County Antrim Archives and Libraries

Archives
Northern Ireland is divided into 11 districts for local government purposes. In Northern Ireland, local councils do not carry out the same range of functions as those in the rest of the United Kingdom. Their functions include planning, waste and recycling services, leisure and community services, building control and local economic and cultural development. Therefore, these districts do not manage archives and libraries. -
 * For a list of archives and libraries on the national level, go to the Northern Ireland Archives and Libraries page.

Libraries
Cultural Heritage Service Collection Belfast Central Library Royal Avenue Belfast BT1 1EA Northern Ireland Telephone: 028 9050 9156 E-mail: belfast.heritage@librariesni.org.uk Collection Information
 * The largest Cultural Heritage collection in Libraries NI is located in Belfast Central Library. As well as material relating to all of Ireland much of this collection relates to Belfast specifically.

Newspaper Library
 * List of microfilmed newspapers
 * The largest collection of local newspapers in Northern Ireland is held in the Newspaper library in Belfast Central Library. Ranging in date from the 18th century to the present day the newspaper collection includes almost complete runs of the Belfast newspaper titles, most notably the Belfast Newsletter from 1759, as well as a large range of provincial newspaper titles from every county in Northern Ireland and some from the Republic of Ireland.

Cultural Heritage Service Collection Ballymena Central Library 5 Pat’s Brae Ballymena BT43 5AX Northern Ireland Telephone: 028 2563 3950 E-mail: ballymena.heritage@librariesni.org.uk Collection Information
 * The main Cultural Heritage collection for County Antrim is located in Ballymena Central Library. THE HERITAGE COLLECTION is on the first floor in Ballymena Central Library and covers all aspects of life in County Antrim and County Londonderry.

Irish & Local Studies Collection Linen Hall Library 17 Donegall Square North Belfast BT1 5GB Northern Ireland Telephone: +44 (0)28 9032 1707 E-mail: info@linenhall.com Website
 * Main library in Belfast containing many genealogical records for the area including County Antrim. The Linen Hall has fantastic resources to support genealogy and the study of family histories attracting researchers locally and from around the world. From ‘how to’ guides for those beginning their genealogy journey, to gravestone inscriptions, military lists, passenger lists, lists of clergy, and information on surnames, place-names and street directories. Unique to the Linen Hall, the Blackwood Pedigrees of handwritten family trees and the Belfast News Letter Birth, Death and Marriage Index 1737-1863 are fascinating resources which bring family history to life.

Ulster Historical Foundation Bradley Thallon House Unit 44D, Kiltonga Estate Belfast Road, Newtownards BT23 4TJ Northern Ireland Telephone: +44 (028) 91 812073 E-mail: enquiry@uhf.org.uk Search databases - Local libraries may have collections relating to families--newspaper clippings, donated family histories, published local histories, not ubiquitous but work checking. The largest library in a district might serve some archive functions. County Antrim is part of the following districts: Antrim and Newtownabbey; Belfast; Causeway Coast and Glens; Mid and East Antrim; Lisburn and Castlereagh; Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon.
 * Antrim and Newtownabbey Find a Library, and Mid and East Antrim
 * Greater Belfast Find a Library
 * Libraries in Causeway Coast and Glens
 * Libraries in Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon
 * Libraries in Lisburn and Castlereagh

Museums
- Sentry Hill Historic House and Visitor Centre 40 Ballycraigy Road Sentry Hill BT36 8SX Glengormley Northern Ireland Telephone: +44 28 9083 2363 E-mail
 * Museums in County Antrim
 * The extensive collection provides a rare insight into the working lives, social activities, beliefs and values of rural families in Ulster during the 19th and early 20th centuries.

Civil Registration Offices

 * How duplicate certificates are obtained has changed. These can no longer be issued from district registration offices.
 * All birth records from 1864 to 100 years ago have been digitized and are free to view and download at IrelandGenealogy.ie. Some of the later marriage and death records can also be downloaded from this site.
 * An index of Ireland Civil Registration -including births, 1864-1958, marriages, 1845-1958, and deaths, 1864-1958 - is available online at FamilySearch's (An index of Ireland civil registration including 1864-1958 births, 1845-1958 marriages, and 1864-1958 deaths, but excluding index records for Northern Ireland after its creation in 1922.)
 * The General Register Office, Northern Ireland (GRONI) provides an online service for searching and ordering civil registration records. To search the records online, you must register for an account.

Websites

 * Ireland Genealogy Projects Archives, County Antrim Records and Advice