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Genealogy & Local History Resources

Genealogy & Local History Resources

July 1, 2023

The Lackawanna County Library System offers many great resources to help patrons look into their family history and do genealogical research.

A valid Lackawanna County Library System library card grants access to many online databases, several of which can assist with this type of research. FamilySearch allows users to create an account and explore their family history. The Lackawanna Valley Digital Archives provides free access to historical documents pertaining to the greater Lackawanna County area. In addition, Ancestry is available for use at any Library location. Staff members also have access to Newspapers.com; contact your Library for more information or to put in a request.

The Albright Memorial Library‘s Reference Department has an extensive collection of local history and archival materials that is regularly updated. This collection contains clippings, photocopies, pamphlets, biographies, and a photo index that are helpful tools for researching different local businesses and people who lived in or around Lackawanna County from the late 1800s into the 1900s. This collection is available to browse online.

The Carbondale Public Library also has a genealogy and local history collection which is housed in the Alice Ahern Lynady Room. These collections contain materials that are related to the people, history, and development of the Greater Carbondale Area. Materials include microfilmed city newspapers dating back into the early 1800s, Carbondale City Directories, local history books, and historical documents pertaining to the local area.

More information, a complete list of available materials, and a search request form are available on our website’s Genealogy page.