Local and family history in libraries

If you are studying the history of your town or village or researching your family history, here are some examples of the sorts of local information you will find though the Shropshire County Library Service. The major centre for discovering Shropshire's history is Shropshire Archives, which incorporates the former Local Studies Library. All libraries have some local material and these will be developed as part of the Discover Shropshire project.

Library collections
If you are researching your local and family history there are books, magazines and pamphlets on the history of the area to browse, borrow and use for reference at all libraries. Some libraries have dedicated Local History Centres and larger libraries have collections of old photographs and files of local newspapers. Old editions of the Census and International Genealogical Index will help you trace your ancestors. Many of these resources are now becoming more widely accessible in microfilm or digital formats. Try searching the Discovering Shropshire's History, Secret Shropshire or Shropshire Routes to Roots websites.

Directories and maps
You may find the Yellow Pages, telephone, postcode and other local directories of interest. Electoral registers are very useful as are details of local schools contained in OFSTED reports. You can find your way around using local street plans, Ordnance Survey maps, transport maps, and timetables for buses and trains. Also check the definitive edition of local footpath maps. For facts and figures use the Census reports for Shropshire. There are also other sources for population, employment and other statistics for the county.

The following resources can be consulted on CD ROM at selected libraries:

• 1881 census
• Soldiers who died in the great war
• National burial index

They are currently available at Bishop's Castle, Ludlow, Market Drayton, Oswestry and Whitchurch Libraries.

Community activities
Find out what's going on in your community by checking county, district and town council minutes and reports. Also look at local planning applications. consultation documents, structure plans and town centre development schemes. Current local newspapers reflect current local activities and concerns.

Special collections
Not all libraries keep everything! In addition to Shropshire Archives there are some special historical collections in libraries in Shropshire, including the Bridgnorth Historical Collection, the Oswestry Library Local Studies Collection and the Welsh Collection at Oswestry Library.