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Archives

at your library

Materials in our collection

Plus other original records created by Cochrane and area citizens.

There are records of local businesses and organizations, family papers, government records, military records, theatrical collections, music collections, ephemera, etc. 

 

Viewing archives materials

Much of our collection are available to the public to view, however, most of the materials are not digitized. 

Below, we have provided access to two lists to help you determine whether the information you are looking for is available. If it is, please submit a request and we will do our best to help.

Death, Marriage, Birth, and Estate Index

List of local newspaper notices from 1910 through 2023

See the Index

Filing Database

List of materials we have filed from 1900 to present

See the Database

To search the files, open them, then choose Edit > Find or press Ctrl/Command+F. Type the text you want to search for in the Find toolbar.

If there is something in particular you’d like us to find for you, please submit a request form (below) and we will do our best to help.  Depending on staff availability and request volume, it can take several weeks to complete requests.

Please note that Ancestry Library Edition is available on our public computers and on personal devices connected to the Library WiFi. 

Requesting archives materials

If you note something of intest in the index or database above, please indicate its location in your request form. If you are looking for something additional or something that isn’t listed above, please fill out as much information as possible in the form. 

Depending on staff availability and request volume, it can take several weeks to complete requests. 

 

Request information from archives

  • About you

  • Your request

    Please provide as much detail as possible.
  • Are you looking for a specific newspaper article? In which newspaper was it published? On what day? Month? Year?
  • Relevant dates

    Are you looking for information about a specific event? If so, what was the date of the event or the range of the dates? Are there any other dates that relate to this request?
    • How does this relate to your request?
    • How does this relate to your request?
    • How does this relate to your request?
  • Relevant people

    Are there any specific people you are looking for information on? Are there any other people linked to the request? Could the person you're looking for have gone by another name?
    • Name
    • Date of birth, maiden name, address, etc. How does this person relate to the request?
    • Name
    • Date of birth, maiden name, address, etc. How does this person relate to the request?
    • Name
    • Date of birth, maiden name, address, etc. How does this person relate to the request?
  • Relevant locations

    Is your request related to a specific address, business, or other location?
    • Address and/or business name
    • How does this location relate to your request?
    • Address and/or business name
    • How does this location relate to your request?
    • Address and/or business name
    • How does this location relate to your request?
  •  

Once we have completed your request, we will reach out with details and/or copies of the materials in question.

Policy details

Purpose of the collection

The Local History and Archives collection exists to:

  • Collect, preserve and make accessible materials which illustrate the history of the Cochrane area and its peoples. The Archives collect and provides access to documentary heritage that makes a significant contribution to an understanding of the development of the Town, its natural and built environment, its culture and the people who lived, worked, and had an impact upon the Cochrane area;
  • Collect and preserve archival materials created by the Cochrane Public Library which illustrate the growth and development of the Cochrane Public Library, both before and after incorporation, or which pertain in whole or in part to activities within the Cochrane Public Library;
  • Arrange and describe these materials according to archival principles and make them accessible to the general public on a regular basis, unless access is restricted by legal requirements, Library Board policy or written agreement with the donor;
  • Provide adequate and appropriate conditions for the storage, protection and preservation of archival material;
  • Provide reference services to individuals, organizations, the municipal government, or other groups interested in the activities and holdings of Local History and Archives;
  • Facilitate digitization projects, exhibition, outreach and programming to increase public awareness of the Cochrane area and its peoples, history and development.

The ultimate responsibility for the management of Local History and Archives is with the Chief Librarian acting in accordance with the general policies established by the Library Board. In practice, this authority is delegated to the Archivist who manages Local History and Archives.

The presence of materials in the Local History and Archives collection does not constitute an endorsement of their content or viewpoints by the Library Board. The Board recognizes that this policy is carried out in compliance and with due regard for all applicable legislation.

Scope of acquisition

The archives will acquire historical material by donation, bequest, purchase, or transfer, regardless of medium, including: textual records; photographs and other visual records; maps, plans and architectural records; sound recordings or visual recordings; historical memorabilia and digital materials as per the collection mandate. 

The Local History and Archives department will only accept material on a permanent basis, except when borrowing material for short-term loans to reproduce or to include in displays or exhibits.

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