Have you heard about the  “Australian Newspaper Plan”? I’m guessing most of you said no, so I’m going to tell you about it. It is a collaborate project organised by the National Library of Australia in a bid to locate historical newspapers that are missing from their collection.

The Australian Newspaper Plan website puts it simply: Collect, Preserve, Access.

The aim is to collect the missing issues of papers from all around Australia. The next step is to digitise them and preserve the original, which is followed by making the digital images of the newspapers accessible to all through the magnificent Trove.

So the National Library of Australia are asking for our help (that’s right, you, me and everyone else who reads this). This is something that can only be achieved through a collaborative effort, so if you’ve spotted a pile of old newspapers under your bed, in your shed or under the floorboards, please, please DON’T throw them out. Check through the lists below to see if any you have appear on the list, and if so, regardless of where you live or the particular “Wanted” newspaper you find, the National Library of Australia wants to hear from you.

It goes without saying that newspapers didn’t just report the news. They told stories of their times, through ads, photographs, and even their design—stories that need to be saved for all Australians.

Check the list for each state, and if you even have a few issues, it all helps to preserve our history.

Australian Capital Territory

New South Wales

Northern Territory

Queensland

South Australia

Tasmania

Victoria

Western Australia

You can get in touch with the National Library of Australia by calling: 1800 059 097 or by email.