Ashurbanipal Library

A reference collection of thousands of items relating to Assyrians or created by Assyrians — preserving books, journals, photographs and objects for the community.

Est. 1992

Reference Collection

By Appointment

Visiting the library

Tue & Thur

10am to 7pm

Other Days

By Appointment

Collection Type

Reference Only

Location

Assyrian Australian Association
673 Smithfield Road
Edensor Park NSW 2176

Book an Appointment

Email the Librarian to arrange access, ask a question, or discuss a donation.

Email

librarian@assyrianaustralian.org.au

About the Library

Preserving Assyrian History, Language and Heritage

ABL LOGO

The Ashurbanipal Library is a cultural and educational initiative of the Assyrian Australian Association dedicated to preserving, promoting and sharing Assyrian history, language, literature, culture and heritage for current and future generations.

 

Named after King Ashurbanipal, founder of the world’s first known organised library, the Library serves as an important resource for researchers, students, educators and community members interested in Assyrian civilisation and history.

 

Through its collections, archives, educational programs and digitisation projects, the Library plays a vital role in safeguarding the documentary heritage of the Assyrian people in Australia.

 

Our Mission

To collect, preserve, document and promote Assyrian knowledge, literature, language, history and cultural heritage while providing educational and research opportunities for the community.

“The Library has been revived for the community and is located in the AAA’s premises.”

Invitations

CALLING ALL ASSYRIAN AUTHORS!

Have you recently published a book, or are you planning to publish one before June 2027?

 

The Asurbanipal Library is delighted to invite Assyrian authors to launch their newly published books in any language as part of the Asurbanipal Library Awards Night, to be held in June 2027. This special event will celebrate the achievements of Assyrian writers and provide an opportunity to showcase your work, share your story, and connect with the wider community.

 

If you would like your book to be featured and officially launched during the Awards Night, we would love to hear from you.

Please contact us at: secretary@assyrianaustralian.org.au

 

Please include:

  • Your name
  • Book title
  • Publication date
  • A brief description of your book
 

 

Please share this post with Assyrian authors, publishers, family, and friends who may be interested. Together, let’s celebrate and support the growing legacy of Assyrian literature.

We look forward to celebrating your achievement!

Our History

From a volunteer collection to a growing archive

1992

Founded by community volunteers

A group of Assyrian volunteers established the Library to collect and preserve important Assyrian texts and offer a lending collection to the community.

2000s

Lending model became unsustainable

The time and resources required to keep the Library open as a lending service could no longer be sustained.

2022

Revived as a reference collection

The AAA committee revived the Library as an appointment-only reference collection, giving it a permanent home within the AAA building.

Since

Collection has kept growing

Thousands of publications about Assyrians or by Assyrian authors have been added, including the entire collection of the late Benjamin Gundelove.

Access the Collection

Reference only, visits by appointment, except Tuesday and Thursday

Our collection is reference only, and in-person access to the Library is by appointment, except Tuesday and Thursday. To make a booking, email the Librarian and we’ll arrange a time that suits.

Library Catalogue

Browse and search our full holdings online before you visit.

Digital Collection

Oral histories, digitised publications and photographs on the Fairfield City Heritage Collection site.

Library Collections

The Ashurbanipal Library houses a growing collection of resources including:

Library Catalogue

  • Assyrian history 
  • Language resources 
  • Literature and poetry 
  • Religious publications 
  • Community publications 
  • Academic research 
 
  • Manuscripts 
  • Community records 
  • Historical documents 
  • Personal papers 
  • Correspondence 
  • Rare publications 
  • Historical photographs 
  • Community events 
  • Cultural activities 
  • Family collections 
  • Heritage records 
  • Oral histories
  • Community recordings
  • Interviews
  • Cultural events
  • Historical footage

Research Services

The Library supports:

  • Academic research 
  • Family history research 
  • Community history projects 
  • School and university assignments 
  • Cultural heritage studies 
  • Historical enquiries 
 

Researchers and visitors are welcome to access the collection during opening hours.

 

Literary Awards

The Ashurbanipal Library proudly hosts the annual Assyrian Literary Awards, recognising excellence in:

  • Literature 
  • Research 
  • Publishing 
  • Cultural preservation 
  • Language promotion 
  • Historical scholarship 
 

The Awards celebrate authors, researchers and community members who contribute to preserving and promoting Assyrian culture and heritage.

 

Digitisation Projects

The Library is committed to preserving Assyrian heritage through the digitisation of valuable historical collections.

 

Current projects include:

  • Historical archives preservation 
  • Community heritage collections 
  • Manuscript digitisation 
  • Photographic collection preservation 
  • Rare publication digitisation 
  • The Benjamin Yousip Gundelove Collection digitisation project 
 

These initiatives ensure important historical materials remain accessible to future generations.

 

Heritage Preservation

The Ashurbanipal Library actively works to preserve and promote Assyrian documentary heritage through:

  • Collection management 
  • Archival preservation 
  • Historical research 
  • Community education 
  • Cultural exhibitions 
  • Heritage partnerships 
 

The Library is also pursuing projects that support the recognition and preservation of significant Assyrian historical collections at local, national and international levels.

 

Educational Programs

The Library hosts a range of educational and cultural activities including:

  • Author presentations 
  • Book launches 
  • Research presentations 
  • Community lectures 
  • Cultural exhibitions 
  • Historical discussions 
 

The Library also supports the Gilgamesh Symposium Series, which explores Assyrian history, culture, language and contemporary issues through public lectures and presentations.

 

Donations

Help preserve Assyrian history

The AAA and the Ashurbanipal Library encourage community members to donate items of historical importance so they can be permanently preserved. This includes books, booklets, periodicals, documents, archives, images, videos, audio, electronic media and objects.

Considering a donation?

Email the Librarian with details of your item and we'll be in touch to arrange the next steps.

Visit or Call

Location & contact details

The Library is located within the AAA building. All visits are by appointment, except Tuesday and Thursday. Email ahead to arrange your booking.

Library Address

673–683 Smithfield Road, Edensor Park NSW 2176

Schedule

Tuesday & Thursday: 10am to 7pm
Other days: Access by scheduled appointment

Email Address

librarian@assyrianaustralian.org.au

Reference Only

Reference collection — not for loan

Book an Appointment

Email the Librarian to arrange access, ask a question, or discuss a donation.

Email

librarian@assyrianaustralian.org.au

Plan your visit

Email the Librarian to book an appointment or ask about a donation.