Dartmouth Library's recent Local History Day has been hailed a great success with over 300 visitors delighted with the help and advice available. It was held to celebrate the Library becoming the latest Devon Record Office Service Point. This provides a range of local history records on microfiche, which can be accessed in the Library instead of having to travel to the Record Office in Exeter.

There were displays by Kingswear Historians; The Met Office; BRNC Museum; Devon Record Office and Salcombe Museum, with a free tour of BRNC available. Dartmouth History Research Group brought along their fascinating publications on many aspects of the town's history, and also gave advice to the public.

A particularly popular exhibit was the slideshows of old photographs of bygone Dartmouth, kindly provided by Dartmouth Museum, which were run on the PCs. Queues formed to consult experts from the Record Office and Devon Family History Society on Devon County Council's Community Information Bus.

The Service Point was opened by local historian Mrs Ray Freeman watched by visitors including Dartmouth Mayor Mrs Iris Pritchard, Councillor Jonathan Hawkins and Councillor Melvyn Stone. The new facility can be used during normal Library opening hours, but to receive assistance with your search why not come along any Thursday between 10am and 12am, when Dartmouth History Research Group hold their weekly Helpdesk?