The Special Collections & Archives Department at Haverhill Public Library maintains a wide variety of local history and genealogical resources, in both physical and digital forms. Highlights of the collections include:
Special Collections has different open hours than the rest of the library, but our online resources are always available! Click on the images below for Special Collections news and to learn more about our collections.
Unable to come in? We accept obituary and research requests online:
Submit a Research Request
The Special Collections team is happy to announce that we will have limited open hours on one Saturday per month! The first Saturday we are open is March 15th, from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM. Researchers are welcome to drop in during this time without an appointment, though we recommend calling ahead if you are traveling […]
Happy Holidays from Special Collections! The library has collected vintage greeting cards for the past few decades, which the Special Collections Department has arranged and preserved into the HPL Greeting Card Collection. During the holiday season, and for many other holidays throughout the year, we love to share our favorites from this collection. From kittens, […]
Since its inception in 1875, the Haverhill Public Library has maintained a collection of books relating to local history, genealogy, and native poet John Greenleaf Whittier. Shortly after the library’s inception 1873, the local Whittier Club began an official Whittier Collection at the Library around 1887. In 1916, the Pecker Collection, dedicated to New England, state, and town histories, was started and was later expanded in 1932 to include family histories and genealogical material. In 1923, the Haverhill Collection was formally established to preserve existing library material and to collect additional material for future generations. In 1969, with the construction of a new library building, plans called for two rooms to house the then 20,700 volumes that made up the Whittier, Local History, and Genealogy collections. In 1997, with the renovation of the library, Special Collections was moved to the Third Floor where it presently resides.