People often find using the library a little mysterious. Libraries have their own language, but once you master that language, worlds of knowledge open to you. To help you find your way, library staff have created pathfinders and guides that provide the tools needed to research a particular topic.
- Architecture: Homes and buildings of Rochester past and present, and the architects who designed them
- Digital Map Collections in Rochester Images: A guide to maps of Rochester and Monroe County available online, from 1796 to the twentieth century
- Made in Rochester: Researching Businesses in Rochester: A guide to the library’s resources on businesses throughout Rochester’s history
- Many Roads to Freedom: Abolitionism and the Civil War in Rochester: An online history tour with the people, events, places, and writings in the Rochester area related to abolitionism, the Civil War, and its aftermath
- Neighborhood Transitions and Transformation: Wegmans East Avenue mitigation project and the historical transition of one city block
- Raising the Flag: Patriotism in Rochester, 1892-1922: A photo gallery of patriotic images from Rochester’s past
- Robert N. Abbott: Korean War POW and Casualty of Rochester’s Race Riot: A look at the life and legacy of Rochester native Robert Noe Abbott
- Rochester Loves Lilacs! The Story of the Lilac Festival: The history of Highland Park and its famous festival
- Rochester’s First Superhighway: The Erie Canal: Resources from the Central Library of Rochester and Monroe County
- School Heritage Collection: A guide to schools from Rochester’s past, including yearbooks that may be viewed online
- The Susan B. Anthony Letters Collection: Contains personal correspondence of Susan B. Anthony and printed material related to her and the women’s suffrage movement
- A Tour Around Rochester on the Erie Canal from 1850 to the Present: A photo gallery of the canal in Rochester’s history
- Town & Village Pathfinders: See how Hamlin has utilized and beautified its natural resources throughout the years. Explore the daily life in East Rochester a century ago. Learn how Hilton’s fire department was established and grew. Read about the changes the canal brought in business, trade, travel, and everyday life in Rochester
- Underground Railroad: A guide to the history of the Underground Railroad in Monroe County
Research Guides
Library staff have also created a number of research guides to help you conduct in-depth research on the following local topics:
- Civil War Soldiers Research Guide
- Erie Canal Research Guide
- Frederick Douglass Research Guide
- Hiram Sibley Research Guide
- House History Research Guide
- Kate Gleason Research Guide
- Local Civil War Regiments Research Guide
- New York State Vital Records Guide
- Rochester’s Neighborhoods Research Guide
- Rochester Immigrants Research Guide
- Rochester’s African-American History Research Guide
- Rochester’s Riots and Race Relations Research Guide
- Ship Passenger Lists Research Guide
- Susan Brownell Anthony Research Guide
- Women’s Suffrage Research Guide
