THE Heritage Lottery Fund ( HLF ) has awarded £1.55million to Manchester City Council to create a state-of-the-art archive centre at Manchester Central Library.
The Archives+ collection includes items dating from the 12th century, and includes a wide variety of materials including rare books, special collections, parchment, paper, leather-bound volumes, photographs, glass negatives, and film.
Manchester City Council is investing £48 million in extensively refurbishing the Grade II* listed Central Library.
The additional £1.55m from HLF for the Archives+ project will transform public access to archive and family history collections held by Manchester City Council and complementary partners, so that people from across the community will be inspired to learn about and explore the wealth of history captured in the collection.
Central Library
Archives+ will bring Manchester's history alive with interactive interpretation areas on the ground floor and exhibition showcases for rare books in the majestic domed Reading Room on the first floor. This will include viewing stations for film archives and exhibitions telling the story of different aspects of Manchester’s history. A new community exhibition space will be created in the lower ground floor.
As part of the project, events will be offered through the archives and library, with hands-on activities and performances for families, young people and schools. New volunteer opportunities will also be created so that local people can get directly involved in the archives and the treasures.
Sara Hilton, Head of Heritage Lottery Fund North West, said: “We at the Heritage Lottery Fund are delighted to support the groundbreaking Archives+ project at Manchester Central Library. Every aspect of Manchester’s development as the world’s first industrial city is captured here in these collections, and thanks to this project visitors from near and far will be able to explore and learn about the city’s fascinating history.”
The Archives+ collection includes items dating from the 12th century, and includes a wide variety of materials including rare books, special collections, parchment, paper, leather-bound volumes, photographs, glass negatives, and film.
Much of the collection relates to the industrial heritage of Manchester and family history. There are also important documents recording the city’s social heritage, including the arrival of people of different nationalities, Manchester's role in the free trade movement, the country's first public library and the establishment of the Manchester Ship Canal.
Manchester was the first local authority to open a library supported by public rates, and the Archives+ partnership promises to break new ground in how the public can access archive and special collections, and learn about the story of the city and region.
