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Libraries in New South Wales

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Publisher Spatial Services, Department of Customer Service NSWUpdated as neededLicence CC BY 3.0 AULatest 2026-10-20Rows 423Fields 13

The features that Spatial Services types Library in the NSW Points of Interest layer, read from its map service. Each row is one library, with its name and label, its topographic database id, the dates Spatial Services recorded for it, the publisher's urbanity code and the point's longitude and latitude in WGS84. The layer does not say who operates a library. Going by their names, most rows are council branch libraries. A small number are university or other institute libraries, which the layer types the same way. The layer records no address, phone number or opening hours.

Also called: NSW public libraries, Library locations in New South Wales, NSW Points of Interest libraries.

Before you use it
What is in each row?
One feature of the NSW Points of Interest layer that Spatial Services types as a library. Each row has the feature's name and label, the dates Spatial Services recorded for it, the publisher's urbanity code and its longitude and latitude.
Are these only council libraries?
No. The layer types a feature as a library without saying who runs it. Going by their names, most rows are council branch libraries. A small number are university or other institute libraries, such as Fisher Library at the University of Sydney. The layer gives no field that tells them apart.
Does it give addresses or opening hours?
No. The layer records a library's name and location only. It does not record an address, phone number, opening hours or the library service that runs it.
423 libraries drawn in 324 cells of 0.05 degrees, the fullest with 10.
Libraries counted in cells of 0.05 degrees. State outlines from the ABS Australian Statistical Geography Standard 2021, CC BY 4.0.
423libraries
13fields
11formats
1version

Made for agents

Connect your AI agent

Any agent that connects to publicdata.au/mcp can find this dataset, read its 13 fields, count and filter across all 423 rows and diff its versions. Every answer names the version and carries Spatial Services's attribution. No key.

Then ask it: What does Libraries in New South Wales hold, and what changed in the newest version?

claude mcp add --transport http publicdata https://publicdata.au/mcp

One command. No key, no account, no sign-up.

Download it as Excel, CSV, JSON and 8 more formats

Pick a format and a version. Excel is picked first because it opens in the tools most offices have. The URL is yours to keep. A dated version keeps its content.

Format
"Latest" redirects to the newest version and will change when the publisher releases again. A dated version keeps its content.
https://publicdata.au/d/nsw-public-libraries/latest/data.xlsx
Download this file

One workbook with a records sheet of 423 typed rows, a fields sheet and a publicdata sheet with the provenance. Dates are real Excel dates. Opens in Excel, Numbers, LibreOffice and Sheets.

In your own tools

Use it in Excel, R, Python and more

Excel and Power BI read the CSV from its address and refresh from it. The R and Python packages take any dataset on this site by its slug, so a new dataset needs no new release. The DuckDB file attaches read-only over HTTPS, and a query reads only the blocks it touches.

The dated URL in the code never changes. https://publicdata.au/d/nsw-public-libraries/latest/ redirects to the newest version.

https://publicdata.au/d/nsw-public-libraries/latest/data.csv

In Excel choose Data, then From Web, and paste this address. Excel keeps it, so Refresh All reads the newest version. A sheet holds about a million rows; past that, load the query to the Data Model.

What is in it

Column names are made snake_case and the publisher's original header is kept beside each one. Blank cells are null. Nothing is added, removed, ranked or summarised.

FieldTypePublisher's headerNote
objectidintegerobjectidThe layer's row number, which the map service orders its answer by.
namestringpoinameThe library's name as Spatial Services records it, in capitals. It is empty for the few rows whose label type is `GENERIC`.
labelstringpoilabelThe text the layer labels the point with. It is the name where there is one, and `Library` where there is not.
label_typestringpoilabeltypeThe publisher's `NAMED` or `GENERIC`, as published.
alternative_labelstringpoialtlabel
typestringpoitype
urbanitystringurbanityThe publisher's urbanity code, `U` or `S`, as published. The layer does not define the codes.
topo_idintegertopoid
shape_uuidstringshapeuuid
start_datedatestartdate
last_update_msintegerlastupdateThe time Spatial Services last updated the feature, as the map service gives it, in milliseconds since 1 January 1970 UTC. It is kept as a number because the values carry milliseconds.
longitudenumber(longitude)
latitudenumber(latitude)

Download this table as a data dictionary (Excel), or read it as a Frictionless Table Schema at schema.json. The key is objectid.

