By Nancy Howe

Assistant Director

Each day patrons arrive at the library to use computers, borrow materials, or use library space to get work done. But how many people are aware of the Local History Room and all the wonderful things contained within? We recently spoke with Local History Librarian Bonnie Kisselstein, and here’s what we learned.

The local history collection was started by Ruth Connell, BPL’s first librarian. She put a call out to the members of the Beauchamp Historical Club, asking them to donate items of local interest from their personal libraries. Ms. Connell knew that such a collection would be valued by the Baldwinsville community.

Since that time, the collection has grown to fill the Local History Room at BPL with historical documents and records from the village of Baldwinsville as well as from the towns of Lysander, Van Buren, and Clay. It also contains a collection of books by local authors. The library continues to collect relevant material as it becomes available.

So, what can you find in our Local History Room? While we can’t list everything in our collection, here’s a sample of what you will find: 

• Baldwinsville newspapers (on microfilm)
• Baldwinsville yearbook collection (from 1887 on)
• Environmental Impact Reports (pertaining to this area)
• Materials on the 1st New York Artillery Regiment, Battery B, which served during the Civil War 
• Genealogies of Baldwinsville-area families
• Miss Leslie Voorhees’ collection of cemetery records and several databases of local cemeteries
• New York Ordnance Works – an extensive number of materials including declassified maps and photos
• Christopher Collection of Photographs 

Open during regular business hours, BPL’s Local History Room is available for research or perusing. To access the collections, speak with the librarian at the main Information Desk. For more information about the collection, go to bville.lib.ny.us/local-history/. Mrs. Kisselstein is also available to answer questions by appointment. She can be reached at 315-635-5631 ext. 222 or by email at [email protected].