Local and family history services

Every family has a story and every street has history — just waiting to be discovered! That's where your library membership comes in, giving you free access to specialist resources that can help you uncover the past.

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Research guides

Whether you're researching your family's origins, learning more about the local area or just curious about who lived in your home before you, these guides are the perfect place to start — complete with research tips and recommended reading:

• Research your family history
• Research local history
• Research your house's history

You can also explore our online family history resources for more tools and guidance.

Photographs of the past

A picture's worth a thousand words — and we've got thousands of pictures. 

Our collection includes historical photographs of people, events, buildings, streetscapes and the natural environment across Boroondara, from the mid-1800s to the present day. Some are printed, some are digital — all are waiting to be explored.

Search the collection

Search tip: Start with broad search terms — for example, just the street name, without the house number. You can then refine your results using the filters along the left-hand side of the screen.

Want to use a photograph?

Our photograph collection is always available to browse online. However, many of the items are protected by copyright, so you'll need permission before you can reproduce, use or publish them.

Simply fill out our online form to request permission or to order a free, high-quality copy — we'll take care of the rest.

Order or reproduce a photograph

Donate a photograph

We're always looking to add new treasures to our photograph collection — and yours could be one of them. Donate copies of printed or digital photographs of people and places across Boroondara and help build a fuller picture of our city's history.

To donate a photo, call (03) 9278 4666 or email [email protected].

Requesting rare or fragile items

Some of our local history material is rare, fragile and irreplaceable if lost or damaged, so you'll need permission from our Local and Family History team before you can view it.

You can request access in person at one of our libraries or by filling out our online form — we'll get back to you within a week.

Request access

Ask a librarian

Our staff can advise you on how to:

• access family or local history records and resources online
• find local history information
• make sense of a tangled family tree.

You can speak with our staff in person at any of our branches, by phone on (03) 9278 4666 or online using our Ask a librarian form.