The first 10 rows

From the latest version, in the publisher's order, with every field. A blank cell is shown as null.

objectidnamelabellabel_typealternative_labeltypeurbanitytopo_idshape_uuidstart_datelast_update_mslongitudelatitude
894PARRAMATTA CENTRAL LIBRARYPARRAMATTA CENTRAL LIBRARYNAMEDnullLibraryU500176486b4704504-7a7b-3b96-bc45-8b5844a79d282010-09-271285588392535151.004700944-33.8163543543
1782GLENQUARIE BRANCH LIBRARYGLENQUARIE BRANCH LIBRARYNAMEDnullLibraryU500232099b12574de-7b21-318f-9487-5bbd5515a1e62012-08-101344594514140150.89036332-33.9861167317
2667RIVERWOOD LIBRARYRIVERWOOD LIBRARYNAMEDnullLibraryU50030238255550337-bcb7-3dee-84e6-e4ae4552c7962012-08-101344594513193151.05269558-33.9475515661
3083FISHER LIBRARY SYDNEY UNIVERSITYFISHER LIBRARY SYDNEY UNIVERSITYNAMEDnullLibraryU50032388571adb868-ad78-3335-adbb-222ed14d68a42012-08-101344594513266151.190493552-33.8863169166
3396COOTAMUNDRA WAR MEMORIAL LIBRARYCOOTAMUNDRA WAR MEMORIAL LIBRARYNAMEDnullLibraryU5003735331aad865c-8056-3cbc-a55d-5bead638f3852012-08-101344594530495148.02622839-34.6397916692
3785GUNNING LIBRARYGUNNING LIBRARYNAMEDnullLibraryU5005186164fb331fa-d18e-30cb-b505-01b72785d8742012-08-101344594513322149.266186814-34.7828439862
4297TUGGERANONG LIBRARYTUGGERANONG LIBRARYNAMEDnullLibraryU5007175338bc860ed-cc1c-3d27-9449-dc1ed48f778b2010-09-271285588392535149.068909349-35.4145751013
4411CONSTITUTION HILL LIBRARYCONSTITUTION HILL LIBRARYNAMEDnullLibraryU500726730d1fb84a4-8092-3ba8-ac40-4e32bcbd02f72012-08-101344594513446150.974281867-33.7922665542
4565BATLOW LIBRARYBATLOW LIBRARYNAMEDnullLibraryU50074454347477153-c1e8-30c2-8bba-fc03304522342014-12-181419241289904148.147338434-35.520948561
4620CULCAIRN LIBRARYCULCAIRN LIBRARYNAMEDnullLibraryU500750701c5cb57cf-e6cc-3dbe-971b-8321ffea068a2012-08-101344594513573147.036443239-35.6676323026
The first row as JSON

As it appears in data.json.

GET https://publicdata.au/d/nsw-public-libraries/latest/data.json
{
  "objectid": 894,
  "name": "PARRAMATTA CENTRAL LIBRARY",
  "label": "PARRAMATTA CENTRAL LIBRARY",
  "label_type": "NAMED",
  "alternative_label": null,
  "type": "Library",
  "urbanity": "U",
  "topo_id": 500176486,
  "shape_uuid": "b4704504-7a7b-3b96-bc45-8b5844a79d28",
  "start_date": "2010-09-27",
  "last_update_ms": 1285588392535,
  "longitude": 151.0047009442099,
  "latitude": -33.81635435430468
}

Query it without downloading

The query API returns only the rows you ask for, as JSON, NDJSON or CSV, from the same typed rows as the files. It needs no key. Build a query here and run it, then copy the URL or the code into your own work.

