State Historical Society of Iowa

Welcome to the State Historical Society of Iowa

Building Info and Hours
The Library and Archives branch in Des Moines holds an extensive collection of Iowa County records on microfilm and the State Archives. Both locations hold significant collections of published materials including county histories, manuscripts, and Iowa newspapers. To learn more about the collections available, please visit the Research section on the State Historical Society of Iowa Website

Holiday Schedule
Closed official state holidays. Holiday 2022 Research Center Schedule:
 * Closed, Friday, November 11
 * Open, Tuesday, November 22
 * Closed, Thursday, November 24
 * Closed, Friday, November 25

Tours
Tours of the Research Center are currently not available.

Tips
The State Historical Society of Iowa team will assist you in the Library and Archives Research Center by directing you to pertinent collection guides, recommending sources of information, filling reproduction orders and scheduling additional research appointments. For the safety and well-being of other patrons and staff prior to your visit, if you are feeling unwell, please stay home and contact staff to reschedule your appointment. In preparation for your visit, following are the Library and Archives Research Centers health and safety guidelines, use policies and procedures, and a few tips to ensure you have a great research experience. Please [mailto:history.research@iowa.gov contact us] if you have any questions about your visit. Upon arrival, check in at the welcome desk.
 * Make an appointment for your Library and Archives Research Center visit at least two days in advance and communicate to staff which collections from closed stacks you need during your visit. For more information on our holdings please visit our collections page, general catalog and the library catalog.
 * Wearing a face mask during your visit is optional. Face masks are available at the reference desk.
 * To help preserve Iowa History Collections, wash your hands with soap and water rather than using alcohol-based hand sanitizers.
 * Store your coat, purse, briefcase, fanny pack, equipment case or other similar items in one of the lockers provided. Lockers take two quarters that are automatically refunded when you return the key. As a security measure, all personal notes and equipment are subject to search when you leave the center.
 * Bring a pencil. Pens or markers of any type are not permitted in the center. Pencils are provided.
 * Food and beverages are not allowed in the Library and Archives Research Center. In Des Moines a break area and vending machines are located in the 2nd floor east lobby area.
 * Smoking is prohibited in State Government Buildings and on the State Capitol Complex.
 * The materials you’ve requested will be ready for you to access at a reserved seat in the Library and Archives Research Center.
 * Staff will reserve collections for patrons who have made appointments to use collections across multiple and consecutive days.
 * Patrons should leave collection materials on the assigned table when finished so they can be placed into a 24-hour quarantine prior to re-shelving by staff.
 * Photocopy service is provided by staff. Copies of maps, manuscripts, photographs and state archives materials are available unless prohibited by state law, copyright or curatorial restrictions.
 * You may use an audio recorder, laptop, tablet or camera. Please check with the staff to ensure your equipment doesn't inconvenience others.
 * All collections must stay in the Library and Archives Research Center and cannot be checked out or taken to another area of the building.
 * Collections from our other Research Center are sometimes available through interorganizational loans.

Hardware/Equipment and Collection
Des Moines Center: There are over 100,000 books and published materials, thousands of microfilm reels containing county records and Iowa newspapers, over 5,000 ft. of manuscripts and 40,000 ft. of State Archives collections. Iowa City Center: There are over 160,000 books and published materials; thousands of microfilm reels of Iowa newspapers, and over 5,000 ft. of manuscript collections.
 * 2 OPAC computers (internet access), 2 printers/copiers, 3 microfilm/microfiche readers
 * 2 OPAC computers (internet access), 2 printers/copiers, 8 overhead microfilm readers, 3 microfilm readers/scanners (can capture PDF files of frames), 1 Scannex high resolution document scanner

Interlibrary Loans
The State Historical Society of Iowa Research Centers lends microfilm of newspapers, census records and other materials listed below to your local library. Other collections, including books and printed materials, are only available at the Research Centers, however materials may be sent to the center that is most convenient for you.

How to Make a Request

Identify which Research Center holds the microfilm you wish to borrow. Visit your local library to make an interlibrary loan request. Ensure that the library submits the request using the American Library Association (ALA) approved form and includes a return-shipping label. Send the request form to the appropriate Research Center.
 * Interlibrary Loan State Historical Society of Iowa 600 E Locust St. Des Moines, IA 50319-0290 (515) 281-6200
 * Interlibrary Loan State Historical Society of Iowa 402 Iowa Ave. Iowa City, IA 52240-1806 (319) 335-3916

Books:


 * General history books for Iowa and other states; city directories; plat maps; cemetery surveys; biographies and memoirs; school yearbooks; selected government documents; and extensive genealogy resources are available in the libraries; periodicals.

Censuses:


 * Iowa Federal and State Censuses are available for 1840, 1850, 1856, 1860, 1870, 1880, 1885, 1900, 1910, 1915, 1920 and 1930. Special schedules: Mortality, agricultural, industrial, and social census records for selected years in the libraries’ reading rooms.


 * Iowa Mortality Schedules are available for 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880. Family Search, Ancestry.com
 * Iowa State Census, Special Censuses 1836-1860 Ancestry.com
 * Iowa State Census 1885, 1895, 1905, 1915, 1925 Family Search, Ancestry.com
 * United States Census 1830, 1840, 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880, 1900, 1910, 1920, 1930, 1940 Family Search, Ancestry.com

Other Materials

 * Photo Collections - about a half million from daguerreotype to digital. A webpage has been created on the Flickr's photo-sharing site to showcase some representative portions of the holding.
 * Newspapers - from hundreds of communities from all of Iowa’s 99 counties from 1836 to the present. The collection features several foreign language and special interest newspapers published in Iowa.
 * County government records - including marriage, birth and death records, naturalization papers and land deeds. Microfilm copies of many of these county records are available in the libraries’ reading rooms.
 * Manuscript, Audio-Visual and Map Collections - including collections of personal papers; records of organizations an extensive photograph collections; and maps.
 * Census materials - Both state and federal from 1840 through 1930. Special schedules: Mortality, agricultural, industrial, and social census records for selected years.
 * Digital Collections - Maps, children's diaries, photographs, and more.

Statewide Searchable Databases

 * home.html Iowa History Collection Catalog]
 * Civil War Roster and Index
 * Iowa Heritage Digital Collections
 * Iowa Online Genealogy Records
 * Des Moines Register Newspaper Obituary Index
 * Additional obituaries continue to be added on a regular basis.

About Us
The State Historical Society of Iowa has been a trustee of Iowa’s historical legacy since 1857. With a dual mission of preservation and education, it maintains a museum, archives & historical libraries, preservation office, and eight historic sites. These bureaus preserve and provide access to Iowa’s historical resources through a variety of statewide programs, exhibitions and projects while serving as an advocate for Iowa’s past and connector to the future.

Further reading at Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs or Phone: (515) 281-6200 Des Moines, (319) 335-3916 Iowa City.