Pontiac Public Library has a number of local history and genealogy resources available. We look forward to your visit to conduct your historical research. Please be advised that we cannot conduct research for individuals, but we can demonstrate how to use our resources and materials. All individuals conducting research using our rare items will be required to show ID at the circulation desk.
Our local history room features:
- Pontiac Daily Leader, from 1896 – present, on microfilm
- Pontiac Sentinel, from January 5, 1871 – May 7, 1897, on microfilm
- Free Trade and Observer, from January 1884 – December 1899 and 1901 – 1906 on microfilm
- Birth, Death, and Marriage Index to facilitate looking up events in local newspapers on microfilm. The Index includes years 1896 – 1902, 1940 – 1955, 1983 – present
- Plat Maps of Livingston County
- Pontiac Telephone Directories, 1911 – present
- Pontiac Township High School Yearbooks, histories of Livingston County, school district records, photographs, chapbooks, and ephemera related to the history of the city of Pontiac
- Chautauqua Programs, newspaper clippings, and other documents chronicling events held by the Pontiac Chautaqua Association from 1909 – 1929
- Winston Churchill College documents, 1965 – 1972
Many local histories can be located in our online catalog.