Learn about local studies and archives

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Do you want to know more about the history of Barnet or trace your family history? Local studies and archives has a unique collection of historical documents and records dating from 1600 including:

  • archives
  • maps
  • newspapers
  • photographs
  • publications representing people, places and buildings including eBooks.

Many of our resources are now available online. As more of our collection is digitalised, additional resources will be added.  

View historical documents, books, pictures and maps relating to the history of the area of the London Borough of Barnet.

Get in touch

You can book a visit by email or by phone. There should be at least 5 working days between your booking and your visit.

We are currently open for enquiries by phone and email.

Family History Research

Use Ancestry, the popular family history website, to search UK family history records free with your Barnet Library card. Access to this resource is only available from a library computer. 

You can also use Jewish Gen, a specialist genealogy site for research into Jewish family history.

Local Studies videos

Find out about the history of Barnet with our Local Studies videos including a Balloon Trip Over High Barnet, Finsbury Park to Edgware by Steam and The Story of Finchley Common.

Learn more about the history of Barnet in our Pocket Histories