Staten Island History Collection

The library’s Staten Island History Collection is a general collection of items, publicly accessible for general research and purposes. It is a multi genre and multi medium collection of materials, freely accessible on premises at St. George Library Center, and digitally through a limited selection of available online sources. This collection has served as the initial starting point for researchers of all backgrounds, from elementary school students looking for the issue of the Staten Island Advance printed on their birthdate to designers looking for references for advertisements in the 1990’s. 

We hope to attract users of all ages and backgrounds so use the works in this collection in new and imaginative ways. To schedule a reference consultation, e-mail us at stgeorge@nypl.org. 

Please call ahead prior to your visit to confirm hours of operation for the St. George Library Center Reference Room.  We recommend scheduling an appointment for microfilm access because demand can be unpredictable. We apologize for any inconvenience.

On-site Resources

Books and Bound Periodicals

Available for use in-library. Over 300 volumes published beginning in the last quarter of the nineteenth century and up to the present day.  Search for titles in our research catalog, or browse the history collection bibliography.

Atlases, Maps and Photographs

Our collection includes a printed 1907 street atlas of Staten Island, as well as 19th century atlases on microfilm. NYPL has a vast collection of Staten Island related maps and atlases digitized via our NYPL Digital Collections.

Staten Island Advance 1921 to 2018

Available in-library via microfilm. The index covering 1991 to present is accessible via Newsbank. As of August 2, 2023, printing is now available. 

Digital Resources

Staten Island Historical Newspapers

Available digitally. This collection includes the The Richmond County Advance (1886-1922) and other historic Staten Island newspaper content dating back to the 1800s.

NYPL Databases

Our useful databases include JSTOR, Ancestry Library Edition, New York Times (1851-2017) w/ Index. 

Digitized Books and Archives

Use Hathi Trust and Internet Archive and search for “Staten Island” in Google Books to historic discover books, documents and more. 

^{A valid library card is required to access Staten Island History Collections.}