Leeds Gig Heritage

As paper ticket transactions become a thing of the past, the Leeds Local Studies library is creating a living record of Leeds gig history. Anyone with an old ticket stub or a memory of a past Leeds gig can contribute to the collection, and with no end date, this is a collection of tickets and…

A Copper’s Eye: Tom Harper’s Leeds

This week we welcome guest author, Chris Nickson, who tells us about his new exhibition soon to be launched at Leeds Central Library. We generally think of a place as we see it now. That’s completely natural, it’s the way our brains work. But what we’re seeing is only today’s reality. Towns and cities are…

Volunteers’ Week 2023

The first week of June is Volunteers’ Week – an annual celebration of the contribution millions of people make across the UK through volunteering in their communities. We want to celebrate (and thank profusely) our very own Heritage Volunteers who have been beavering away at various tasks in the Local and Family History Library for…

The Alternative Heritage of Leeds

This week we welcome guest blogger, Festival of Gothica, who tell us about a new project working jointly with Leeds Libraries. Leeds has a rich alternative heritage but was influential in birthing the goth subculture as we know it today. Other cities celebrate their musical history and shape their events and tourism around it, Liverpool…

The Bright Lights of Leeds

This week we welcome guest blogger Bryan Walters. Bryan is a keen historian and creates YouTube videos telling the history of Leeds. Here, with the help of Leodis, he tells us a little bit about life in Leeds. For six pence, at the end of the Victorian period, a working man could enjoy a Turkish…

Help us map the lost buildings of Leeds

Welcome to Local Community History Month – this month all our blog posts will be focused on the local communities that make up Leeds. Help wanted! Leeds Libraries have recently been experimenting with a fascinating online tool provided by Google: My Maps…and we need your support. We first came across this site while working with…

Snowy Tramscapes by Peter Lapish

We’re kicking off the 2021 festive period with our Secret Library Leeds Advent Calendar. Everyday in the run up to Christmas we will bring you something from our heritage & special collections, all with a seasonal feel. Day 1 – Prints from the Leodis.net photographic archive as chosen by senior librarian Louise Birch Impressionistic watercolours…

Paintings of Burley

This week on the Secret Library we hear from guest author Jonathan Hooper. Jonathan is an incredible painter, who is here to share some of his paintings of Burley and the inspirations behind them. You can see more of Jonathan’s artwork and process on his website. I am a painter – my subject is the…