Sonoma County History and Genealogy Library

Resources

History and Genealogy Collections

A comprehensive collection of Sonoma County historical works and county, family, and property histories. Learn more

Local History

Print and digital resources focused primarily on the communities, cultures, and unique characteristics of Sonoma County. Learn more

Genealogy

Local, national, and international genealogy resources. Learn more

Sonoma County Archives

County government records dating back to the formation of Sonoma County, as well as a number of the library’s archival collections. Learn more

Playback Memory Lab

A community space for Do-It-Yourself digitization. Learn more

Features

• 4 public computers
• 1 catalog computer
• 1 printer/copier with scanning capabilities
• 2 digital microfilm readers
• 1 photo/document scanner
• 1 overhead book scanner
• 1 television with built-in VHS player
• 1 audio cassette player

For general information about Sonoma County Library’s Special Collections, including donations and reproductions, see Local History Special Collections.

Connect with Us

About the Library

Located in downtown Santa Rosa, the History & Genealogy Library serves Sonoma County residents and visiting researchers with reference, archival, and digital collections on county and regional history and culture, as well as resources for family history research.

The History & Genealogy Library started in 1967 as the “Sonoma County Room” on the upper floor of the Central Santa Rosa Library. In October 1994, the collection relocated to a building adjacent to the library at 725 3rd Street. Since that time, the library has steadily expanded its collections and staff to meet the needs of our growing, changing community.

Visit

The library does not have a dedicated free parking facility. Researchers are encouraged to use metered street, lot, or garage parking. See the Santa Rosa City Parking site for more information.

Eating is not permitted in the library. Drinks must be in a covered, secure container and are not allowed on the reading room tables or near collections.

Materials from the collections are available in the library only and do not circulate/cannot be checked out. You may wish to bring a camera or phone with camera capabilities, a flash drive, and note-taking materials.

In addition to permitting no-flash photography (please no tripods or personal scanners), we offer a number of self-serve copying options including a tabletop scanner and copier.

To extend the life of rare or fragile items in the collection:

• Ensure your hands are clean and dry before handling materials.
• Use book cradles to support fragile material (staff will provide assistance).
• Use provided gloves when handling photographs or slides.
• Do not put pressure on the spine of a book to flatten the pages.
• Do not lean or write on top of the materials.

Printing

The library offers free printing during branch visits and a free ePrinting service. The library offers up to $5 of free printing per day per person. Additional printing is $0.15 per page (black & white) and $0.50 per page (color).