The Glendale History Room at the Glendale Central Library contains books, photographs, pamphlets, maps and periodicals about Glendale and its history. Materials about neighboring cities and California as they pertain to Glendale, and books by local authors are also part of the collection. All materials are listed in the catalog, are for reference only and may not be borrowed. Some materials in the reading room are available for browsing, but most materials are in a closed stack area and must be requested.

The Glendale History Room is open by appointment. Contact Lora Martinolich at 818-548-3749 or by email.

TELL ME: Stories of Migration to Glendale

The Library, Arts & Culture Department received both a California Humanities-For-All Project Grant and a California State Library California Listens grant that has enabled the Library to interview, record, and share the stories of community members and how they came to live in Glendale and surrounding communities. <Learn more> about Ancestry Library workshops coming in June and July 2019.

The Glendale Historical Society celebrates its 40th anniversary with an exciting calendar of special events. Many events are cosponsored by the Library, Arts & Culture Department, including:

• Silent Glendale
  Thursday, February 28, 7:00 p.m., Central Library Auditorium 
• History of the Armenian Community in Glendale
  April, date TBD, Central Library Auditorium
• Landmark This! Workshop on the Glendale Register and Mills Act
  May, date TBD, Brand Library & Art Center Recital Hall
• Master Architects in Glendale
  Thursday, September 19, 7:00 p.m., Central Library Auditorium
• It Started in Glendale
  Thursday, November 7, 7:00 p.m., Central Library Auditorium
• Holiday Party
  Saturday, December 7, 6:00 p.m., Brand Library & Art Center
  
  For more information about these and other great 40th Anniversary programs see The Glendale Historical Society website.

Online Collections: The Library, Arts & Culture Department has made much of its photograph, brochure, and oral history collections available electronically on various websites and databases. Click here to read more about and access or digital collections.

Highlights of Glendale’s history: click here to read about the history of the Glendale Public Library/Library, Arts & Culture Department; or view a gallery of Glendale’s mayors, from the very first President of the Board of Trustees to our current mayor. Plus much more!

Help us add chapters to Glendale's past by sharing or donating your photos and documents. Read More>