Trove records

The Trove record contains information about the item you've searched for, as well as options to access and interact with it, depending on its circumstances.


What is in a Trove record

Example of a record
Example of a record
  • Title and author/creator/contributor - includes details about the edition/item
  • First Australians Message Stick icon First Australians - Item features First Australians content
  • Link to digitised item - Item may be digitised and available for viewing/listening online. Select the button describing how to access it (eg. Read, Listen, View). Select a holding organisation to go to their site and view their options for accessing the item. If the item opens in a Trove viewer/player and you need help to use it, select the viewer/player from the side menu or see the Using Trove viewers and player section below
  • Borrow - Locate physical items to borrow from the holding library or organisation
  • Order copies and buy items - Some items may have digital and/or physical copies available for order. Select the button describing the options (eg. Buy, Get, Order)
  • Cite this - Provides citations for the item in various formats
  • Publication information and title summary - You may be able to select the author/creator/contributor for more information. Includes other related information eg. Series, ISBN, Copyright status
  • First Australians Message Stick icon Report culturally sensitive content - Link to a form to report culturally sensitive content in the work that relates to First Australians
  • Find out more on this topic - Tags with keyword/s related to the initial search. Select a tag to start a new Trove search. You can also add a tag to this record
  • Lists - Trove lists that feature your search keyword/s. Login to your Trove account to add this item to your own list
  • Work notes - Notes added to this record. You can also add a work note
  • Other editions - Select from a list of editions included under the item title from collections in various libraries and organisations. You can filter the list by type, date etc by selecting from the available drop-down menus. When you select an edition, you will be taken to its individual Trove record
Example of list of other editions of an item
Example of a list of other editions of an item

Using the Trove viewers and player

When you select a digitised item, you may be taken to a viewer or player with features designed to help you navigate and interact with the item. A Trove viewer can help you magnify or print digitised visual content, download a copy or even correct newspaper text. A Trove audio player can help you play certain sections of an audio track, view transcripts or download audio.

For more information on the viewer/player you are using, select from the list below:

Example of newspaper viewer
Example of a newspaper viewer

Reading online

When you select to Read an item, you may have multiple options for several reasons:

  1. Item is accessible through multiple libraries, organisations or providers. The item will be identical regardless of which option you select
  2. Free preview is available in Google Books. You may want to check all links options to see if a full version of the item is available, instead of just a preview. There may be a freely-accessible online version of the item - it might include a link to Hathi Trust or the Open Library, which are free sources of online full text
  3. Item is available as both pre-publication and published version. There are likely to be differences between the versions of the item. The version you access depends on your requirements and you may need to view all options
  4. Item is a thesis and available as both original and version for publication. There are likely to be differences between the versions of the item. The version you access depends on your requirements and you may need to view all options

Access conditions

Items requiring special sign-in access will have Access Conditions Apply appear in the access link. If you are not a member of the organisation or service, you will not be able to access the item. 

Some organisations or services only grant you access if you are onsite eg if you are in the reading room of a library that subscribes to a licensed journal.

If you are unable to sign in but meet the conditions for access, contact the organisation or service for more information. 


Restricted content

Some content may have access restrictions placed on it for reasons that include copyright and content that may cause distress, be culturally sensitive, defamatory or offensive.

You may require permission to view content that has been deemed sensitive or which may cause offence to some members of the community. Please Contact Us for information.


Some records in Trove link to items on external Partner websites, so you will have to leave Trove to read, listen to, or view them.

If the link to an item is broken, you can try: 

  • Searching the external website that the record links to. The item may still be there in a different location. 
  • Contacting the organisation who hosts the website to see if the item is still available. 

Not available online

Some records in Trove only provide limited content - there will be item information, but there may be no online version. In some cases, there may be an excerpt, preview or abstract available, and you may have the option to borrow the physical item, or order a copy. For more information, see our Help pages:


Changes to Trove records

The records in Trove come directly from the organisation that catalogued the item - only the organisation can make alterations. This includes National Library of Australia collection items.

To request changes, please contact the organisation that holds the item.

If you have additional information about an item, you can include it in Trove by adding a note to the item record. For more information, see Notes.

If there's something in Trove which you believe infringes your rights, or, for example, contravenes privacy law, is defamatory, or in breach of copyright, you may submit a takedown request.