Special Collections in the Historical Room
Special collections, which include our historic collections, manuscript collections, maps, and artwork, can be accessed in the Lorraine B. Daley Historical Room under the supervision of the archivist.
Although an appointment is not required to access our special collections, we recommend calling ahead to ensure the archivist will be on duty the day of your visit.
The Historical Room is climate controlled, so the door is kept closed and locked to preserve its temperature and humidity. Anyone using resources in the Historical Room will be asked to fill out a check in form and adhere to our Historical Room guidelines.
For more information about our Special Collections, see the Bridgewater Public Library Archives and Special Collections catalog or contact the Archives staff.
Historical Reference Book Collection and Microfilm in the Historical Room
You do not need an appointment to access the historical reference books or microfilm, but researchers who need assistance using the microfilm reader are advised to call the Library in advance of their visit to ensure the Archivist will be on duty. Researchers should also note that the microfilm reader does not have an attached printer. Anyone using resources in the Historical Room will be asked to fill out a check in form and adhere to our Historical Room guidelines.
Our historical reference book collection has publications on Bridgewater history, Plymouth County history, Massachusetts history, military history, biographies and family genealogies, Bridgewater High School yearbooks, Town of Bridgewater annual reports, Town of Bridgewater street lists, and some publications by local authors. Our microfilm collection includes the Bridgewater Independent newspaper, Bridgewater vital records, and the Latham collection.
For more information about our historical reference books and microfilm, see the Bridgewater Public Library catalog or contact the Archives staff.
Digital Resources
A select number of digitized resources are available online via the SAILS Digital History Collection. As more of the collection is digitized, it will be made available online. For more information about our digital resources, contact the Archives staff.
