The Historical Society’s collections are non-circulating. Researchers are encouraged to visit our facilities at 1300 Locust Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107.
To contact our reference staff, please call 215-732-6200 ext. 209.
The Historical Society has many different tools for helping researchers find the materials they need. We are revising a number of these access tools to make them more complete, accurate, and easier to use. If one search doesn’t yield the desired results, try one of the other tools or ask a reference librarian for help:
Online catalog – includes listings for books, pamphlets, genealogical resources, many (but not all) serials and manuscript collections, and some graphics collections.
MANX (Manuscript and Archive Information Exchange) – an online guide with short descriptions of manuscript collections (mostly non-Balch Institute collections). Some entries have links to detailed finding aids.
Balch manuscript guide – an online guide with short descriptions of most Balch Institute manuscript and microfilm collections. This guide describes many of our ethnic history-related materials. Some entries have links to detailed finding aids.
Research guides - resources and bibliographies for architectural history, women's history, military history, vital records, and more.
Card catalogs – separate catalogs for manuscripts, broadsides, graphics, maps, sheet music, Afro-Americana, genealogical resources, published materials, and other items. The manuscripts catalog provides the most detailed access to many of our manuscript collections.
Finding aids – A finding aid for a manuscript or graphics collection usually includes a description of the collection, a biography or history of the collection’s creator, and an inventory listing the contents of each folder, volume, or other file unit. Finding aids for many of our collections are available through the Reference Desk, MANX, or the Balch manuscript guide.
PACSCL survey database – The public version of this database includes records for selected collections at HSP that are not listed elsewhere on our website, as well as collections at several other local repositories. The database is part of a current survey project sponsored by the Philadelphia Area Consortium of Special Collections Libraries (PACSCL), and also includes records compiled during a 2000-2002 survey at HSP. Both surveys were funded by the Mellon Foundation.
Other access tools – numerous indexes, inventories, guides, and databases are available with information about many parts of our collections, notably portions of our graphics, newspaper, and microfilm holdings. Online examples include “Places in Time: Historical Documentation of Place in Greater Philadelphia” and the “Philadelphia Historical Digital Image Library” (PHDIL).
