Facilities for our users

We have 14 tables for looking at original documents and one that is suitable for consulting large documents and maps, 11 microfilm readers, one microfiche reader and nine public access computers.

• There are toilets available, including a toilet for disabled people.
• The Cheshire Record Office has an area for the consumption of readers' own refreshments with a water dispenser.
  There is a wide selection of cafes, pubs etc. nearby.
• We ask all our readers to leave all coats and bags etc. in a locker. Please note we cannot accommodate large items in our lockers.

• We have power points available for you to use laptops at the tables and some microfilm readers.

Taking copies

You can make your own copies from microfilm and microfiche using our reader printer. This costs 50p per A4 or A3 print.

If you would like to use your camera, digital camera or mobile phone to take images, without flash, please ask. For copyright reasons we need to grant and monitor permissions. We will ask you to complete a camera permit form and sign a declaration, we will then issue a camera permit. There is a charge for this service:  day permit £5; four days in four week  period £16; Annual permit £52.50.

The use of scanning equipment is not permitted because of the risk of damage to documents.

Prints from the public access computers cost 50p per sheet. You can bring your own USB/memory stick to save records from the computer free of charge.

Internet access

We have nine public access computers with internet access and on-screen links to our online resources and useful websites for family and local history.

• Free access to The Cheshire Collection on Find My Past - over 10 million Cheshire records 1542-1910.
• Free access to Ancestry Library Edition. This includes indexes of births, marriages and deaths 1837-2006, UK census returns from 1841-1911, England and Wales Criminal Registers 1791-1892, etc.

Help us to preserve Cheshire's archives

As our records are unique and irreplaceable, we ask you to observe a few simple rules to protect them, in particular:

• please do not remove documents from the searchroom.
• please use pencils only in the searchroom: no form of ink is permitted - even for your own notes
• please do not drink or eat (including sweets and chewing gum).
• please do not lean upon any document or rest your paper on it while you are making notes.
• please ask for advice if you are not sure how to handle a document.

And, to avoid disturbing other users ...

• Please have conversations away from the tables 
• Please switch off your mobile phone or keep it in silent mode.