Local History/Newburgh Free Library   Tags: genealogy, history, hrvh, hudson_river, hudson_river_valley_heritage, local_history, new_windsor, newburgh  

The Purpose of the local history collection is to collect and preserve materials relevant to the history of Newburgh, NY, and to make these materials available to students, researchers and the general public.  The Library holds these materials in trust for future generations, and therefore they can be examined in the local history room only.  Historical records have been called the building blocks of history.  By saving them, we are helping to preserve the collective memory of our community.  We cannot fully understand who we are as a community if we don’t understand who we were as a community and what it once meant to be a member of that community.

The major emphasis of the Local History Collection  is historical information about the geographical area encompassed by the Enlarged Newburgh City School District.  The collection houses materials in a variety of formats including, but not limited to: books, pamphlets, local church records, local cemetery records, census records for Newburgh and surrounding counties, historic landmarks, land grants, maps, microform duplicated books, cd rom disks, photographs, post cards and scrapbooks.  The collection does not house materials in the following formats:  three-dimensional artifacts, original government or faith based records including marriage or death certificates, or posters.  The Library also provides access to Ancestry Library Edition and HeritageQuest.  Clients who wish to use either of these databases must have a valid Newburgh library card.    

The 4,000-item collection is available for client use whenever the library is open.  The collection is housed in a secured room to which a client must ask to gain admittance.  While a librarian is on duty at all times the library is open to answer your general questions about the local history room collection, local history room staff is not always available.  If a client is traveling a distance, it is advisable to call ahead so local history staff can plan accordingly.  Newburgh Enlarged City School District classes are encouraged to use the facility.  If the teacher expects staff to help with a program, prior arrangements must be made.

Purchases, Gifts and Loans

The Library Director approves all materials purchases.  Donations will be accepted as an unrestricted gift.  Items will not accepted on deposit except by a separate signed agreement that is approved by the library board.  The only exception is the temporary loan of items for exhibition.  Under special circumstances, items from the Newburgh Free Library will be loaned to the other institutions for exhibition.