What can you find in the library?
If you’re looking for maps and photographs of old Salford? Or researching your family tree? Our local history library will have something for you!
The library’s extensive collection includes family history sources (from 1841), maps (from 1848), newspapers (from 1858), more than 70,000 photographs and a wide range of other useful material, including:
- Online access, including access to family history resources
- Street directories for Manchester and Salford
- Census returns for Salford
- Maps and plans of areas of the city
- Over 70,000 historical photographs of the city and surrounding areas
Many of our images have been digitised by our volunteers and we have a growing collection searchable online at Digital Salford. Click on the link and start searching for many streets, pubs, schools, etc. in the ‘Keyword Search’ field at the top on the right.
Visiting the library
Visitors need to pre-book a visit to our Local History Library. This is to ensure the library has resources available for your visit (for example, microfilm readers, computers, etc.).
Alternatively, if you would like to drop-in without booking for self-led research, you are free to do so on Tuesdays and Wednesdays or at one of our Saturday drop-in days (see below for future dates).
- 10th October 2026
- 7th November 2026
- 5th December 2026
- 30th January 2027
- 27th February 2027
