The Local Studies Centre collects and preserves material relating to the towns and rural areas which now make up the Metropolitan Borough of Trafford.

In addition to general local history material, the library also houses a great deal of information which is of interest to anyone researching his or her own family tree.

Local Studies fees and charges 2012/3

Some of the services available include:

• Free access to the Ancestry website, Find my past website and the Origins website for British and Irish Genealogy
• General Register Office births, marriages and deaths indexes from 1837 to 2005
• National Probate indexes from 1853 to 1943
• Directories
• Family Tree Research
• Microfiche and Microfilm
• Newspapers
• Digital resources
• Trafford Lifetimes - is a searchable database providing an opportunity for the people of Trafford to contribute photographs and reminiscences, illustrating both the past and present
• The locations of Blue Plaques in Trafford