What is the difference between the Archives and the Local History Room at the Library?
What does the CDHS Archives collect?
Do you offer research services?
Can I look at the Birth, Death, and Marriage Records?



What is the difference between the Archives and the Local History Room in the Library?
The CDHS Archives have established a very active partnership with the Cobourg Public Library in regards to local history materials and genealogical research. To help determine which organization would be relevant to one’s research, one needs to note the following: The CDHS Archives holds original textual and graphic items, all of them primary sources, whereas the Cobourg Public Library – Local History Room holds secondary materials for research, Genealogy dedicated computer terminals, microfilm readers and InterLibrary Loan services for Provincial and National Library and Archives materials.



What does the CDHS Archives collect?
The CDHS Archives collects documents pertaining to Cobourg and Northumberland. Some examples of what our holdings include are:

• Primary material about the history of Cobourg and surrounding Districts
  
• Original documents and photographic materials
  
• Land Registry Documents
  
• Birth, Death, and Marriage Records
  
• Historic Maps of the Area
  

 Generally, archives collect the original textual and graphic records that document the activities of people, groups and institutions. These records hold information about what an individual did during his or her career, or what people did during a certain period, or what commercial enterprises were active over time, or the history of certain organizations, or the context in which political decisions were made. Such evidence helps us understand events or the process of change in our community or our society.
 
Most archives collect paper documents in the form of letters, minute books, diaries, business records, assessment rolls, and deeds. As well, graphic items such as architectural drawings, blueprints, maps, sketches, paintings and photographs are collected. So, too, are motion pictures, audio and video tapes and computer files.
 
As Archives specialize in preserving original unpublished material, or “primary” sources, each archives holds a unique collection. Published items, also know as “secondary” sources, such as books, pamphlets, newspapers, magazines or other readily available published material are stored in libraries. Certain archives collect only material relating to a specific subject or a particular institution.



Do you offer research services?
Yes. We can provide research services for out of town researchers that cannot come to the Archives. After you contact us with your request we will send a written work proposal detailing the cost and work to be undertaken. The first hour of work is free with subsequent hours at $20.00 per hour.



Can I look at the Birth, Death and Marriage Records?
Due to the privacy act there are some restrictions on the viewing of the vital statistics records. The following are available to the general public
 
Birth records to 1913
Death records to 1938
Marriage records to 1928
 
After these dates the following must be provided in accordance with the Freedom of Information and Privacy Act:
 
Proof of kinship
Proof kin being researched is deceased
Written note from guarantor (this person must have known researcher for at least two years, provide us with contact info and be a Canadian Citizen).