Auckland Council Libraries: Researching places in Auckland
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Researching places in Auckland

Do you want to know the history of your street, suburb, community, local church or school? Looking for information on a building or public place? Here’s how you can find the information you're looking for.



Search the library catalogue 

Start by searching the library catalogue. Use the ‘Refine by’ menu to filter your search results.


Items for library use

Many local history items are reference only. You will need to visit the library or research centre that holds these items.

Auckland Libraries also provides access to a range of online databases. You can search for resources in these databases using our article search.



Browse online resources

When researching the history of a place or building, try these online databases:


Index Auckland: local history, arts and music

Local history references from Auckland newspapers and journals. This is now part of the Auckland People and Events collection in Kura Heritage Collections Online.

Local History

Oral histories, newspapers, images and archives for North Shore, West Auckland and Rodney. Browse these records on Kura Heritage Collections Online.

Footprints

Images, drawings and printed material relating to South Auckland and North Waikato areas from the 1870s to present day. This is now under the Photographs collection in Kura Heritage Collections Online.

Manukau's Journey - a Manukau timeline

A detailed chronology of significant events from the history of South Auckland. This collection can now be viewed in Kura Heritage Collections Online.

Auckland street names guide

Street names in the former districts of the wider Auckland region, their origins and name changes.

Auckland Crown Grants

Search for the original purchasers of the land in the Auckland central business district, section and lot numbers, area, and year, from 1850 to 1859.


Ask an expert

As your research progresses, you may need to: 

Each research centre has a unique collection and areas of speciality. They hold historical NZ Government publications, manuscripts, mahere, ephemera and oral history resources.

Find out more about our research services. 

Some community libraries also have significant local history collections such as the East Coast Bays Library, Birkenhead Library, and Pukekohe Library.

Auckland heritage institutions

There are heritage institutions that hold collections and resources that may be useful to your research:


You can also check out Auckland Council archives  to find:
  • early maps of Auckland
  • historic district plans
  • former district and city council records
  • building and property records
  • rating and valuation records.

Auckland Council Libraries:Researching places in Auckland Library resources to help you with researching about your street, suburb, community, local building, park or other public places.