Try rows or aggregate for this dataset. The query builder needs JavaScript.

How filters work

Each filter is field=operator.value in the query string, and every filter must match. A number or date field compares as a number or date, and a text field compares as text. Values are case-sensitive, except that like and ilike ignore case in the ASCII letters A to Z. Prefix not. to negate a filter, as not.eq.value.

OperatorWhat it matches
eq.valueEqual to the value.
neq.valueNot equal to the value. A blank cell does not match.
gt.valueGreater than the value.
gte.valueGreater than or equal to the value.
lt.valueLess than the value.
lte.valueLess than or equal to the value.
like.*text*Matches a pattern where * stands for any run of characters, ignoring case in the ASCII letters A to Z.
ilike.*text*The same as like. Both ignore case in ASCII letters only, so É and é differ.
in.(a,b,c)Equal to any value in the list. A value cannot contain a comma.
is.nullBlank in the source, or suppressed by the publisher.
ParameterWhat it does
selectFields to return, comma-separated. Every field when absent.
orderfield.asc or field.desc, comma-separated. When absent, rows come in the order of the file they are read from. For the newest versions that is the version's own data.parquet, which keeps the publisher's order unless the dataset sorted it. Any other version is read from the Parquet file the answer names in file, and when that file is sorted the answer names its sort in order, which ties follow too.
limitRows per page, 1 to 10,000. 100 when absent.
offsetRows to skip. The next URL in each answer sets it for you.
groupOn aggregate, fields to group by, comma-separated.
metricOn aggregate, count, sum.field, avg.field, min.field or max.field, comma-separated. count when absent.
formatjson, ndjson or csv. JSON carries the provenance header, and the others carry it in response headers.

Without a version the API answers from the newest version, and that answer changes when the publisher releases again. Put versions/<date>/ before rows or aggregate for an answer from that version alone. Every version with a table can be queried, and /api/v1/datasets/<slug>/versions lists them. A query on a version the database does not hold is read from its Parquet file, and one that would read too much of it is refused with DuckDB SQL that answers it from the file. The 1 newest version is loaded; versions lists them.

The API allows 60 requests in 10 seconds from one address. Above that it answers 429 for 10 seconds with a Retry-After header, a RateLimit-Policy header and a JSON body that gives the limit. Every API answer carries the same RateLimit-Policy. A client should wait the Retry-After seconds, or read the files, which have no limit. openapi.json describes this dataset's query paths for client generators and agents.

https://publicdata.au/mcp is a remote MCP server over Streamable HTTP with the same tools, defined in the same place, so a tool added to the pages is added here too. It needs no key and no account. Its row tools and the query API answer every version through one query path, so a tool's answer and the query URL it cites give the same rows. A query that would read too much of a file is refused with DuckDB SQL that answers it from the file. It also has search and fetch, the two tools ChatGPT's deep research and company knowledge call by name, which run search_datasets and read a dataset's record in the shapes those features expect. The row tools are held to the query API's limit of 60 queries in 10 seconds from one address, and each call is two queries because it also counts the matching rows. Add it to Claude Code with claude mcp add --transport http publicdata https://publicdata.au/mcp, add the URL in Claude as a custom connector, or give it to any client that connects to remote MCP servers. Each dataset with a table is also a resource at https://publicdata.au/d/<slug>/fields.json, which lists its fields with their types, the publisher's descriptions, their ranges and the values they hold, so an agent can read a dataset's shape before it writes a query.

What changed

One version for every release the publisher has made since this site started following the dataset. The date is the day the file changed on the portal.

  • 2026-10-20
    423 rows13 fieldsutf-8-sig0817fa2ca731

    The publisher's server states no change date, so this version is dated by the fetch.

versions.json · changes.json · history.tar.zst (31 KB, every version's Parquet and manifest)

Questions

How do I download Libraries in New South Wales as a CSV file?

