Michigan Public Libraries with Local History Collections
The following is a list of public libraries in Michigan who serve as archival repositories for local historical documents. If your Michigan library houses a local history collection, we encourage you to add your library to this list.
Albion Public Library has a Local History Room. It houses family histories, history on the city of Albion and surrounding areas. The LHR has an extensive photograph collection and an obituary database.
Alpena County Library has the Marine Sanctuary collection and is increasingly getting historical documents to store, including an incredible collection from the local power company and an heir.
Baldwin Public Library in Birmingham houses a local history and genealogy collection in the Harry Allen Room, containing local church records, city directories, local high school yearbooks, and genealogy books and newsletters relating to the city of Birmingham and Michigan.
The Forest Parke Library & Archives serves as steward and primary repository for the Capital Area District Library's Special Collections. Many items are housed on-site, some are in off-site storage, others at branch locations. Some items are too fragile for public use. Please check on the availability of resources before visiting. Most holdings are within the Ingham County Local History Collection, which is comprised of books, manuscripts, photographs, maps, ephemera, film and 3D objects.
Galesburg Memorial Library houses a history room for Galesburg area / local history. Contains: scrap books, genealogies, local history books, Michigan Pioneer Collection, local history files.
Grand Haven, Loutit District Library, houses a Local History and Genealogy Department. They have an archival collection of photographs and documents for the Grand Haven area and actively seek items to add to the collection.
Grand Ledge Area District Library houses part of the research archives of the Grand Ledge Area Historical Society at the library to increase access to the public.
Grand Rapids Public Library, has the Grand Rapids History & Special Collections Department and maintains the Archives for the area.
Manchester District Library has a local history room with several marvelous original documents, including a hand written log of civil war soldiers from the area.
Muskegon, Hackley Public Library, Genealogy/Local History Department: Special collections include Muskegon history, lumbering, genealogy, the Civil War, as well as manuscripts, photos, maps & plats, and various rare books of special interest.
Saginaw, The Public Libraries of Saginaw, has a Local History and Genealogy Collection that is one of the largest in the state, after the Library of Michigan and the Burton Historical Collection. The Library also houses the Mudd collection of books relating to Abraham Lincoln and the assassination, as Dr. Mudd’s great-grandson resides in Saginaw and still works to clear the family name. Theodore Roethke also had a home in Saginaw and a set of his first editions, some signed, along with some papers like his graduation certificates, are also housed here.
Sault Ste. Marie, Bayliss Public Library, has the Judge Joseph H. Steere Room, an archive of historical books, photos, microfilm, manuscripts and papers.
Shelby Area District Library has local history archival materials in a local history room. The collection is continually growing with donations and staff is indexing the collection (labor intensive but a very popular service).
St. Johns, Briggs Public Library has a local history collection, the Bement Room, which currently houses the archives of the Clinton County News (incomplete bound editions), along with telephone directories and High School yearbooks from St. Johns. The Library cooperates with the Clinton County Historical Society who maintains a separate collection in DeWitt. Other unique items include photographs, local family histories, and miscellaneous documents of relevance to St. Johns from the late 1800s through mid-1900s.
