Sittingbourne Library is now offering residents the chance to explore the area’s past with its restored microfiche reader, now fully operational after reopening last week following a major refurbishment.
The library on Central Avenue welcomed visitors back through its doors on Monday 23 March 2026 after a £300,000 renovation transformed it into a combined Library and Family Hub. The venue had been closed since November 2025 to allow improvement works to take place in partnership with Kent Family Hubs.
The microfiche reader, which had previously been listed as out of order on the Kent Local Directory, is now available for public use. The equipment allows residents to search through historical records including census data, parish registers, electoral registers, and old local newspapers.
Library staff are on hand to help first-time users navigate the system. According to Kent Libraries, the service aims to give residents a practical tool for researching family history and discovering more about the local area.
Resources accessible through the reader include census records, directories, poll books, and the International Genealogical Index. The collection forms part of Kent’s wider family history resources available across its library network.
The reopening marks a significant moment for local history enthusiasts in Sittingbourne, offering community members the chance to access archived materials without travelling to specialist facilities.
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