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| Minnesota Historical Society Research Library | |
|---|---|
| Name | Minnesota Historical Society Research Library |
| Caption | Research Library at the Minnesota History Center |
| Established | 1849 |
| Location | Saint Paul, Minnesota |
| Type | Research library, archive |
| Director | (See Minnesota Historical Society) |
| Website | (Official website) |
Minnesota Historical Society Research Library The Minnesota Historical Society Research Library is the principal archival and research arm of the Minnesota Historical Society, housing manuscripts, newspapers, maps, photographs, and special collections documenting the history of Minnesota and the Upper Midwest. It supports scholarship on subjects ranging from early French and British exploration, the Ojibwe and Dakota peoples, and the fur trade to industrialization, immigration, and 20th‑century political and cultural movements. Researchers consult holdings for work related to figures such as Henry Hastings Sibley, Alexander Ramsey, Bessie Franklin and institutions including the University of Minnesota, Mayo Clinic, and regional newspapers like the St. Paul Pioneer Press.
Established by the Minnesota Historical Society in 1849, the library grew alongside territorial government developments and statehood debates involving leaders like Henry M. Rice and events such as the Minnesota Territorial Legislature. Its collections expanded through donations from prominent families like the Macalesters and corporate archives from firms tied to the Hudson's Bay Company and Pillsbury Company. The library navigated preservation challenges during crises connected to the Great Depression, World Wars I and II, and the Mississippi River floods, adopting archival standards influenced by organizations such as the American Library Association and the Society of American Archivists. Throughout the late 20th century, the library integrated conservation techniques developed at institutions including the Library of Congress, New York Public Library, and the Minnesota Department of Administration.
The Research Library's holdings encompass manuscript collections from politicians like Alexander Ramsey, business leaders such as Charles A. Pillsbury, and activists connected to the Women's Suffrage Movement and labor unions including the AFL–CIO. Its photograph collections document urban development in Minneapolis, railroad expansion tied to the Great Northern Railway and the Northern Pacific Railway, and rural life connected to Homestead Acts settlers. Map and atlas holdings include cartographic material related to Lewis and Clark Expedition routes, surveying records for the Mississippi River, and plat maps used by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. The newspaper archive contains runs of the Minneapolis Star Tribune, Duluth News Tribune, and ethnic press titles serving Hmong and German American communities. Oral histories record voices from veterans of World War II, participants in the Civil Rights Movement, and leaders in the American Indian Movement. Special collections include culinary manuscripts tied to Lutefisk traditions, architectural plans for landmarks like the James J. Hill House, and corporate records from 3M and Hormel Foods.
Researchers access materials via in‑person appointments, interlibrary cooperation with institutions such as the Hennepin County Library, and digital partnerships with the Digital Public Library of America and the Minnesota Digital Library. Reference services assist users researching courthouse records from Ramsey County, genealogical sources related to immigrant waves from Norway and Sweden, and legal records associated with cases at the Minnesota Supreme Court. Educational outreach supports curricula aligned with the Minnesota Historical Society's standards and state learning goals administered by the Minnesota Department of Education. Conservation labs provide treatment inspired by protocols from the National Archives and Records Administration and specialized imaging services comparable to those at the Smithsonian Institution.
The main reading room is located within the Minnesota History Center in Saint Paul, adjacent to exhibits on the Dakota War of 1862 and displays about the Mississippi River. Offsite storage and preservation facilities follow climate control standards similar to those used by the National Film Preservation Board and house oversized materials from projects connected to the Erie Canal era and Great Lakes navigation. The library's stacks and processing areas were modernized through partnerships with archival suppliers serving institutions like the Newberry Library and the Minnesota State Archives. Public transit access links the center to routes serving visitors from Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport, downtown Minneapolis, and suburban counties like Ramsey County and Hennepin County.
The Research Library curates rotating exhibitions in collaboration with the Minnesota Historical Society exhibitions team, highlighting topics such as the Fur Trade, Immigration to the United States, and environmental history of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. Digitization projects have made materials available through initiatives modeled after the Chronicling America program and in collaboration with the Library of Congress for newspaper digitization. The library supports scholarly projects on subjects like the archival records of the Homestead Act, the documentation of Prohibition era enforcement, and centennial commemorations of events such as the 1918 influenza pandemic in Minnesota.
The Research Library collaborates with academic partners including the University of Minnesota, liberal arts colleges such as Macalester College and St. Olaf College, and cultural organizations like the Minnesota Historical Society Press and the Hmong Cultural Center. Community outreach includes working with tribal governments such as the Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, advocacy groups from the Civil Rights Movement, and public history initiatives with municipal partners in Duluth, Rochester, and St. Cloud. Grant-funded projects have involved federal agencies like the National Endowment for the Humanities and private foundations similar to the McKnight Foundation and the GHR Foundation, enabling programs in digitization, conservation, and inclusive collecting from immigrant communities including Somali American and Latino populations.
Category:Libraries in Minnesota Category:Archives in the United States