The North Lanarkshire Council Archives are situated in Kelvin Road, just a few minutes' walk from Cumbernauld train station, housing a treasure trove of historic items.

Next week they will be hosting a programme of events, including an exhibition, talks, workshops and even guided tours.

Taking place from Monday November 16 - Friday 20, Archives Week ties in with nationwide Archives Awareness Week and includes an exhibition entitled 'Take Flight!' on display every day at the Archives from 9.30am-4.30pm.

This exhibit will feature photographs, adverts, staff records and reminiscences from the Archives' industrial and business collections.

There will also be guided tours giving you the chance to get a glimpse at what goes on behind the scenes.

The first tour of the archives will start at 10am on Monday. Another tour will take place at 2.30pm, with further tours daily until the last one at 5.30pm on Thursday, November 19.

On Tuesday, November 17, there is an evening talk on 'The Building of North Lanarkshire' at 6pm. Wednesday sees a workshop on taking care of your old photographs and papers, from 3pm.

Using industrial records to help with family history searches is the main event on Thursday, also at 6pm. Places for the talks and the workshop should be booked in advance.

The week wraps up on Friday, November 20, with an 'Ask the Archives' session running from 10am to 2pm, when visitors can just 'drop in' and ask staff about using the archives for their own research.

The facility is open year-round, offering the chance to discover more about the history of Cumbernauld and Kilsyth, deepen knowledge of your family history and find out how to look after precious old photographs and papers.

The centre is home to a staggering 70,000 historic items, some of which date back to the 16th century, and documents on file cover 190 collections including the records of local authorities, landed estates, businesses, clubs and societies, and personal papers. Archivist Jo Dodd told the News: "We are very excited about the events due to take place, and are keen to encourage people to visit the Archives.

"North Lanarkshire Council Archives collects, preserves and makes available the historical records of North Lanarkshire.

"These records are a unique resource and can provide evidence of previous generations' working lives. Come along and see how your family may have played its part in the industrial history of North Lanarkshire!"

All events are free of charge and will be held at 10 Kelvin Road, Lenziemill Industrial Estate, Cumbernauld G67 2BA. For full details, or to book a place for a talk or workshop, call (01236) 638980.