The Local Studies service offers Local and Family History resources for the Bradford Metropolitan District and the West Yorkshire region.

The two specialist Local Studies libraries in the district are in Bradford and Keighley, and libraries across the district can also provide local information and help with accessing online sources.

The Local Studies centres at Bradford and Keighley welcome visitors to use the collections for study and research.

Bradford Local Studies Library welcomes visitors to use the Local Studies and Archives collections for study and research.

We are now open as normal to the general public, although you are advised to phone up and check opening hours as these can be affected by circumstances beyond our control

Researchers can still make an appointment in advance of their visit.

To make an appointment, please contact the library by email or telephone to book a session.

Requests for items from the collections required for use on your visit made in advance will enable library staff to have the items ready for your visit.

Please note that we require at least 72 hours’ notice for Archives.

On booking your appointment via telephone or email, our team of library staff will help to search the catalogues to identify appropriate items as required.

Yorkshire Day Weekend event with the Yorkshire Society and the Yorkshire Dialect Society

Keighley Local Studies Library
Saturday 30^th July
10.30am – 4.30pm
Admission £5 (See ticket details below)

The Yorkshire Dialect Society is kicking off a weekend of activities for Yorkshire Day in Keighley with something unique and special about Yorkshire people – how we talk! The way we speak is unique and helps define us – it’s part of what makes us Yorkshire!

Speakers will include Ian Stevenson on The Story behind Yorkshire Dialect; Rod Dimbleby, Chairman of YDS, on the prolific 19th century Halifax dialect poet and storyteller John Hartley of Clock Almanac fame; and Eric Scaife on Tyke Talk – readings and recitations of dialect poems and prose.

There will also be an exhibition of books and pamphlets by the noted Keighley librarian, historian, writer and dialect poet, the late Ian Dewhirst who sadly died in 2019.

Yorkshire Dialect was, and hopefully still is, the language of the ordinary people of Yorkshire.  So come along to Keighley Library for a day of celebration of this wonderful living part of our Yorkshire heritage.

Tickets can be bought through Eventbrite at:

https://theyorkshiresociety.org/event/celebrating-the-yorkshire-dialect/embed/#?secret=00X7XGsgBD#?secret=fH7QaWdtYE

Keighley Local Studies Library
Tel: 01535 618215
E: keighleylocalstudies@bradford.gov.uk

Bradford District is delighted to be one of 15 locations across the UK taking part in Storytrails, a one-of-a-kind experience where untold stories from the past are brought to life using augmented and virtual reality and the voices of the local community.

As the UK’s largest immersive storytelling project, it will change the way we tell stories about ourselves, animating public spaces across the UK.

Come down to Bradford Library on Friday 22^nd and Saturday 23^rd July to discover a range of exciting augmented and virtual reality experiences for all the family to enjoy.

Explore untold stories and forgotten histories from Bradford and District through a virtual map made up of 3D models and audio recordings of people from local communities from across the Bradford District.

Or try out cutting-edge virtual reality headsets to see history come to life before your very eyes.

Back outside, take part in immersive StoryTrails walking tours, where a free app will guide you around key historical places in the City, bringing history to life before your very eyes.

Events take place between Friday 22^nd July at 11.00am – 19.00pm and on Saturday 23^rd July 10.00am – 18.00pm.

StoryTrails is part of ‘UNBOXED: Creativity in the UK’, a ground-breaking UK-wide celebration of creativity in 2022.

To find out more about StoryTrails, visit www.story-trails.com

Established in 1832, The Mechanics Institute Library was part of a national initiative to provide adult education, especially in technical subjects for working men. During this illustrated talk hosted by Institute President Tricia Restorick, we aim to find out how crucial this institute was in imparting  knowledge to the workers of Victorian Bradford.

Follow the link for more information….

https://www.bradfordlitfest.co.uk/event/the-role-of-the-mechanics-institute-in-victorian-bradford/

Celebrating the 150th Anniversary of Bradford Libraries 1872 – 1922

A week of lunchtime lectures during the celebration week 13 June – 17 June featuring aspects of Bradford’s history in the collections at Bradford Local Studies Library and West Yorkshire Archives, Bradford.

All are welcome to join in these free events which will appeal to everyone with an interest in the history of our great city.