Category: News

August 2016 –

Public Can Now View Springfield Directories from the Last 167 Years

Springfield City Library is pleased to announce its inclusion in the Digital Commonwealth, beginning with the digitization of City of Springfield directories. City directories list addresses and business ads, and are used by genealogists, historians, and others researching people and places of the past. Digitization provides an easy way for the public to look through directories online. Once the project is complete in 2017, a full listing of the City of Springfield directories from 1849 – 1989 will be available in the Internet Archive. Directories from 1849-1869 are available thanks to the generosity of Maggie Humberston at the Wood Museum of Springfield History.

The Digital Commonwealth site provides access to thousands of images, documents, and sound recordings that have been digitized by member institutions so that they may be available to researchers, students, and the general public. Digital Commonwealth members receive free digitization services from the Boston Public Library as part of a grant awarded by the MBLC (Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners) and funded by the LSTA (Library Services and Technology Act). Member institution’s collections are included in the Digital Commonwealth, Internet Archive, and Digital Public Library of America. Explore the Digital Commonwealth here.

Visit our Local History and Genealogy page (coming soon) for more information about our collections.

Founded in 1857, the Springfield City Library provides over 800,000 free print, physical, and digital resources for public enrichment.

December 2015 –

Springfield City Library has joined hundreds of Massachusetts libraries to provide a new service called the Commonwealth Catalog that makes it easy for residents to get the resources they need from libraries across the entire state. “It gives our residents access to millions of items beyond our local collection,” said Molly Fogarty, Library Director. “It also helps us save money. We couldn’t possibly afford to own every book our patrons need.”

When Springfield City Library’s network, C/W MARS, doesn’t have an item, residents can use the Commonwealth Catalog to search through all participating libraries in one easy step and sort results by books, audiobooks, or DVDs. Next, they simply request the item and it’s delivered right to any Springfield City Library branch for pickup, usually within a few days. Last year, residents borrowed 6.5 million items from libraries outside their own community.

“Commonwealth Catalog is part of our strong statewide system of sharing library resources,” said Dianne Carty, Director of the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners. “No matter where a resident lives, resource sharing gives everyone the same access to the vast resources available at libraries throughout the Commonwealth.” It includes items from unique public library collections such as the Boston Public Library, as well as academic collections from institutions like the University of Massachusetts Amherst and Bridgewater State University and many other public and special libraries.

Funding for the Commonwealth Catalog is provided by the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners and the Institute of Museum and Library Services. The service is managed by Fenway Libraries Online with participation from the nine automated Massachusetts library networks and several public universities.

While Commonwealth Catalog provides books, audio books, DVDs, and CDs, Massachusetts libraries also provide a wide array of digital resources including eBooks, research databases with information not available through standard online searches, language courses, streaming music and video, and more. Digital and material resources combine to give residents access to over 52.5 million items. Frequently asked questions are addressed on the Commonwealth Caalog’s FAQ page.