Access through freely available web resources such as:

  • Library of Congress Digital Archive
  • Archive Grid
  • Digital Commonwealth – Massachusetts Collections Online
  • Digital Public Library of America
  • Internet Archive – Did you know the Archive hosts a vast collection of resources related to Genealogy and cultural preservation for the use and enjoyment of patrons like you?
    • Genealogy Collection: Resources include: books on surname origins, vital statistics, parish records, census records, passenger lists of vessels, and other historical and biographical documents from various libraries, cultural centers and archives. 
    • Family Genealogy Collection: A collection of almost 4000 books on the genealogy of various families, background in surnames and generational history— dating all the way back to the 1700’s
    • Yearbooks:  Peruse the various preserved yearbooks, featuring the student bodies of high schools, universities, academic institutions, and academies—giving us a modern glimpse into history and possibly cultural connection to the past. 
  • Massachusetts State Library’s Electronic Repository
  • National Archives
    • History Hub – History Hub is the National Archives’ crowdsourced history research platform. On History Hub you can connect with National Archives staff, other agencies, and a community of citizen experts.
  • Open Vault – WGBH Media Library and Archives digital library.
  • Springfield Republican Digital Archive – Explore Springfield history through local news, events, and people with Republican Collection Historical and Current Collection. Search current and archived issues with full-color newspaper pages, full-text articles and content only published online. Access with your CWMARS library card.