Information
Landmark: State Library of PennsylvaniaCity: Harrisburg
Country: USA Pennsylvania
Continent: North America
State Library of Pennsylvania, Harrisburg, USA Pennsylvania, North America
Overview
The State Library of Pennsylvania sits at 607 South Drive in Harrisburg’s Capitol Complex, serving as the Commonwealth’s main hub for research and preserving its history.Founded in 1745, it ranks among the nation’s oldest state libraries, welcoming legislators, government offices, scholars, and everyday visitors who might pause to leaf through a centuries-old book.The library’s mission is clear: it gathers, protects, and shares materials that tell the story of Pennsylvania’s history, culture, and government-right down to the faded ink on an old town charter.It also helps the state government by supplying research services, and it offers guidance and resources to libraries across the Commonwealth, from busy city branches to small-town reading rooms.The collection houses an extensive range of Pennsylvania legislative journals, session laws, agency reports, and archival records-some yellowed pages dating all the way back to colonial days.For anyone digging into Pennsylvania roots, city directories, county histories, family trees, church ledgers, old newspapers, and even the faint ink of microfilm reels offer a treasure trove of clues.Rare books and manuscripts-early Pennsylvania imprints, hand-drawn maps, and one-of-a-kind documents, including the papers of notable Pennsylvanians-are kept safe in carefully monitored rooms where the air feels cool and still.Digital resources include old newspapers you can scroll through, government reports, and niche databases-available on-site and, for many, online to anyone with a library card.Professional librarians offer research help and reference support, from compiling legislative histories to delivering documents, serving both state agencies and the public-even tracking down a hard‑to‑find report when you need it.Public reading rooms offer quiet corners for study, shelves of print materials, microfilm readers humming softly, public computers, and free Wi‑Fi.Rotating exhibits showcase treasures from rare collections, while workshops and talks dive into genealogy, Pennsylvania’s past, and the skills to navigate information with confidence.Interlibrary Loan and Statewide Support connects Pennsylvania’s libraries, making it easy to share books and materials, and oversees statewide programs like POWER Library and the Pennsylvania Library for the Blind and Print Disabled.Housed in the Forum Building-an Art Deco gem finished in 1931-the library boasts a soaring rotunda, vivid murals of Pennsylvania’s past, and reading rooms lined with intricate woodwork from the era.Starting in 2023, a multi-year renovation is upgrading climate control, improving accessibility, and overhauling digital systems, all while bringing the building’s carved woodwork and other historic interiors back to life.While renovations are underway, core services keep running in pop-up spaces around the Forum and through expanded online access, like quick downloads that open in seconds.You can visit for information Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., but the office stays quiet and locked on state holidays.Admission’s free, but bring a photo ID-you’ll need it to get past the Capitol Complex security gates.Parking’s available at street meters or in nearby garages, and you can also hop on a Capital Area Transit bus-routes run right past the corner café.Library cards are free for all Pennsylvania residents-just show proof of your address, like a driver’s license.The State Library of Pennsylvania stands as a cornerstone, safeguarding the Commonwealth’s documentary heritage-dusty maps, letters, and records-and fueling informed governance and scholarly work.With its vast collections, skilled staff, and constant updates, it makes sure Pennsylvanians-now and for years to come-can reach the maps, letters, and records that tell the state’s story and shape where it’s headed.
