Archives

Get in touch

Call or email the Archive or Southland Oral History Project staff ahead of time to arrange an appointment. We also offer a remote reference service to assist researchers who are unable to visit.

For the Archive:
03 211 1573
archives@ilibrary.co.nz

For the Southland Oral History Project:
03 211 8414
sohp@ilibrary.co.nz

Archives are primary source (original) records, such as letters or minute books, photographs, maps and film footage – all of which would be impossible to replace if lost or damaged.

Our collecting scope includes records of:

  • local government
  • voluntary groups
  • sport and recreational groups
  • ethnic and cultural organisations
  • education and school records
  • maps and photographs
  • personal papers
  • business archives from Invercargill and Southland

Items are stored in secure, climate controlled areas and can only be viewed in the Archive Research Room. Many of our archives cannot be put on a photocopier so we recommend that you bring a camera with you.

Archives Assistant Amanda in the Archives

From time to time our Archives staff are out of the office so we strongly recommend calling ahead to ensure staff are on hand to help you when you arrive.

Explore the Archives

Discover our collections and view digitised material by searching the Archive and Oral History Repositories on our catalogue, ArchivesSpace. Contact us if you would like to view or listen to any material, or are unable to find what you are after as some items are still awaiting cataloguing.

Donating to the Archive

Have items you would like to donate to the Archive?
Get in touch with us to discuss what items you have. We are looking for unique items such as minute books, photographs and maps from throughout Southland.

For information on items we are after refer to our Collection Development Policy [PDF].

If you are interested in donating an item, check out our:

Recommended Websites

Since writing you last features the letters of four Southland First World War soldiers.  Over 1700 pages from 307 letters have been digitised, transcribed, and made available to the public.

Hocken Collections is a research library, historical archive, and art gallery based in Dunedin, New Zealand. Its library collection, which is of national significance, is administered by the University of Otago.