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Services

Reference and information

The Reference Department is located on the second floor of the Central Library building, and has full wheelchair access.  It is open five days a week and has computer, photocopying and fax facilities.

The Reference Library offers:

• A large and current book collection, most of which is available for the public to browse and which covers all main subject areas.
• PC and other facilities
• Research and enquiry service
• local studies library and genealogy resources
• historical newspapers
• photographic collections
• business information
• electronic resources
• European Information
• leaflet collections.

Opening hours

PCs and other facilities

• 25 PCs offer Microsoft Office and Internet access, with the option of saving to a memory stick. PCs are available directly to customers on a first come first served basis or can be booked in advance if required.
• A PC with scanning facilities and the theory test practice CD can be booked through staff.
• A number of microfilm and microfiche readers are available.
• 2 photocopiers offer A4 / A3 black & white or colour copies. 
• Faxes can be sent and received.  For all charges see Fees and charges.
  

Research and enquiry service

Reference staff welcome enquiries on any subject and these can be made in person, or by telephone, letter or email to reference.library@calderdale.gov.uk. 

The Reference and Information Library offers a research service.15 minutes of research will be carried out at no cost, after which we will contact you to share results and to discuss the next steps. For further research, a charge of £15.50 per half hour applies. This is inclusive of VAT, one A4 photocopy and postage.  Extra photocopies will be charged for.  A maximum of one hour can be spent on each enquiry.

Local studies

The Reference Library houses the local studies collection, which features special collections, local newspapers, maps, Halifax Antiquarian Society transactions, poll books and electoral registers, trade directories, General Register Office Index, census enumerators' returns and parish registers.

Historical newspapers

Local historical newspapers on microfilm are available in the Central Reference Library and include the Halifax Courier, Brighouse Echo, Todmorden News and Hebden Bridge Times.  An uninterrupted run of Halifax newspapers starts in 1832 with the Halifax Guardian, although short runs of earlier newspapers are also available. Prints can be taken from the microfilms.

Photographic Collection

The Reference Library houses a number of photographic collections. These range from the Halifax Photographic Society collection of the 1960's, showing buildings due to be demolished, to a large resource of photographs taken by Brian Thomas between 2006 and 2009. Other notable collections include the Millennium Archive, aerial photographs of Calderdale, historical portrait photographs and the Hugh Percy Kendall collection of Calderdale houses. The majority of these can be found on the library catalogue.

Calderdale Council's visual archive From Weaver to Web contains over 20,000 images, which also include many photographs.

Business information

The Reference Library subscribes to Business Insight, the UK's most comprehensive public business information service, providing access to information from resources such as Kompass, FAME, Thomson Business Search, Credit Safe and Keynote.

The service is free; simply ring the Reference Library or email reference.library@calderdale.gov.uk with your query and we will obtain the information for you. Most enquiries are addressed within 24 hours and information will be e-mailed to you wherever possible.

Free information includes

• company information and directors' reports
• consumer information
• market research
• share prices from EDOL
• grants information
• trademark information
• newspaper and journal articles
• statistics.

Some information will be charged for. This includes marketing lists (prices start from £15 +VAT), company formations, Companies House documents (£6 per document) and patent searches (£50 per hour).

Electronic resources

Most of our Online reference resources can be accessed from any Calderdale library, and many can be used from home at any time of the day.  There are resources to help you research your family tree, find consumer reports, enrich your homework, find the final clue in your crossword or look up a nineteenth century newspaper report.

European Information

We are part of the European Commission's Public Information Relay network, giving access to European Union information at a local level.

The Reference Library holds a collection of European Information. This comprises a range of leaflets and a small collection of books. The leaflets cover subjects such as climate change, social issues and finding a job in Europe.

A larger EU collection is available from Europe Direct which is situated at Leeds Central Library.

The nearest European Documentation Centres are at the Brotherton Library, or the JB Priestley Library at the where members of the public may consult EU information. These are among many depositories established by the European Commission at selected universities throughout the world.  The type of information available from an EDC consists of legislative and judicial publications, research and development information, statistical data, indexes and guides.  

Leaflet collections

In addition to general leaflets offering advice and information on a range of subjects, including health and consumer issues, we also hold a selection of leaflets on the following topics:

• Local education and learning
  We hold multiple copies of local further and adult education course guides. In addition to local colleges we endeavour to hold information about independent organisations and individuals running short courses and workshops on a variety of subjects, such as local and family history. We also have reference copies of local and regional university prospectuses.
• Legal
  Leaflets produced by the Law Society are available to take away. These provide advice on  subjects ranging from personal injury claims to setting up a business.
• Financial
  Leaflets produced by the Consumer Financial Education Body (established by the Financial Services Authority) offering advice on areas such as pensions, retirement and managing your finances.
  

Contact details

• E-mail
• reference.library@calderdale.gov.uk
• Telephone
• 01422 392631
• Fax
• 01422 349458
• By post
• Calderdale Central Library
  Northgate
  Halifax HX1 1UN.

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