Cambridge Notes Online Database

Search the Cambridge Notes database.

There are two parts to the Cambridge Notes database:

The Timeline holds snippets of information on historical events in the Cambridge area.  These notes have been sourced from resources within the Local Studies Collection and from information provided by local residents.  Information is added and amended as new facts come to hand, and we would be glad of further contributions from members of the public.

The Resource index holds information on Local Studies items that are not represented in the main Cambridge Library catalogue.  Currently, it includes information on all articles in our newspaper clippings collection and on images in our photograph collection.  Where possible links are provided to online copies of articles and photographs.

The Collection

The Town of Cambridge Local Studies Collection was launched in July 2004 during the Town's 10^th anniversary celebrations. Its mission is to collect, preserve and make publicly available, information resource in any format, that document environmental, historical, social, cultural or developmental attributes of the area that now falls within the boundaries of the Town of Cambridge.  However, as municipal boundaries vary over time, and environmental and historical aspects often relate closely to surrounding areas, the exact limits of the area covered are diffuse.

The Collection is a reference collection that aims to be of use to anyone with an interest in the local area. Thus, materials collected range from those suitable for use by primary school students, to those of a highly detailed and technical nature.

The Collection is housed in a separate, purpose-built area of the library, and includes books, reports, oral histories, photographs, maps, newspaper clippings and many other items of local curiosity. Items that are particularly rare or fragile are housed in an Archives Room under controlled atmospheric conditions. However, user copies of these items are made available wherever possible. Items from the collection may not be loaned but are available for use within the library. A digitisation program is underway in order to make as much as possible of the content of the collection more freely available.

The Local Studies Collection relies heavily on the help and knowledge of the local community in the collection of knowledge for the benefit of future generations. If you have items of interest, such as historical photographs or documents, that you are willing to donate or to allow us to copy or use, we would be very grateful for your contribution. We would also welcome background information to photographs that we already have in the collection, or a written account of your early memories of the local area.

The Local Studies area is open Monday, Wednesday and Thursday mornings from 10.30am to 1pm, Thursday afternoons from 2pm to 6pm, and on Friday mornings from 11am to 1pm. However, library staff will be glad to assist you outside of these hours, if possible.

The Local Studies Librarian may be contacted by telephone on 9383 8999, or by e-mail at localstudies@cambridge.wa.gov.au. We look forward to hearing from you.

Would you like to share your memories of the Town of Cambridge with younger generations? If so, please click here.