Auckland Libraries Heritage Collections Sir George Grey Special Collections

History and Founding

Auckland Libraries Heritage Collections (formerly Sir George Grey Special Collections: Tā Hori Kerei – Ngā kohinga taonga whakahirahira) is one of the largest documentary heritage collections in the Southern Hemisphere. The collection's origins date to 1887, when former New Zealand Governor Sir George Grey donated his personal library to the citizens of Auckland. The Central City Library, which houses the primary Heritage Collections Reading Room, opened in 1971. In 2010, Auckland City Libraries merged with six other regional library systems to form Auckland Libraries, part of the Auckland Council amalgamation.

Collections and Holdings

The Heritage Collections encompass archives and manuscripts, photographs (from the 1800s to the present), maps, ephemera (posters, pamphlets, programmes, flyers from the 1840s onward), serials (newspapers and magazines), oral histories, music collections, and books — including rare first editions and private press publications. Rare books include all four Shakespeare folios and works by William Blake. The Rossdhu Book of Hours, produced c. 1450–1475, is among the medieval items in the collection.

Materials are distributed across the Heritage Collections Reading Room at the Central City Library and four regional Research Centres: Central Auckland, North (Takapuna Library), West (Waitākere Central Library), and South (Manukau Library). Items are also searchable and in many cases viewable through the Kura Heritage Collections Online digital portal.

Notable Materials Related to Journalism and Media

Auckland's media history is well represented in the Heritage Collections. Microfilm holdings include the New Zealand Herald, Auckland Star, New Zealand Truth, Auckland Weekly News, and New Zealand Women's Weekly. The Auckland Star Clippings Collection is held at the Central Auckland Research Centre. The Auckland City Council History Index and a Local History Index cover local journalism and community records from the 1840s onward.

Māori and Pacific Collections

The Heritage Collections hold significant resources on Māori heritage, tikanga-a-iwi, whakapapa, early Māori printed works, and Pacific communities' history, reflecting Auckland's diverse population.

Access and Usage

Physical access to Heritage Collections materials requires booking an appointment with a specialist librarian at the Heritage Collections Reading Room (Level 2, Central City Library). Many items are available for online discovery and browsing via Kura Heritage Collections Online at kura.aucklandlibraries.govt.nz. Researchers can submit enquiries through the library's online research enquiry form.