Our four Research Centres all have New Zealand family history resources, and staff on hand who are able to assist with most of your family history enquiries.
At Central Research, we have an international family history collection and I am based there.
Last year, we piloted a new initiative called Brick Wall Tuesday, where I got to do Book-A-Librarian sessions at the other research centres. Each Tuesday, I am at a different research centre.
It was very successful, so we decided to continue this initiative again starting from 13th February at West Auckland Research Centre at Waitakere Library.
- North Auckland Research Centre, Takapuna Library - 1st Tuesday of every month.
Phone 09 890 4919 or email Library.Northheritage@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz to book.
- West Auckland Research Centre, Waitakere Library - 2nd Tuesday of every month.
Phone 09 892 4966 or email Library.Westheritage@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz to book.
The West Auckland Historical and Genealogy Society hold their branch meeting in this research centre on the same day 10-12pm, and everyone is welcome.
- South Auckland Research Centre, Manukau Library - 3rd Tuesday of every month.
Phone 09 261 8637 or email Library.Southheritage@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz to book.
- Central Auckland Research Centre, Central Library - 4th Tuesday of every month.
The Auckland City branch of the New Zealand Society of Genealogists hold their branch meeting in this research centre on the same day, 10-12pm and everyone is welcome.
Seonaid can also be available by appointment on other days at Central Library.
Phone 09 890 2412 or email arc@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz to book.
- need assistance to begin their family history research
- need help to use the Family and Local History Digital Library databases and subscription websites
- have a family history research ‘brick wall’ that they need assistance with
It is a “how to” training service to enable customers to be able to carry out their own research. It is not really a research service i.e.- we are not doing the research for the customer, although we may do so during the tutorial session.
To get the best out of this session, we ask the customer to fill in a form telling us some brief background details and a pedigree chart of the branch of the family the query is about.
Think about what you need:
- What is your question?
- Provide names, dates and country of people (or places) you are needing information for
- Where have you looked already?
- What proof do you already have about that person (people)?
Most importantly - have you already got hold of any birth, marriage or death certificates that may answer your question? Review them again with fresh eyes.
Hope to see some of you soon
Happy hunting
Seonaid
