This year is the largest HSC cohort completing at least one HSC course. Matching this growth is the State Library’s popularity, as one of the few places that is open every day, always free and welcoming for students. The Library’s reading rooms are expected to swell by 20% during October.
During this time, the State Library will be adding extra seats and making every conceivable space available for students with more than 300,000 readers and visitors expected to walk through the doors between September and November.
Seventeen-year-old Blackwattle Bay Secondary College student Alice Grant has been visiting the ‘State’ after school three to four days a week since Year 11 to help keep her motivated and calm in her study and exam preparations.
To support students like Alice and her friends, the State Library is offering free online HSC Help sessions on Monday 30 September (English) and Tuesday 1 October (History and Society and Culture) for students state-wide. Each session offers tips from experienced teachers plus a live Q&A.
The Library is also offering Year 12 students complimentary snacks and sweet treats near the steps of the Mitchell building between 2-3pm from 8 to 11 October, to help students stay energised and focused. There will also be puzzles and other activities available.
Other Libraries across the city are throwing their support behind HSC students with special programming. Sutherland and Cronulla Libraries are offering drop-in sessions in partnership with Headspace, 2Connect, and 3Bridges. Students can also enjoy pizza breaks, relax with neck and shoulder massages, and even spend some time with a friendly therapy dog for comfort and support.
The state’s cultural institutions provide a range of free and low-cost activities for people across NSW that provide cultural learning and entertainment during the school holidays. For more information, visit each institution’s website.
Minister for Education and Early Learning Prue Car said:
“I recall preparing for my own HSC at the State Library when I was a student, and it’s great to see public libraries across the state going above and beyond, as well as teaming up with local organisations, to help make studying a little easier and supporting our students.
“This year we have a record-breaking 80,166 NSW students completing at least one HSC course this year, and I wish them all the very best as they get ready for their exams.
“Thank you to all of the teachers, support staff, parents and carers who have prepared and guided our students as they start the next chapter in their lives.”
Minister for the Arts John Graham said:
“The State Library is a much-loved public institution—especially for Year 12 students during the challenging HSC period.
“The NSW Government’s top priority is helping people with cost-of-living pressures. At a time when students and their families are already feeling a lot of pressure the State Library is a comfortable, safe, free place. It’s open everyday – and late most evenings.
“I'm not surprised to see students flocking to the State Library, and indeed public libraries, who are preparing for the influx over the coming weeks by extending their opening hours and providing study relief in the way of study snacks, mindful activities, and dedicated student spaces.”
State Librarian Dr Caroline Butler-Bowdonsaid:
“Students gather at the Library for individual and group study, to meet their friends, use the free wi-fi and study rooms (in the Bashir Reading Room). And our librarians are always here when needed.
“Our reading rooms are humming, even into the nighttime. I love to hear students referring to the State Library as simply ‘State’. They clearly feel at home here, which means a great deal to me.”
Seventeen-year-old Blackwattle Bay Secondary College student Alice Grant said:
“I used to think the Library was for old people, but it’s a real community. I made new friends here that I would never have met otherwise, and it has strengthened my friendships by being able to sit and study together.
“There are lots of different areas to study here; it’s very communal and very welcoming. I get easily distracted at home with my two siblings, and here it’s easier to stay focused and motivated because everyone is in the same position. I can work through problems with other students doing the same subjects and we can study together.”
Background
Exams are scheduled to commence on 15 October and conclude on 8 November. Ancient History has increased its popularity with 8,072 students enrolled, making it the 13th highest enrolled subject.
The State Library supports students through curriculum-focused programs and hands-on workshops, bespoke learning experiences, free webinars and on-the-spot assistance.
The Library delivers free webinars and workshops covering the following subjects for Stage 6:
- English – including Advanced and English Extension
- History – Modern and Ancient
- Science extension - new
- Economics - new
- Visual Arts – new
- Aboriginal Studies
State Library visitation for September – November periods:
| 2019 | 2020 (impacted by Covid) | 2021 (impacted by Covid) | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 |
| 271,993 | 138,656 | 80,050 | 193,622 | 266,569 | Over 300,000 |
The State Library welcomed over one million visitors (a 30% increase on 2022/23) during the June 2024 fiscal year.
