Library

Located in the old Almshouse, the Historical Society of Baltimore County’s library is home to a growing collection of books and maps (copies of some are for sale), census records, marriage records, slave schedules, family histories, ledgers, photographs, clippings, and manuscripts related to the history and genealogy of Baltimore County.

Holdings

  • Complete Library Shelf Holdings – 3,500+ shelved library volumes
  • Photograph Collection – 6,000+ photographs of Baltimore County from the nineteenth century to present
  • Vertical File Collection – 1900+ file folders with clippings and source material related to Baltimore County’s places, buildings, clubs, etc.
  • Genealogy Surname Vertical Files – 7,700+ files
  • The published Archives of Maryland – Volumes 1 through 72.
  • Maryland Historical Magazine – almost every issue from 1907 to 2010
  • Baltimore County Cemetery Inscription Files – information from every known tombstone in both church and family cemeteries in Baltimore County
  • Map Collection – 400+ maps in the collection
  • History Trails – Our quarterly journal since 1966
  • Publications for Sale
  • Research Request Form (mail-in, fee based) PDF

Categories of Books in the HSBC Research Library

  • Genealogy, general and how-to
  • Genealogy, specific families – published and unpublished volumes
  • Genealogy, general ethnic
  • Revolutionary War, Maryland participants and citizens of the Colony of Maryland
  • War of 1812, Maryland sites and participants
  • Civil War, Maryland sites and participants
  • Military volunteers from Maryland
  • Genealogies, assorted geographical areas outside Maryland
  • History of the State of Maryland
  • History of Baltimore County 1659 – 21st century
  • History of Carroll, Harford, Howard, and Anne Arundel counties- Limited
  • History of Baltimore City and its various communities
  • Industrial History in Baltimore County
  • Transportation History in Baltimore County
  • History of Schools in Baltimore County
  • Yearbook collections – Limited
  • Political History in Baltimore County – Limited
  • Social History in Baltimore County
  • Domestic History in Baltimore County
  • Agricultural History in Baltimore County
  • Directories for Baltimore City and County – Limited

Using the Library

 

Hours

Fridays: 10 AM – 2 PM
Saturdays: 10 AM – 2 PM

Weather related closings: We follow Baltimore County Public Schools during the week, and Baltimore County Parks & Recreation on weekends.

Holidays: New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King, Jr.’s Birthday, President’s Day, Memorial Day, Fourth of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and Winter Holidays. (If a holiday falls on a Sunday/Monday, HSBC is closed the Saturday prior.)

See special notices on the home page for any changes.

 


FAQs

Can photocopies be made?
Yes, the cost per page is $0.25 for 8.5 x 11″ letter size copies.

May I capture images with a phone or digital device?
You may, after paying an additional $5 fee that we assess permitting visitors to do so.  Please note, however, copyright laws are still fully applicable whether making hard-copies or capturing images.

Is there someone to help me with my research?
Yes, volunteers are available to help with your research and assist you in locating relevant materials.

May I contact the Historical Society of Baltimore County with research requests?
Yes, you may message us with brief, general inquiries, and we will let you know if we do or do not have information that may be of value to you. We will not, however, answer specific research questions. The society receives dozens of requests each week and cannot answer them with any degree of specificity or devote too much time to any individual question given our limited resources.

We perform in-depth research on a fee basis ($25/hour for non-members, or $15/hour for society members). This research utilizes all the resources at our location, and any and all online research resources we have available to us within the time frame allotted per your purchase.  Click here to view and/or print a mail-in paid research request form.  Research will be performed in the order that your request was received, and results cannot be guaranteed, as-is the nature of historical research.