Local Studies of the City of Penrith

The Library's Research Services team manages the specialist collections held in the Research Room of the Library. They assist researchers with enquiries relating to the history and development of the City of Penrith, its people and its places.

The Research Room is located in Penrith City Library, in the Civic Centre at 601 High Street, Penrith, and is open 7 days a week from 2pm - 5pm (or by appointment outside these hours).

Research Services staff provide assistance either in the Research Room or through personal inquiries by calling 4732 7899 or by putting in a request at my.penrith.city.

What is in the Research Room?

History of Penrith

Our Local Studies collection documents the historical development of the City of Penrith. All material is available for use in the Research Room. The collection comprises published and unpublished contemporary and historical research material.

The Research Room houses:

* An extensive vertical file collection containing newspaper clippings, brochures etc on a wide range of topics relating to the Penrith LGA

* Local maps

* Biographies

* Valuer general books

* Special collections that have been donated to the Library

* Local newspapers. The following newspapers are bound and housed in the Research Room:

   Penrith Press: 1991, 1993, 2002-2019

   Penrith Star: 2002 -2017

   Western Weekender: August 1999 -

   Nepean News: 2009 -

Family History

Our family history resources include biographical, genealogical cemetery and local government information on local families and pioneers. We actively collect publications, files, and records on local families.

Local Government Information

we hold a collection of support material for Council staff that can be accessed by the general public in the Research Room. This collection reflects the functions of a local government authority with substantial material on environmental, planning and social issues.

What resources are available outside the Research Room?

Photograph Collection

The photographic collection captures life in the local area from the mid-19th century to the present day. View over 4000 of our photographs and postcards via our catalogue.

To search the photograph collection, click here.

Our Research Services team can provide digital copies of photographs in our collection. Charges include $20 per photograph plus $7.50 to purchase a USB if required.

To place an order contact the Research Services team by calling 4732 7891 or by putting in a request at my.penrith.city.

Newspapers

The library's collection of local newspapers is available on microfilm and is located just outside the Research Room at Penrith City Library. Microfilm can be accessed during the library's regular opening hours. The following newspapers are available on microfilm:

Penrith Press (1952 - 2020)

The District Star (Feb 1973 - Dec 1977)

Penrith District Star (1978 - 1986)

Penrith City Star (1987 - Sept 2013)

Penrith City Gazette (2013  -2019)

St Marys Star (Jul 2000 - Dec 2007)

St Marys-Mt Druitt Star (2008 - 2017)

Western Weekender (1991 - ongoing)

Cumberland Mercury (Jan 1875 - Apr 1895)

Nepean Times (Mar 1882 - Nov 1962)

St Marys-Penrith Times (Jan 1963 - Feb 1966)

Nepean Herald (Apr 1968 - Dec 1973)

Sydney Gazette (Mar 1803 - Oct 1842)

Sydney Morning Herald (Apr 1831 - Mar 2019)

For directions on how to use the microfilm reader, click here.

The Nepean Times has been digitised and can be found on TROVE.

Library members can access Newsbank, a database of newspapers from around the world that includes the Penrith Press and Sydney Morning Herald. 

More current issues of the Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, The Australian and the Daily Telegraph can be accessed via BorrowBox.

Church Registers

Local church registers are available on microfilm. The library holds the following:

St Nicholas of Myra Catholic Church 

St Stephen the Martyr

St Thomas Anglican Church

Castlereagh Church

St James Luddenham

St Marks Greendale

Family History websites

Penrith City Library has subscriptions to a number of family history websites. Library members are able to access the sites from within the library on the public PCs.