Resources Available for Genealogical and Local History Research

You may search the MCLINC (Montgomery County Library & Information Network Consortium) Online Catalog to identify local history and genealogical resources owned by a number of public libraries in Montgomery County. Most of these materials are in special collections and may not be borrowed or loaned. Click to search the MCLINC Online Catalog.

Some of the materials owned by the Montgomery County-Norristown Public Library and which may be used to answer your research requests include:

• Histories of Pennsylvania, Montgomery County, Norristown, and other Montgomery County localities
• Norristown City Directories 1860-61 for Norristown and Bridgeport and owning most volumes from 1902-1978 containing listings from Norristown and the adjacent areas of East Norriton, West Norriton, Bridgeport, and Plymouth Meeting
• Norristown telephone books from 1984 to the present which cover the greater Norristown area
• Spice, the Norristown Area High School’s yearbook, for 1908, 1915, and for most years from 1927-1969
• Business directories for both the Greater Delaware Valley and Pennsylvania from 1970 to the present
• Comprehensive plans for Montgomery County municipalities from 1969-1972
• The Times Herald of Norristown, Pennsylvania, the major Montgomery County newspaper, on microfilm from December 20, 1951 to July 6, 1970 and from November 2, 1987 to January 31, 2011.  (As of February 1, 2011, The Times Herald is no longer available on microfilm.  The library also maintains some additional local newspapers from communities in Montgomery County.
• Montgomery County property assessments for 1997
• Pennsylvania Phonefiche containing white and yellow page telephone listings for various years from 1980 to 2004
• Bulletin Almanac published by The Evening and Sunday Bulletin of Philadelphia from 1930 to 1976
• History of Pennsylvania Volunteers, 1861-5 by Samuel P. Bates
• Publications issued by The Historical Society of Montgomery County including the Sketches (1895-1925) and the Bulletin (1939- )
• 19th century historical atlases for Montgomery County
• The Local History Collection Vertical File is a print file collection of newspaper clippings, pamphlets, and articles. These informational materials pertain to people, events, towns, landmarks, and other topics relating to Norristown, Montgomery County, and Pennsylvania.