What we look after

Books and pamphlets

• a comprehensive collection of books about New Zealand
• most material published about or in Canterbury
• poetry, fiction and drama (especially with local content)
• school, church, club and society histories from throughout New Zealand

Government Publications

A comprehensive range of Central and Local Government publications including Parliamentary papers, official reports, annual plans and annual reports, district schemes and other planning documents.

• Christchurch City Council and Canterbury Regional Council publications

Statistics

• all statistical publications originating for Statistics New Zealand
• other statistical reports produced by government departments
• statistics from the National Health Information Service
• access to census information

Legislation

• all statutes, regulations and bills
• general legal texts and practical manuals suitable for the layperson
• guides to interpreting legislation
• subscriptions to looseleaf publications in areas of general interest eg family law, employment law

Archives

• unpublished records of local sporting, cultural or community organisations, clubs or societies
• Christchurch City Libraries archives
• ephemera – posters, handbills, programmes, catalogues
• manuscripts – diaries, letters, scripts, church registers
• small oral history collection
• more about the archives collection
• Read our interview with archivist Rosemary O'Neill

Genealogical material

• New Zealand material, with an emphasis on Canterbury
• unique index of baptismal, marriage and burial records for this region, transcribed from church registers
• headstone transcripts and cemetery records
• the Registrar-General’s index of births, deaths and marriages
• electoral rolls – parliamentary and local
• the Alexander Turnbull biographies index
• published family histories and many other geanealogical resources
• Read our interview with Richard Greenaway, Genealogy Librarian

Newspapers and newspaper indexes

• early Christchurch newspapers including the Lyttelton Times (from 1851); The Press (from 1861); The Star; The Sun; the Weekly Press and the Canterbury Times
• a selection of other Christchurch, Canterbury and New Zealand newspapers – contemporary and historical holdings
• an index to the contents of a Christchurch daily newspaper has been maintained since 1851
• some of our newspapers are held on microfilm

For more information about using newspapers at Christchurch City Libraries please refer to our Newspapers Guide.

Māori material

• material on Māori subjects or which present a Māori perspective on a subject
• material by authors who identify as Māori
• Māori language publications
• Material published by, or relating to, Ngāi Tahu as tangata whenua including Ngāi Tahu Claim information
• Much of this is in the Ngā Pounamu Māori Centre

Maps

• contemporary and historical maps of Christchurch and Canterbury
• current New Zealand topographical maps
• current New Zealand street maps
• National Park and track maps
• soil maps
• geological maps
• nautical charts for local areas (not updated for navigation)

Photographs

• a collection of black and white photographs likely to be of historical interest with particular emphasis on Christchurch and Canterbury
• depictions of major events, social conditions, street scenes, architecture, fashion etc.
• the photograph collection is searchable through our catalogue and many images are available on our web site
• photographic print service available

Theses

• theses which complement and add depth to the Collection
• theses in geography, history, politics with local content
• artistic, literary and cultural topics which have few other printed resources
• these which include research conducted in Christchurch or Canterbury