Archives collections and services

If you are unable to visit the archives then we can, in many instances, provide digital or paper copies from the records in our collections. Please contact the archives if you have any questions relating to our copying service.

Copies of many of our maps and historic photographs can be purchased through our online shop.

Order historic maps through our online shop

Order historic photographs through our online shop

Certified copies

Certified copies can be supplied where required. A certified typescript can be supplied when it is not possible to produce a copy by other means.

Commercial and large-scale contracts

We have many years' experience in carrying out large scale scanning projects for external organisations. Previous clients have included art galleries, museums and commercial firms. Please contact the archives to discuss your requirements.

Copies can be made of most of the documents we hold and the fees for this are shown on this page.

However, factors such as the condition of the original item or restrictions on copyright mean that we are not able to provide copies of some documents.

Single copies are provided on the understanding that they are for personal use only. If copies are to be reproduced or published in any form, permission should be applied for in writing and a fee may apply.

Printouts from microfilm or microfiche

Four self-service reader / printer machines are available in the search room for making A4/A3 printout copies of records on microfilm. Copies are £1.10 each for an A4 sheet and £1.65 for an A3 sheet.

Alternatively, copies can be made to order by staff. The following charges apply for this:

• handling charge per hour - £14.30
• minimum handling charge - £7.15
• A4 sheet - £1.10
• A3 sheet - £1.65

Colour scanning (excluding maps and plans)

• scanning (up to A0 size) - £5.50 per scan 
• A4 colour laser print - £2.80
• A3 colour laser print - £3.45
• A2 colour inkjet print - £13.70
• A1 colour inkjet print - £24.70
• A0 colour inkjet print - £43.80
• electronic copy - £16.50

Maps and plans (per map)

• A4 print - £8.30
• A3 print - £8.95
• A2 print - £19.20
• A1 print - £30.20
• A0 print - £49.30
• electronic copy £16.50

Registry of deeds

• price per registered document - £88.50

Microfilm

• 16mm diazo negative per reel or part thereof - £103.20
• 35mm diazo negative per reel or part thereof - £103.20

Personal copying permit

Allows use of own photographic equipment and use of search room microfilm scanners (excludes North Riding Registry of Deeds post 1885, original parish registers & parish register transcripts).

• per scan / digital image taken - £1.10
• per half hour - £7.15
• per day or part thereof - £22.00
• per week, or part thereof (two to five days) - £49.30
• A3 printout from microfilm - £1.65
• A4 printout from microfilm - £1.10
• USB memory stick (8GB) - £7.15

Certified copies

• certified copy - £21.70 (flat rate), plus the cost of the copy
• certified typescript - £41.30 (supplied only when it is not possible to produce a copy by other means)

Parish register transcripts

We do not produce photocopies from the parish register transcripts produced by the archives. Where computer indexes have been completed, printouts for a single surname are available. Printed copies can be made from these indexes for the following fees:

• all entries for one surname for one parish - £50
• all entries for one surname for any one consolidated group of parishes - £100

Copies of complete indexes or registers are not available to buy.

Searches in parish registers which have not yet been transcribed and indexed can be made in accordance with our usual search fees.

UK postage and packing

Postage and packing costs by the packing costs are as follows:

• up to 18x A4 sheets – postage £1.75
• between 19-40x A4 sheets – postage £2.50
• A3 sheets – postage £3.90
• small postal tube (A4 & A3) - £5.30 (tube only, without postage - £1.45) 
• medium postal tube (A2) - £5.75 (tube only, without postage - £1.90)
• large postal tube (A1 & A0) - £6.05 (tube only, without postage - £2.20)

Please contact the archives for overseas postage costs or to discuss any aspect of these fees.

Commercial reproduction fees

An additional fee of £135 per item is chargeable for commercial purposes such as publication in books. Additional charges may apply and permission should be applied for in writing.

Care for all of our collections is under the direction of a specialist conservator in conditions consistent with the agreed standard for the storage of archival collections BS 4971:2017 and BS EN 16893:2018.

Our conservation section is responsible for the care of millions of documents which come in various formats and materials.

Preservation and conservation are the core functions of this department, ensuring the survival of North Yorkshire's documentary heritage for future generations.

Preservation

Through advocating good handling techniques and storage of documents in archival grade packaging we aim to prevent damage and preserve items for the long term and to allow safe access.

Conservation

Conservation is the physical repair of documents that have become damaged. Practising minimal conservation allows us to retain as much of the original document as possible whilst ensuring that long-term stability and accessibility are maintained.

Environmental monitoring

The five repositories at the archives, which contain six miles of shelving, are environmentally controlled to prevent the deterioration of paper and parchment documents. The conservation section monitors the environment checking temperature, relative humidity and for infestations.

Exhibitions

Conservation are responsible for exhibiting documents from our collections; we have two or three exhibitions each year in the archives foyer. Items are also prepared and mounted for temporary exhibition outside of the archives. You can view current and past exhibitions here.

Enquiries

We are happy to answer enquiries from members of the public and offer advice on storage and conservation requirements. We also carry out conservation work for external clients.

As well as caring for North Yorkshire's historic archives, the archives provides records management services to the council. Records management is about applying systems of governance to the creation, use, maintenance and disposal of documents and records.

The council processes an ever-increasing volume of information in paper and electronic formats. In order to fulfil our statutory obligations and provide effective services to our customers and partners, we manage the information so that it is available to those who need it when they need it, is reliable and accurate and is disposed of when no longer required.

The records management team at the archives handle the transfer, retrieval and disposal of corporate documents and records for all the council. We store in excess of 28,000 boxes with managed access that would otherwise be cluttering prime office space. We retrieve close to 200 files per month and distribute to all locations in North Yorkshire.

Every file that arrives at records management is assigned an action date for disposal. We destroy the equivalent of one standard four drawer filing cabinet full of paper per day, every day.