| The classification system used for the Family History Collection has been specially designed by the staff to simplify access and allow greater self-help. It is constructed in the knowledge that most family historians research material for a particular geographical location, and that most of the resources fit into a small range of subject groups or resource types.
The Family History classification system consists of up to four parts:
Level 1 - Geographical Area, represented by a number
1 International
2 Australasia (New Zealand and Australia)
3 Pacific Islands
4 British Isles (Great Britain and Ireland)
5 Europe
6 The Americas
7 Africa
8 Asia
Level 2 - Country, represented by a three-letter code, based on the Chapman and other codes used in publications such as the Family history research directory. e.g. NZL for New Zealand ENG for England, ANZ for Australia and New Zealand (content about both countries).
Level 3 - Subject, represented by a three letter code, based on codes used by the Genealogical Society of Utah. e.g. CEN for Census IMM for Immigration, including passenger lists.
Level 4 - Geographical subdivision (where required), represented by a three letter code, based on the Chapman and other codes used in publications such as the Family history research directory. e.g. NSW for New South Wales, COR for Cornwall, AKD for Auckland.
Within the Level 2 groupings the material is located on the shelves alphabetically by the subject, e.g. CEM for Cemeteries is followed by CEN for Census, DIR for Directories, MIL for Military etc.
Large collections of microfiches, such as the 1881 census of England and Wales, indexes to births, deaths and marriages and all microfilms, are located in cabinets in the same location order.
Catalogue research strategies
Here are a few suggestions for family historians searching the Auckland City Libraries online catalogue
Use only one or two keywords for a start. Add more if there are too many results.
Looking for a published family history?
Select Keyword index and enter the family name plus the word 'family' e.g. 'pilson family'. As an alternative select the Title Keyword index and enter the family name, perhaps as well as the word 'family' if it is a common name.
Looking for something about a place, or a source relating to a place?
Select Keyword and enter the place name e.g. 'hawera' or 'cornwall' or 'zennor cornwall'. As an alternative select the Title Keyword index and enter the place name.
Do we have it in the Family History Collection?
Select call number number index on the menu and enter the classification number for the geographical area, country and subject. For example, if you want to check what Scottish census indexes are held enter: 4 SCT CEN, or, what New Zealand birth records we hold, enter: 2 NZL BDM. To check what Irish resources you can use here, enter: 4 IRL.
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