What are the genealogy resources inside the New Hampshire State Library?

 Last week the New Hampshire lawmakers tried to shutter the New Hampshire State Library, just across the street from the statehouse in Concord.  In my 26 March 2025 blog post I outlined the story of how public reaction was so strong that the lawmakers stopped pushing for closure, but instead cut the budget to the State Library.  The federal government also cut the budget for libraries, including state and local public libraries, so we will have to wait and see how this affects service, staffing, and support for the New Hampshire State Library.

I've been using this library for many years for genealogical research and to study local history.  It's one of the best resources for family history north of the New England Historic Genealogical Society.  It's also located right next across the street to the New Hampshire Historical Society library (another invaluable resource with many compiled genealogies and unique manuscripts), so if you need something additional you can just walk right over.  The Concord Public library is a block away, too.  All three libraries have unique collections.  Only the NH Historical Society requires an admission or membership. 

Inside the NH State Library, behind the circulation desk on the first floor, is the genealogy room, AKA the New Hampshire Room. It looks like the biggest room in the building, and the NH Supreme Court met here until 1970. The card catalog to the entire building is online, there are 4 microfilm readers, and a photocopy machine. There is a computer to access Ancestry. Best of all, the highly trained staff is ready to assist you (mail requests for photo copies are available, too).  In the genealogy room you can find the following items:

County and Town Histories (on the left as you enter), where you can find mentions of the first settlers and many town histories have a genealogy section in the back of the book.  My favorite town histories are those books which have more pages devoted to genealogy than to the history!

Compiled Family Histories, about 2400 books, on the left and back walls. Many are out of copyright and can be found at Archive.org or Google books, but many new books are also on the shelves and unavailable any where else in New Hampshire.  There is a copy of Index to Genealogies in New Hampshire Town Histories, by William Copely, to help you find your relatives and ancestors. 

The Mayflower Silver Books, DAR Lineage books, The Tan Books (Vital Records for Massachusetts towns to 1850), 

American-Genealogical & Biographical Index, Boston Transcript Genealogy Columns (1896 - 1941) on microfiche. 

To the left there are NH Newspapers on microfilm - many are very old newspapers no longer active, some date back to the 1700s.  Also included is the Concord Monitor obituaries between about 1948 to 2014. There are finding aids for the microfilm.  Granite Monthly magazine 1877 - 1930 with an index. The NH Notables series also at Archive.org and Family Search. 

Also in the building:

Early Town Records (about 1640 - about 1830)with a name index.  Some are available on Family Search. Also Town and City Reports from the 1800s to the present (also online at UNH).  The Sargent Name Index to records on microfilm. 

1790 - 1940 NH Census Records 

Gravestone inscriptions from New Hampshire and Maine (more at the NH Historical Society)

Church records (more at the NH Historical Society)

New Hampshire State & Provincial Papers, (40 volumes) with an index (also online at the NH Archives or at UNH). This is a valuable resource I have blogged about many times. 

Many maps including the Sanborn fire insurance maps, county maps, and the 1892 NH Town and City Atlas by D. H. Hurd.  

Directories- town and city directories, phone books (1950s to the present) (The New England Telephone Museum in Warner, New Hampshire also has phone books). 

For the truly curious:

The New Hampshire State Library, 20 Park Street, Concord, NH   https://www.nhsl.dncr.nh.gov/   

The New Hampshire State Library Genealogical Resources:   https://www.nhsl.dncr.nh.gov/collections/genealogical-resources   

26 March 2025 blog post about the New Hampshire State Library budget cuts:   https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2025/03/new-hampshire-state-library-budget-cuts.html  

If you are a member of the New Hampshire Society of Genealogists, there is a video from 15 March 2022 available to members of Rebecca Stockbridge's lecture "New Hampshire State Library's Genealogical Resources" with two handouts.  

Also, see my 10 May 2019 blog post "Researching Your Ancestors in Concord, New Hampshire":   https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2019/05/researching-your-ancestors-in-concord.html   

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To cite/link to this blog post: Heather Wilkinson Rojo, "What are the genealogy resources inside the New Hampshire State Library?", Nutfield Genealogy, posted April 8, 2025, ( https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2025/03/what-are-genealogy-resources-inside-new.html: acessed [access date]).