Local Studies

The Mosman Local Studies Collection is located in the Mosman Room, Barry O’Keefe Library. The collection comprises current and retrospective material on the people, places and events that make Mosman unique. Topics covered include indigenous history, social history, the natural environment, the built environment and current issues.

A wide range of formats include books, newspapers, manuscripts, maps, plans, photographs, art works, ephemera, ceramics, textiles and audio visual materials.

Collecting historical resources is an essential role of Local Studies. Sharing these resources is just as important and this is achieved in a variety of ways with exhibitions, workshops, outreach activities and social media posts.

The Mosman Local Studies Collection is available for use during library hours. It is not necessary to be a member of the Library to use the collection and staff is available to assist with enquiries. However, it is advisable to make an appointment with the Local Studies Librarian if the enquiry is complex.

• Mosman Memories of Your Street

  Personal narratives and photographs sharing living memories of Mosman’s past.

• Doing Our Bit

  An online resource to collect and display information about the wartime experiences of local service people, to commemorate the centenary of WWI.

• Mosman Voices

  Listen to extracts from interviews held in the Mosman Oral History Collection.

• Mosman Faces

  Mosman Faces is a visual story of Mosman through filmed interviews complemented by images from the Mosman Local Studies Collection.

• Genealogy

  The library subscribes to online resources Ancestry.com and Findmypast and free access is available at the library.

• Image Collection - Trace

  A digital archive of photographs, documents, newspapers, council minutes, subdivision plans, oral histories, ephemera and ceramics.

• Community Profile

  Mosman is home to about 30,000 people. Access census information and key demographics.

• Researching a Property in Mosman

  A guide to resources that may assist in the study of the local built environment including homes and public buildings.

• Publications

  From garbage removal to the naming of streets, reputable authors provide quality publications that reveal the rich history of Mosman.

• Your Story is Our Treasure: donating history

  A look at some of the wonderful and rare items donated to the Mosman Local Studies Collection and the stories they tell.

• Mosman Historical Society

  A community based Society, which promotes the history and heritage of Mosman and Australian history.

• Exhibitions

  Exhibitions cover a range of topics featuring materials from the Mosman Local Studies Collection and private collections.