2014 is a significant year, with August being the 100th anniversary of beginning of WWI.

Countries around the world are preparing to take part and contribute to commemorations. Many institutions have instigated projects to record memories and consolidate resources, particular online.

Have a look at what Heritage and Research at Auckland Libraries "Our boys, their families" has developed to assist you! Feel free to download to your computer.

ANZAC Day is the day that is a national day of remembrance for Australian and New Zealanders who died during armed conflict.

This is the fourth year that Auckland Libraries and the Kintalk blog have issued a Trans-Tasman ANZAC Day Blog Challenge.

Do you have a story to share about an ANZAC? 

Stories we'd like to hear about could be about their sacrifice, or the way it shaped or impacted on their family history. Maybe you want to blog from the perspective of those that were left behind?

Your story doesn't have to involve a serviceperson who lost their lives - during times of war, all sorts of loss unfortunately are experienced. 

And you can write about those who also served in other wars, as all who served in Australia and New Zealand are recognised as ANZACs.

Maybe you have written about your ANZAC before, and have more research to add to the story?

To participate:

• Write a blog post about an Australian or New Zealander serviceman or woman's family, and the impact war had on their family history
• Post a comment with the URL to your blog on the comments section of this post.
  Or if you don't have a blog then email us your story at kintalk@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz
• Publish your post by 26 April 2015.

For those of you with an interest in Scotland, you may have noticed in recent months an increase in material appearing on the shelves in the family history section at Central Auckland Research Centre. However, those of you who may not visit the Research Centre as frequently or the check the catalogue regularly from afar will have missed what we have been adding to the collection.

Auckland Libraries, Sir George Grey Special Collections, 601-2835A.

A number of local histories have been added to the collection which range from picture books to stories about a street in a town, a guide to closes, squares, lanes etc in old Dundee and a small work on the Kirk Yetholm gypsies are among the works added to local histories.

We have also purchased transcripts of parish registers, amongst which is the Lady Glenorchy Free Church baptisms 1843-1856; monumental inscriptions (gravestones), several family histories, items relating to occupations such as two on fishing in Fife.  There is also the Records of Glenprosen [Glenprossan], Angus which includes christening extracts, monumental inscriptions, entries for marriages and deaths, communion rolls and a list of subscribers to the library from 1841.  Not to be outdone, there is also the two volume work of Scottish Studio Photographers to 1914 which gives details not only of different addresses the photographers worked from but potted biographies that can include other members of the family, census returns and value of estate on death.

So if it has been a while since you checked out our Scottish collections (call number - 4 SCT) take a little time to do so and you may be lucky and find that entry that has been eluding you.

Marie 

The Transactions and Proceedings of the Royal Society of New Zealand (1868-1961) is one of the New Zealand's most important research publications, particularly for science.

Website:  rsnz.natlib.govt.nz

It is another rich resource for historians that can now be accessed online. The database is browsable by topics, images and includes an A-Z list of authors. The coverage is beyond the science world as  it event contains obituaries of individuals who have contributed to the New Zealand scientific community.

As an example of the content in these volumes read the descriptions given by clicking these links to the Old Redoubts, Blockhouses, and Stockades of the Wellington District or about the weather for 1896 or Notes on the Derelict Ship in Facile Harbour, Dusky Bay by T.M. Hocken.

Murchison Glacier in the Southern Alps, 1901 Auckland Libraries AWNS-19011107-9-2

The Hon J.B.A. Acland and Messrs C.G. Tripp and Charles Harper climbed the Rangitata (and Murchison) glaciers in the Southern Alps in 1860.  G. E. Mannering's article provides a historical account of the time but it also of relevance to those individuals wishing to fill out the stories of their ancestors and provide context to their adventures.
Bridget