Open https://publicdata.au/d/nsw-public-libraries/latest/data.csv. It redirects to the newest dated version, which is https://publicdata.au/d/nsw-public-libraries/v/2026-10-20/data.csv today. The same path serves Excel, JSON, GeoJSON, Parquet, SQLite, DuckDB, GeoPackage, GeoParquet, NDJSON. A dated URL never changes, so use it when the file must stay the same.

Can I open Libraries in New South Wales in Excel?

Yes. https://publicdata.au/d/nsw-public-libraries/v/2026-10-20/data.xlsx is a workbook with the 423 rows on a records sheet, the field list on a second sheet and the provenance on a third. The CSV also opens in Excel. https://publicdata.au/d/nsw-public-libraries/v/2026-10-20/data.csv.gz is the CSV at about a tenth of the size.

How often is Libraries in New South Wales updated?

Spatial Services releases it as needed. This site checks the portal every week and adds a dated version when the file changes.

Can I use Libraries in New South Wales commercially?

Yes. CC BY 3.0 AU allows commercial use, redistribution and derived works as long as the attribution is kept. The attribution string is in this page's side column and inside every file.

Is this the official source for Libraries in New South Wales?

No. The publisher is Spatial Services, Department of Customer Service NSW, and its page is https://data.nsw.gov.au/data/dataset/nsw-points-of-interest-poi. National Digital converted the publisher's file to other formats. It renamed and typed the columns and kept only those the schema lists. National Digital made these changes, and the publisher is not responsible for them. The original sits beside every version as source.geojson with its SHA-256, so the two can be compared.

What coordinate system does Libraries in New South Wales use?

Longitude and latitude in WGS84 (EPSG:4326), as the map service projects them on request. The layer's own extent is stated in GDA94. The GeoJSON file uses the same coordinates, which is what GeoJSON expects.

What this site did to the data. Cells were typed, headers were renamed and the encoding was made UTF-8. Rows were left alone. The publisher's file sits beside every version as source.geojson so the change can be checked.

Attribution and citation

The licence requires the publisher's attribution. We ask that you also name publicdata.au and link to the version you used.

© State Government of NSW and Spatial Services (DCS), NSW Points of Interest (POI), sourced 19 October 2026, https://data.nsw.gov.au/data/dataset/nsw-points-of-interest-poi, licensed under CC BY 3.0 AU. Serialised and versioned by National Digital at publicdata.au, https://publicdata.au/d/nsw-public-libraries/v/2026-10-20/

The map's state outlines are from the ABS Australian Statistical Geography Standard 2021, under CC BY 4.0.

The attribution alone is inside every file. Harvard is the author-date form a report or a brief asks for. Paste the HTML on a web page so the links carry.

Licence record

Spatial Services, Department of Customer Service NSW states the licence, CC BY 3.0 AU, on its own page, which was read and recorded here on 19 October 2026.

Every fetch reads the licence again and stops when it has changed. The fetch that made version 2026-10-20 read it from data.nsw.gov.au on 19 October 2026.

Also published on
  • Hugging Faceload_dataset("National-Digital/nsw-public-libraries")
  • Kagglewith a starter notebook
  • ZenodoDOI 10.5281/zenodo.23485005

Each copy carries the same attribution and links back to this page.

For agents and tools

This page carries a schema.org Dataset record and is listed in /.well-known/ard.json and /catalog.json.

Source

Spatial Services, Department of Customer Service NSW publishes this table on maps.six.nsw.gov.au. Questions about the content go to the publisher. Questions about the files here go to corrections.

Fetched 19 October 2026. Source SHA-256 0817fa2ca731f55e…

Improve this dataset

This page is built from register/nsw-public-libraries.yaml on GitHub. Anyone can propose a fix to it, such as a clearer description or a field the publisher renamed, as a pull request.

Report a file that differs from the publisher's · How to contribute