If you do, youll know how utterly absorbing and absolutely fascinating it is.

History gives us a powerful way to understand society.

By giving us the tools to comprehend the past, history helps us to understand our world now.

Progressive historians value cultural memory highly, believing that we are enriched as a society by understanding how we are all products of history.

The questions we ask of the past, the topics we research and the interpretations we make are heavily influenced by the times in which we live.

Those who love local history know that history does not just happen out there, it begins at home in your street and in your neighbourhood.

And thats where the Local Studies collection at Cessnock Library comes in.

Local Studies is a specialised research collection of original material.

We collect, arrange, describe and make available material related to the Cessnock local government area.

The Local Studies collection at Cessnock Library celebrates our local history.

We do this through our changing local history exhibitions, special events and by making available to the public a great collection of records related to the Cessnock located government area.

The Local Studies collection contains original records documenting the lives of local people, organisations, schools, businesses and community groups.

It holds material in every format: paper documents, photographs, maps and plans, objects, images and graphics, art works, oral histories and audio-visual material.

We are actively collecting material related to our local area.

We would like to share some of the Local Studies treasures with you.

Housed in the basement of the library (along with the Local Studies Librarian!) we are holding two tour days this year, one in May and one in September.

The first tour is on Tuesday, May 22 at 10.30am-11.30am and one later at 5.30pm-6.30pm.

A booking is essential for the basement tours as places are limited.

Please call the library on 4993 4399 to book your place.