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LOCAL STUDIES LIBRARY

The local studies room provides information on all aspects of the social, political and industrial history of the towns and villages around Motherwell, Wishaw, Shotts and Bellshill.

The library holds a range of materials including books, photographs, maps, local newspapers, videos, cd-roms and archival documents.

Local Studies Library

This collection is available for reference purposes to all members of the public free of charge.

 Books in the collection cover a wide range of topics relating to the history of the local area including the coal, iron and steel industries, the railways, geography, literature and sport and leisure.

 

Local newspapers (indexed) date from 1873 and are available on microfilm.

The earliest map in the collection dates from 1654 while the Ordnance Survey series begins in 1858. Specialist maps include estate plans, railways networks and some coalfields.

Tapping Molten Steel at Colvilles

Tapping molten metal, Dalzell Works, Colvilles Ltd, 1900-1910

A range of materials are available for the family historian including census returns, Old Parish Registers, the International Genealogical Index, Cemetery records, electoral registers, valuation rolls and some trade directories.

A collection of more than 8,000 photographs provides images of local people, streets, landscapes, buildings and monuments and local events. The collection is currently being converted to computer database.

The collection is constantly growing and developing and donations of local photographs and archical materials are always welcome.

Motherwell Town Hall and Baths

View of High Road, Motherwell, circa 1910.

Staff will undertake written enquiries on behalf of researchers unable to visit the centre. The first half hour of staff time is free of charge; thereafter a fee of £11.60 per hour is charged (fee subject to annual review). To e-mail a research request to the local history library click here

The Local Studies Library is the meetying place of the Motherwell Heritage Society. For further details on the society's activities click here

Further online resources for researching local and family history can be found by following this link

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