Transforming Manchester Central Library

‘Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom, and with all thy getting get understanding’

- Proverbs 4:7

 

For the last four months we have had to suspend our genealogy service to the public. As regular readers of this blog will know we have a whole wealth of information on the young people who came under the care of the Together Trust. Our earlier material (that is no longer under the constrictions of the Data Protection Act) is available to family historians to construct the lives of their ancestors. In the next few weeks this research service will be available again.

Construction of Manchester Central Library, early 1930’s*

This suspension was due to the refurbishment of the Manchester Central Library where part of the Together Trust’s archive collection currently resides. On 22 March the library reopens after 3 years of building work, exposing parts of the library previously closed to the public. Last week I was given a behind-the-scenes tour of the new library (archivist privileges!) to see where our collection is now to be stored.

Part of the Together Trust archive collection

I’m not going to give too much away but the library is well worth a visit. The preservation conditions for the archives stored at the library are of the highest conditions, creating reassurance of the longevity of our collection. As well as better research areas, Archives+ will open up the history of Manchester and it’s communities through the media of paper, digital, film and sound to appeal to all individuals. Whilst you’re there see if you can spot some of our material!

*Copyright, Manchester Libraries