The Local Studies Collection, located in Library Headquarters, Ballynahinch contains books, maps, newspapers and illustrations on the history, topography, industry, transport, literature and culture of County Down and South Antrim. We also collect information and cultural materials on the rest of Ulster and the whole island of Ireland. Visitors are always welcome to come to Library Headquarters and use the Local Studies Collection. Due to space restrictions please make an appointment before your visit to ensure all the relevant material can be made available.
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If you are not able to travel to Ballynahinch you can still request to see
items from this collection in your local library. We can send out Ordnance
Survey maps, street directories and old newspapers in bound volumes to be
consulted in any of our 26 libraries. Some of our libraries also have microfilm
reader/printers - at Downpatrick, Dairy Farm, Lisburn and Bangor - which
means our growing collection of historic Ulster newspapers can be viewed
without you having to travel to Ballynahinch. Most books from the Local
Studies Collection can be borrowed through your local library BUT rare works
of local or special interest will only be available for consultation to
ensure that they remain in the public domain for future generations.
INFORMATION AND SERVICES OFFERED BY THE LOCAL STUDIES
SECTION IN LIBRARY HEADQUARTERS
NEWSPAPER INDEXING AND NEWSPAPER INDEXES PUBLISHED BY SEELB
Newspapers are a rich and primary source of local information, local events
and of course public opinion. Sometimes a newspaper account can be the only
record of information about community festivals, the closure of a local
factory or mill, or the destruction of a part of our built heritage. In
1973 staff in the Local Studies Section began to create an index from the
local newspapers in Down and South Antrim and other newspapers such as the
Belfast Telegraph and Irish Times. By the end of the year 2000 we will have
over 250,000 entries. This index is presently under development as an online
database. If you need information on subjects as diverse as the following
examples - pollution of rivers in Ireland; the hospital crisis in Downpatrick;
road and traffic problems in the Bangor area; waste management throughout
Northern Ireland; local recipients of the Queen's Honours List - please
contact staff in the Local Studies Section at Library Headquarters in Ballynahinch.
| NEWSPAPERS | GEOGRAPHIC AREA COVERED |
| Belfast Newsletter 1737 to present. | Northern Ireland |
| Downpartrick Recorder 1836 to present. | County Down and Lisburn |
| Newtownards Chronicle
(And Independent) 1871 to present. |
North Down and Ards Peninsula |
| Mourne Observer 1949 to present. | Mid and South Down |
| County Down Spectator 1904 to present. | Bangor and North Down |
| Northern Herald 1833-1836 | County Down and Lisburn |
| Northern Star 1792-1797 | County Down and Lisburn |
| Northern Whig 1829-1963. | Northern Ireland |
The SEELB provides Newspaper indexes to several papers, thus allowing everyone access to the past. Subjects, places and names are identified in each index so that you can quickly find the items you want. The indexes are available for purchase and are listed below:-
| NEWSPAPER INDEX SERIES | PRICE (Excluding postage) |
| County Down Spectator 1904-1964 | £1.50 |
| Down Recorder 1836-1886 | £5.00 |
| Mourne Observer 1949-1980 | £2.00 |
| Newtownards Chronicle 1871-1900 | £3.00 |
| Newtownards Chronicle 1901-1939 | £5.00 |
| Northern Herald 1833-1836 | £1.50 |
| Northern Star 1792-1797 | £3.50 |
These papers are held on file on microfilm. For a nominal fee photocopies of newspaper articles can be supplied. Payments can be made by International Reply Coupon or by Sterling cheque. Please apply to:-
Local Studies Department,
Library Headquarters,
Ballynahinch,
Co. Down.
Northern Ireland
BT24 8DH
Telephone No. +44 (0)28 9756 6400 ext. 235/236/237
Fax No. +44 (0)28 9756 5072
E-mail ref@bhinchlibhq.demon.co.uk
EMIGRATION DATABASE
From the middle of 2000 you will be able to visit the Local Studies Section in Library Headquarters and search the Emigration database developed by the Ulster American Folk Park. The UAFP Emigration Database contains information on all aspects of Irish emigration to the North American continent from the early 1700s to the beginning of the twentieth century. This means it includes emigrants' diaries and letters home, passenger lists from shipping leaving all Irish ports for North America, family papers, indenture papers and official reports and statistics. Documents are being added all the time to this database from libraries, museums and record archives here in Ireland and eventually from the emigration ports of Glasgow and Liverpool. If you want to know how early American settlers built their log cabins or if one of your ancestors sailed on a particular emigrant ship, or how many American presidents have Ulster connections you will welcome this increased access to a valuable historical resource. Please contact the Local Studies Section at Library Headquarters for further details or to make an appointment to search the database.
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| 1743 map of
County Down by Walter Harris (click on the map to enlarge) |
GENEALOGY
Over many generations, as Irish emigrants have settled in all parts of the globe the search for Irish roots by their descendants has become a very popular interest. We receive enquiries from all over the world from people trying to find if their ancestors came from County Down. While we try and help as much as possible by checking any printed sources we have in stock, staff in the Local History section are unable to undertake detailed genealogical research. We do not hold church records or birth and death registers, census returns or land records. But we can refer you to the relevant agencies that do have them such as the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland (www.proni.nics.gov.uk/) and advise you about how to get the best value from your visit to PRONI. We are happy to offer advice on how to get started, what to try if you have seemingly come to a dead end, how to use sources you may not have considered and where they might be found. If you are unable to travel to Ireland we can give details about organizations such as the Ulster Historical Foundation (www.uhf.org.uk) or individual genealogical researchers who for a fee will undertake to carry out research on your behalf.
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The Drumlin symbol was designed for the Irish and Local studies Section in 1973. It depicts the Tara broach, Scrabo Tower, the Mourne Mountains, the sea and the fishing industry, thereby representing Co. Down and the wider Irish content of the collection.
