Torona tētahi tari pūranga

Visit an archives office

Access archives and undertake research at our two offices.

Our knowledgeable team can advise on:

the records
navigating the archives database
the nature of the information you can expect to find
research strategies to locate likely sources of information.

We provide this service free of charge.

Before your visit

Gather as much information as you can. Specific names, dates and places can narrow down the search.

You can also search the archives for material that may be relevant to your research.

If possible, contact us before your visit, so we can retrieve material ready for you to view. Not all archives are held on site, and access to archives held off site takes two working days.

Some helpful hints

Most valuation and rating records do not have indexes of individuals, but are arranged street by street.
If you are researching an area in Auckland, published local histories and suburban newspapers can provide valuable information on the development of the area, places and people of interest. Long-time residents can also provide anecdotal evidence of people and events that may not be recorded elsewhere, or can give a different perspective.
If you are researching a building or property you will need the street address. A Record of Title (available from Land Information New Zealand) can assist in identifying a property, as street numbers can change and, in earlier times, properties did not have them.

Restricted records

The Public Records Act 2005 ensures public access to local authority archives.

You will need to apply for permission to access the few records that have restrictions. The archivist will tell you how to make an application.

Examples of restricted records are:

personnel files covered by the Privacy Act 2020
confidential minutes of council meetings containing personal information on identifiable individuals or commercially sensitive information
records that are fragile. In such instances, we will either prepare the original so that you can view the item without handling it, or make a copy of the original.

During your visit

Archives are unique and irreplaceable.

To allow us to preserve the archives for future researchers, we have some rules:

Complete a research enquiry form (available at archives offices).
Place all bags in lockers or a designated storage area.
You cannot bring any kai or drinks into the reading room.
We will issue only a reasonable number of archival items at one time.
Handle all material with care. You cannot mark or fold the archives, or disturb their order.
If you come across an item that needs repair, bring it to the attention of the archivist.
Ensure your hands are clean before using documents.
Only use pencils for making notes. Do not rest notepads on any archives.
Switch mobile phones to silent.
You can use laptop computers and personal cameras.
You can use portable scanners, but only with permission from the reading room duty archivist. An approved portable scanner must not touch our records or use flash illumination. It must also operate without making noise that disturbs other customers.
We have a copying service, but any copying of archives is subject to age and physical condition.
Do not remove items for copying or use post-it notes. Use paper slips from the archivist to indicate the pages to be copied.
You need written approval to publish any of our archives, and you must acknowledge Auckland Council Archives as the source.
We request that researchers who use the archives as a substantive source for publications deposit a copy of the completed research with the archives.
You must not remove archives from the reading room.
We will not issue any material after 4.45pm.

Photographing archives

Researchers at our central office can also use our microform scanner to download microfilm, microfiche and aperture card records onto a USB memory stick.

You must complete a research enquiry form, available at the archives offices.

Rules for photographing archives

Check with an archivist first so they can recommend the best way to handle the archive.
Check the flash on your camera is turned off.
No tripods or specialist lighting equipment are allowed.
Do not attempt to flatten or dismantle archives.
Do not stand on the furniture or remove the archives from the table when taking photographs.

You cannot photograph:

archives that are restricted
archives for which you do not have permission to photograph
archives that are too fragile to be photographed.

We take no responsibility for any damage, or loss to your camera equipment or other devices, while using them in the reading room.

We provide an in-house digital reprographic service to researchers on a charged basis. We recommend researchers use this service for high resolution or publication quality images.

Copyright and photographing archival records

Photographing archival records is subject to copyright.
Auckland Council Archives can give copyright clearance to archives under Auckland Council copyright. This covers documents created by council employees or by a predecessor local authority.
You may need to get copyright clearance from the organisation or individuals concerned if copyright is not held by the council.
It is your responsibility to ensure that copyright is not breached.

Selling or making public copies of images

Copies of archives are for private use and study only. You cannot sell or pass on any images that you make.

You must get written permission from us to publish or reproduce any images of archives you may have made.

Referencing your sources

You must record and acknowledge the source of an image using our guidelines.

We recommend you photograph the issuing slip before photographing the archives. The archivist will be able to advise further on this.

Citation guidelines

When referencing a record within the Auckland Council Archives collection, the following elements are needed for a complete citation:

record title
record date
record and part numbers
archives series, item and box numbers.

Please acknowledge Auckland Council Archives as the source.

Examples are:

Great Barrier Island County Council Minutes, 13 August 1913, pages 3-4, GBI 001 Box 1 Item 1, Auckland Council Archives
Plan for extension of Princes Street to Railway Wharf, no date, Auckland City Council engineering plans, ACC 015 Record 700-1, Auckland Council Archives
Wharves and Jetties - Policy, 1994-1997, North Shore City Council Subject Files, NSC 600 Record 8000-00 Part 1, Auckland Council Archives
Nelson Street Widening, 1964, Howick Borough Council Engineering Department Contracts, HBC 037 Item 63, Auckland Council Archives
Mayor and Councillors 1912, Birkenhead Borough and City Council Mayor and Councillors' Photographs, BCC 485 Box 3 Item 6, Auckland Council Archives.