In 1975 the Parramatta City Library service appointed their first Local History Librarian. The local history collection functioned as part of the library’s reference collection and when it purchased Births, Deaths and Marriages for all Australian states on microfiche in October 1997 it took a major step towards developing its family history collection.
The Local History collection remained at Parramatta Library until its closure on the Wednesday 26 August 1998, and reopened at 10:30am Monday 31 August 1998 in the new multi-functional Parramatta Heritage Centre at 346A Church St, Parramatta. The Parramatta Heritage Centre had officially opened a few days earlier on the Saturday 29 August 1998.
There had been discussions for decades regarding the creation of a heritage repository for Parramatta but this began in earnest when the building at 346a Church Street was acquired by Parramatta Council from Meriton Apartments in 1994. The official hand-over of the building occurring in April 1995 by which time Parramatta Council had already proposed using the site as a Parramatta Heritage Museum and Resource Centre.
Site of the Parramatta Heritage Centre prior to construction viewed from Lennox Bridge, Parramatta, circa 1980s. Source: LSP 0935
Work started on the fit-out of the centre in February 1998 and by its opening in August of that year the new Local Studies and Family History Library had been incorporated into its services. The move resulted in the library having more room and facilities for the collection whilst overlooking the Parramatta River and Lennox Bridge. It was also a major step towards helping local residents and inter-state and international visitors research family and local history without having to visit the NSW State Library, on Macquarie Street Sydney.
In December 1998 the Parramatta Visitor’s Centre relocated to the Parramatta Heritage Centre from the Parramatta Riverside Theatres and with the Parramatta Council Archives and the Parramatta Cultural Collections now incorporated all in the one location the centre became a museum and a research centre offering a dynamic program of exhibitions and events, research, archives and a comprehensive range of tourist information on Parramatta and regional NSW. Exhibitions, historical artefacts and collections, visitor services, archival resources, books, maps, photographs, seminar rooms for hire, audio visual experiences and research assistance all housed in one multi-faceted centre.
Parramatta Lord Mayor John Haines said at the opening of the centre that it would give students and locals a great resource for heritage research.
By 1999 Family History workshops in the library giving people a chance to learn about their family tree with an overview of the unique collection were being offered. Many of the early workshops concentrated on helping patrons use electronic and online resources to research their families and local history including house histories. The genealogy and house history workshops which often coincided with significant events including the NSW Heritage Festival and History Week began a program of learning that continues to today.
In 2013 the Parramatta Heritage Centre restructured their services resulting in a greater integration between the Local Studies Library, the Visitor Information Centre, the Parramatta Council Archives and the Parramatta Cultural Collections. As a result the library was increasingly referred to as the Research Library and the librarians and library assistants referred to as research facilitators and research assistants.
Currently the Research Library is part of the City of Parramatta Council’s Research and Collection Services (RCS) team which consists of a Research and Collection Services Coordinator, an Archivist, a Cultural Collections Officer and a Research Leader facilitating a genealogy and local studies team. This team can provide you with access to research, archives and cultural collections relating to Parramatta’s Local Government Area helping to share and celebrate Parramatta’s cultural heritage assets and stories. In addition towards a greater integration of services, all sections of the Parramatta Heritage Centre including the library are increasingly involved in offering more resources and services online. For the RCS team this is now reflected in the Parramatta History and Heritage website which can be found at: http://historyandheritage.cityofparramatta.nsw.gov.au/
The RCS team continues to research and write research articles on an extensive range of subjects, and create a range of publications reflecting our rich history. These can also be found on our website. Some of the subjects include: Parramatta Female Factory Bicentenary; Parramatta Square; The Parramatta River Foreshore and Parramatta and District Nurses and Midwives to celebrate the 2020 Year of Nurses and Midwives.
A major project that the Research Library with the other members of the RCS team has been involved with has been the celebration of the World War One Centenary. Together with a team of dedicated volunteers, the biographies of 1,962 soldiers, seamen and nurses from the Parramatta District has been complied. This was the culmination of a four-year project. These stories of dedication, courage and loss are featured in these publications. These stories can also be experienced through the World War One touch table found in the Research Library.
Throughout its history at the Parramatta Heritage Centre the library has created many displays on a range of subjects to both promote both the history and diversity of the region and the library’s unique collection. These have included: Council records from 1862 detailing over 140 years of council action; Local dentist William Hart; The history of Parramatta transport; Women and Men of Parramatta; NSW Governors; ANZAC day; The Parramatta Female Factory; Historic Parramatta buildings; Chinese New Year; Parramatta’s military history; Parramatta’s retail history and the HMAS Parramatta Freedom of Entry.
Additional resources the Research Library offers includes an online photographic collection, Parramatta and District Local Research Guides, and a broad range of books, newspapers, maps, reports, microfilm, online databases and free public computers.
The Research Library has a long history of contribution from its many volunteers who have vastly contributed towards providing the research, skills and expertise that is now part of the heritage repository of the Parramatta Heritage Centre and Research Library. Their enthusiasm and knowledge has been a crucial part of the positive library experience shared by many patrons.
The Research Library responds to local, national and international Parramatta heritage and family history related enquiries. If you wish to contact one of our Research Team please send us a message through our online enquiry form.
As of Monday 25 July 2022, the Local Studies Research Library operating out of the Parramatta Heritage and Visitor Information Centre was closed and relocated to Level 2 of the Library in PHIVE, 5 Parramatta Square which was officially opened on Friday 23 September 2022.
Opening hours:
Monday to Thursday: 9am – 8pm
Friday to Sunday: 9am – 5pm
Closed Public Holidays
Research Lab Opening hours (by appointment only):
Monday to Friday: 9am – 5pm
Closed: Saturday, Sunday and Public Holidays
Please email localstudies@cityofparramatta.nsw.gov.au to make an appointment and give 2 working days notice.
Neera Sahni, Research Services Leader, City of Parramatta, 2021
References:
Parramatta Library 1990-1999. (VF 830). Heritage Centre Research Library Vertical File Collection.
Parramatta Heritage Centre. (VF 839-841). Heritage Centre Research Library Vertical File Collection.
Just a bit miffed. (1998, September 2). The Parramatta Sun, p. 4.