In May 1860, Queensland Parliament took crucial steps by forming separate library committees for the Legislative Assembly and the Legislative Council. This marked one of the earliest actions of the newly established parliament. By 13 June 1860, both committees had jointly resolved to establish a parliamentary library. They allocated £1000 for its establishment and agreed to provide an annual appropriation of £300 for its maintenance.

From 1860 to 1868, the Parliamentary Library operated out of the former convict barracks where Queensland’s inaugural parliament convened. In 1864, with the construction of the new Parliament House, the library found its place on the first floor of the George Street wing, strategically positioned between the two chambers. This central location underscored the library’s vital role, and it remained there for over a century. Following the completion of the Parliamentary Annexe in 1979, the library relocated to that building.

In 1979, the State Cabinet approved a substantial restoration project for Parliament House, encompassing a multimillion-dollar investment aimed at modernising the building to meet late twentieth-century standards. This ambitious initiative, the most extensive restoration effort in Queensland to date, required meticulous planning and implementation over several years.

During the 1980s, the original Parliamentary Library was renamed the Members’ Reading Room. It has since served as a workspace for members during sessions, housing archives such as bound volumes of Queensland Parliamentary Papers, Queensland Parliamentary Debates, and other significant publications.

The room features many examples of Queensland colonial furniture, coffered ceilings and an ornate chimney piece of black marble with gold veins.

Members Reading Room - a large library lined with bookshelves full of books. In the center are tables with black leather chairs.