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Library services

Reference and local history

Explore trusted reference resources and rich local history collections available through your library. From Inverness newspapers and Highland archives to community records, research articles and specialist databases, these tools help you discover the past, support study, and deepen your understanding of the Highlands and beyond.

Discover

People by a beached boat with baskets and nets on a shoreline, with hills and water in the background and a child sitting on the ground.

Highland history and culture

Explore Am Baile, High Life Highland's bilingual website, and discover the history and culture of the Scottish Highlands and Islands.

A microfilm reader displaying a scanned page of the Inverness Courier newspaper. The machine shows the enlarged newspaper page on its screen, with controls and instruction labels visible below.

Newspapers and microfilm

Find local and national newspapers online and browse historical newspaper archives available at Inverness Library for free online.

A close-up of a microfilm reel and its storage box beside the loading mechanism of a microfilm reader.

Microfilm collections

We hold a large collection of local newspapers at several libraries across the Highlands.

A close-up of several community newsletters and local publications overlapping on a table, including a black‑and‑white newsletter titled “Voice of the Community,” a yellow newsletter, and a colourful magazine titled “West Highland Line.”

Community newsletters

Discover archived community newsletters recording local stories, events and history from across the Highlands.

A person sitting at a table in a library, working on a laptop with an open book and papers in front of them. Bookshelves filled with colourful books line the background.

Articles and journals

Discover a world of published academic research at your local library.

Rows of wooden bookshelves filled with old, worn books in various sizes and colors, creating a vintage library setting.

Special collections

Highland Libraries special collections showcase notable people, literature and the rich culture, history, places, and traditions of the Highlands.

A person standing in a shop or library-like space, holding and using a tablet while surrounded by shelves filled with neatly stacked items.

Online reference resources

Explore trusted online resources for learning, research and local history, all free with your library membership.

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