is located in the Library, Duhig Building (named after Sir James Duhig). Entry to the Library is through Level Four, Library, Duhig Building.

Established in 1927 to assist the study of Australian literature, the Fryer Library continues to support scholarship and research through its extensive holdings of publications and manuscripts of some of Australia’s leading writers. In addition to the nearly 100,000 volumes of publications, there are manuscripts, rare books, research theses and other special collections. Rapid and streamlined access to collections is facilitated by providing guides to collections online and digitising selected material.

The Fryer Library is located in Building number 2. The main entrance to the Library is on Level 4 of the Library, Duhig Building (Building number 2)

Information on parking (including casual parking) is available from the University’s Traffic and Parking section. For an overview of transport possibilities, visit UQ Maps.

The Fryer Library Reading Room and Information desk are located on Level 4 of the Duhig Tower. The Fryer Library reading room tables are available only for the consultation of Fryer Library material. The Microform Collection is located in the Reading Room.

For recorded opening hours - telephone (07) 3365 6703

 Current opening hours for all branches are available from the Library website.

The Fryer Library is the Special Collections section of the University of Queensland Library. It has an extensive Australian studies collection of published and unpublished material.

The Fryer Library is a rich store of rare books, manuscripts, theses, pictorial collections and architectural drawings. Its emphasis is on Australian literature, history, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander studies, art and architecture. Within that range, it has a particular focus of material with a connection to Queensland, and to the University of Queensland.

The Fryer Library is open to everyone and welcomes all researchers to examine its collections.
Because material in the collection is often old, fragile, valuable and irreplaceable, we ask that you follow a few general procedures:

• Eating and drinking are not permitted in the Fryer Library reading room. This includes bottled water and the consumption of lollies, chewing gum or lozenges.
• Bags are not permitted in the reading room. Please ask at the desk for a key to a locker where you can safely store your belongings.
• Photographic identification is required when requesting materials from the Fryer collection. For staff and students of the University of Queensland, this should be your staff or student id. For other users, a staff or student card, driver’s license, 18+ card or any other form of identification, as long as it includes a photograph, is acceptable. Please note that desk staff will keep your id while you are using any Fryer material or hold a locker key.
• Fryer Library items may not be removed from the reading room.

More details regarding Reading Room Rules can be viewed here or can be explained to you by the library staff.

University of Queensland theses and some other theses are listed in the Library Catalogue. Higher degree theses produced at the University of Queensland for research Masters and PhD degrees are deposited in Fryer Library. The most recent can be requested for consultation in the Fryer Reading room.

Theses between the numbers THE1 and THE16999 are currently housed at Warehouse.

Theses between these numbers can be requested for retreival either in person or by phone: 07 336 56276 or by email fryer@library.uq.edu.au for collection at the following times:

Access to the full text of a number of University of Queensland theses is now available through the Library Catalogue. The full text of UQ theses is available only within the University of Queensland domain. Abstracts of the theses are freely available to the world-wide community, the can be viewed via the University digital repository UQ eSpace.

Copies of University of Queensland research theses can be purchased from the Library.

Further enquiries can be made to the Thesis department by email: Theses @ Research

Most material in the Fryer Library is held in stacks that are not accessible to clients. You may request staff to retrieve items from the stacks for consultation in the reading room. Items may not be removed from the Fryer Library.

Reference material is available on open shelving in the Reading room. The microform collection is also available there for open access. Theses numbered THE17000 onwards are on open access in the reading room. Theses numbered THE1-THE16999 can be requested from Warehouse.

We encourage you to request manuscript material by email fryer@library.uq.edu.au. Requests can also be made by handing in person at the Fryer Information Desk, or by telephoning (07) 33656276.

At regular intervals between 9.00am and 4:30pm, Monday to Saturday except Wednesdays, when retrievals can be requested between 9.00am and 7:30pm, depending on Fryer Library closing times. Material ordered within these times will be held at the desk upon request for evening or weekend use.