Nicholson Room is THE venue for local studies

Residents with an interest in local history are invited to the opening of a revamped local studies room at Maidenhead library.

The Nicholson Room - named after the former Maidenhead brewing dynasty - will be officially reopened on Thursday 21 July at 4pm.

From then until 5pm visitors can view the new facilities and take a look at some of the special 'treasures' in the collection. Light refreshments will be available.

The upgrade means that for the first time the furniture and shelving now fully provide for the storage and protection needs of the specialist stock, including:
• better protection of the historical photo collection
• improved, illuminated shelving to accommodate specialised collections
• valuable and fragile local history books stored more securely
• comfortable quiet study area to support lone study and group work
• attractive, large historical photographic displays representing the local area
• improved map storage
• transfer of cuttings and similar local studies material from locked filing cabinets to storage boxes to allow easier public access.

As an added benefit, all the lending local history and family history books will be shelved in the same room as the reference material so that all subject matter on a topic can be found more easily.

Cllr Simon Dudley, Cabinet Member for Adult and Community Services, said: "The revamp and reopening of the Nicholson Room is another feather in the cap for our thriving library services.

"Both experts in local studies and residents with an interest now have an even better venue where they can access a comprehensive range of material and information."

Included in the collection are:
• more than 1,800 local history and family history books
• more than 1,000 historical maps, especially of the Maidenhead area but also as far out as Hurley, Cookham, Windsor and Ascot
• parish register transcripts for much of Berkshire
• local historical electoral registers
• Kelly's Directories from the Victorian era onwards
• Maidenhead Advertiser on microfilm from 1869 onwards
• more than 2,000 historical photographs of the local area, local people and events
• a number of rare and valuable books and manuscripts.

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