The Library of Birmingham is home to internationally significant collections of archives and rare books. There are thousands of individual collections - from archives to printed manuscripts, dating from the 12th century to the present day.

Birmingham Archives & Collections actively collects and preserves original documents for Birmingham City Council and official records of the Diocese of Birmingham. Their records reflect the rich history of the City through collections from religious and social organisations, to the internationally important collection of Boulton and Watt. The open research area (Heritage Research Area) provides access to many printed sources. The Wolfson Centre for Archival Research provides a pleasant environment to research the archive, with stunning views of the City itself.
Many of their archival catalogues are available to search online and include religious, official and public records.
There are six collections within the Library of Birmingham which are designated as culturally and historically outstanding - this includes the archive and the Birmingham Collection on Level 4. The Birmingham Collection is unrivalled in depth and detail amongst historical collections about a single city. It is of international importance, charting every aspect of Britain’s second city through printed material.

Collections from the Library of Birmingham on Ancestry sites include:
Parish Records: Before civil registration in England began in 1837 - key events in a person’s life were typically recorded by the church rather than the state. Parish records are the best source of vital record information in England before the nineteenth century and remain an important source thereafter. This data collection contains images of Church of England baptism, marriage, and burial records in registers from the city of Birmingham.

Calendar of Prisoners: list of prisoners from Birmingham, as recorded from The Quarter Sessions and Assizes for the years 1880-1913.

This first release of records on Ancestry is an exciting step in increasing accessibility to these important collections for researchers unable to visit in person.

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