Frequently Asked Questions

 

 

The online library catalogue includes details of all items received since 1997. For the bulk of our collections we still rely on the card catalogue.

 

We also have an online image library – approx 10,000 images are available to search online at Picture Sheffield.

 

You are welcome to contact us at localstudies.library@sheffield.gov.uk  about  the material we hold and we will be happy to advise

 

 

At present, the archive catalogues and indexes are only available to visitors to Sheffield Archives.

 

However, a number of our catalogues are available to search online as part of the national Access to Archives (A2A) project. A2A is a strand of the national archive network for the United Kingdom and contains over 10 million records from archive repositories across England. For further details visit the A2A website.

 

The National Register of Archives contains information on the nature and location of archives that relate to British history.

 

The Archives Hub is a searchable database of archives collections held in UK Universities and Colleges

 

You are welcome to contact us at archives@sheffield.gov.uk  about  the archives we hold and we will be happy to advise

 

 

We can check our catalogues and indexes to advise you what information we hold, so you can decide whether it is worth your while visiting us.

 

If you are unable to visit, Local Studies Library staff can undertake limited searches in their holdings, up to a maximum of 30 minutes. For longer searches you may wish to take advantage of our research service

 

If you are unable to visit the Archive Service in person you may wish to take advantage of our research service.  For a fee of £10 for half an hour our experienced researchers will undertake work on your behalf.

 

Our researchers have access to a vast array of genealogical and other information – census returns, parish registers, indexes to births, marriages and deaths, family and estate records, Ordnance Survey maps, school records etc.  Whether you want to request a search of a 17th century baptism register or order a copy of a map from the early 20th century our research service should be able to help. 

 

 

 

Yes you may bring your laptop with you.  However we do need to point out that we can accept no responsibility for any loss or damage to your equipment or your files whilst they are on our premises and plugged into our power supplies.

 

As space is limited at Local Studies we advise you to email or call us before your visit so we can ensure there is space for you.

 

 

 

In general you don’t need to book a visit in advance, but see below. However, If you wish to use specific material, then enquire in advance to make sure it is available and in what format. You may need to book a microform reader to be able to access it. Occasionally specific materials may not be available due to wear and tear/conservation issues.

 

If you are unsure about what you may need to use, please contact us for further advice.

 

If you want to use a microfilm/fiche reader or People's Network computer, then booking is recommended. The number of machines is limited and not booking can mean disappointment – particularly if you are travelling to Sheffield from a distance.

 

 

 

You do not need a reader’s ticket to use the Local Studies Library.

 

To use Sheffield Archives you will need to register as a reader. You should bring 2 forms of identification with you – one of which should have your address printed on it (e.g. recent utility bill) and the other should have your signature on it (e.g. driving licence). If you cannot provide identification, then you will be issued with a temporary reader’s ticket for one visit only.

 

 

 

Our records go back to the 12^th century and our books date from the 16^th century. The majority or our material is from the 1700s onwards.

 

 

 

Books and other printed material – More than 30,000 volumes.

Maps – Several thousand maps from the 17th century onwards.

Photographs – Over 80,000 photographs and illustrations of Sheffield from the 1850s onwards.

Records – Archives has six kilometres of shelving containing countless hundreds of thousands of records.

 

 

 

At Archives, all the public areas are accessible to wheelchair users. A height-adjustable table is available for use in the Searchroom. An audio loop, magnifying glasses and large print versions of some leaflets are also available.

 

At the Local Studies Library, access for disabled users, including those in wheelchairs, is at the rear of the Central Library, via the loading bay off Arundel Gate. Please note there is no access for disabled users via the main entrance in Surrey Street. There is dedicated disabled parking for one vehicle. There is a lift to all public floors and a toilet for disabled users. We have a People’s Network computer with a height adjustable workstation. Magnifying glasses and large print versions of some leaflets are also available.

 

 

 

Yes we offer talks and workshops, on and off site visits, publications and advice and guidance. Pupils and students have the opportunity to see and touch documents and books from the 13th century onwards. Contact our Development, Education & Outreach Officer michael.spick@sheffield.gov.uk to duscuss your requirements.

 

 

 

Yes, we have a wide range of reprographic services - Photocopying, scanning, digital photography etc. Please contact us at archives@sheffield.gov.uk for a list of charges.

 

 

 

You are welcome to contact us to discuss your interest with a professionally qualified member of staff.  For graduates with a genuine interest we offer a 5-day placement which will introduce students to the work of the archives, local studies, records management and conservation sections. (These are allocated at set periods in the year on a first come first served basis.   Please note that these are oversubscribed by a factor of 3 to 1).  We regret we do not have the facilities to accept placements from those aged under 18.

 

If you wish to investigate these professions further, the following websites will prove useful:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Unfortunately we are not able to accept payments by credit/debit card.  We can only accept cheques or postal orders in sterling.  Cheques should be made payable to Sheffield City Council.

 

 

You can access census records and indexes to births, marriages and deaths via Ancestry.com free of charge at Archives, Local Studies and any Community Library in Sheffield.

 

 

You can access census records and indexes to births, marriages and deaths via Ancestry.com free of charge at Archives, Local Studies and any Community Library in Sheffield.

 

 

 

Sheffield Archives holds a considerable amount of material relating to the whole of South Yorkshire (including Barnsley, Doncaster and Rotherham).  The collections of the former South Yorkshire County Record Office which existed between 1974 – 1986 are now held by Sheffield Archives.  County wide services such as South Yorkshire Police are at Sheffield Archives.  There are also many records form individual churches and chapel, societies and voluntary organisation and businesses across South Yorkshire.  If you are undertaking research in the districts of Barnsley, Doncaster and Rotherham we strongly advise that you contact us to see what information we hold.  Our South Yorkshire collections are also available to search on the national Access to Archives website.

 

The Local Studies Library also acquires printed items that cover the South Yorkshire/north Derbyshire region.  These mainly relate to regional bodies (such as the Yorkshire and Humber NHS Trust, South Yorkshire Police etc).  Details of items received since 1997 are available on the Libraries on-line catalogue.

 

 

 

This question is often asked.  In their purest sense archives are records (in any format – paper, computer disc, photograph etc) produced by an organisation in the course of transacting its business and which have been selected for permanent preservation. For instance, minutes of a meeting record the decisions of an organisation. These form the organisation's records.  If a decision is made to keep these records permanently, then they are termed archives.  Archives can therefore be of any age – created yesterday or one hundred years ago.

 

The age of a document doesn’t determine its value – it is the information within it that is important.

 

 

 

No, the Libraries, Archives and Information department doesn’t publish local and family history books - we focus our resources on producing guides to the records and items within our collections. More information on publishing local or family history is available on the Local History Press Ltd website and History into Print.

 

 

 

Local Studies – There is a café in the Graves Art Gallery, located on the top floor of the Central library building.

 

Archives – There are no refreshment facilities in the Archives building, however There are numerous bars and cafes nearby