New Heritage Research Centre

A new heritage research centre, Taonga Tuku Iho, has opened at Cummings Park Library, Ottawa Road, Ngaio.

Created by Wellington City Library it was formally opened on Friday 4 May.

Onslow Historical Society members joined library supporters and staff to celebrate the occasion.

The Wellington City Council Library’s history specialist Gábor Tóth, who led the centre development, spoke about its concept and content.

“It goes a small way to help replace some of the New Zea- land and local history reference resources that went into storage when the central library closed in 2019,” he said.

The resources include microfilm of the “Evening Post” from 1946, “The Dominion Post” from 2002, and the “Sunday Star Times”.

With limited space, the “Evening Post” was chosen to be the main representative newspaper for the capital city because of its strength in local news and Wellingtonians’ preference to place their family notices in its columns.

“We know how popular family history has become in recent years so we have also included a complete index to all births, deaths and marriages registered in New Zealand up to 1990 on microfiche as well as the ‘district keys’ which can help researchers interpret the registration numbers used,” Mr Tóth said.

“These resources complement databases like Ancestory.com and Find My Past which are free to use within the library”.

A digital microfilm scanner is available for use and customers are advised to bring a USB memory stick if they wish to everyone who attends. There will also be draws other goodies as well. take image files away with them.

Other resources include street directories, M ori land court minute books, the latest New Zealand Electoral Roll in hard copy as well as a selection of local history books and journals.

Cummings Park Library was chosen to be the location for Taonga Tuku Iho as it is one of the larger of the suburban branch libraries and would accommodate the collection.

It is well placed as it complements the local heritage centre of The Onslow Historical Society, at 86 Khandallah Road, just a short distance away.