Archives Collection
The Archives are a rich collection of primary sources for the city’s history. The collection includes the records of local and community organisations and clubs, church archives, genealogical records, business archives, original diaries and manuscripts, as well as the papers of individuals. The material relates to Christchurch, the Canterbury region and the Chatham Islands from 1850 onwards.
Online resources available while Archives collection closed
The Archives collection and Central Library research collections are not yet available. Online databases including Ancestry.com and Find My Past (Australian, Irish and United Kingdom versions) are accessible at all libraries.
See Christchurch City Libraries News for the latest information on which libraries are open.
How can I find out what is held in the Archives?
Search the Christchurch City Libraries catalogue.
- Subject: Christchurch City Libraries Archive Collections
- Name of the person, organisation or business you are researching
Additions to the Archives
The library welcomes offers of additions to the archives. If you have material documenting aspects of our past or present-day life and are interested in its preservation please contact the Aotearoa New Zealand Centre.
Offers of additions to the archives will be assessed as to whether the material meets the collection criteria of the Aotearoa New Zealand Centre. If the library is not the most appropriate repository for the material, then alternative institutes will be recommended.
Other archives
The library has a comprehensive list of links to archives - national and international. Some archives have material that can be viewed online.
