The National Library of Australia has a small but interesting collection of rare books and manuscripts. These collections are the legacy of a remarkable period of growth in the library's history. Strengths are greatest in British and European materials, particularly from the 18th century. The present collecting activities of the library are concentrated on Australian and Asian materials. While very early imprints are now less likely to be collected, the library has a number of collections of scarce and unusual works relating to Asia and the Pacific. This paper provides background on the development of the rare books and manuscripts collection and then describes collections pertaining to the Asia-Pacific area. (Author/MES)