Scotland haes a screed o toun an city leebrars that haes gaitheries o buiks an papers anent the history o thair airts an affen kent in Soothron as ‘local history collection’ or ‘local studies’ sae speir at thaim. Forby the leebrars ilka cooncil region in Scotland will hae its ain register-hoose that keeps mony o the auld registers an papers for the shire, burgh or cooncil alang wi faimly an business papers that’s been giftit ower the years. Sae whan ye’r neist stravaigin the wab pit in the terms ‘local history’ or ‘local archives’ alang wi the name o yer toun for tae see whit springs up. The twa heidmaist catalogues online is the anes at the national register-hoose in Embra (kent as The National Records of Scotland) an the Scottish Archive Network – baith guid places tae stert oot on ony speir anent whit publict papers the micht be.

But mind, afore ye gae raikin amang ony publict registers, speir first at yer faimly memmers tae learn whit thay ken an micht can tell ye aboot the kin that gaed afore.

Please tak tent that, fae this wis recordit, the Scottish Archive Network gaed affline in 2025 an ingait til hits files is noo at the National Records of Scotland wabsteid.