Utah Archives and Libraries

United States Utah  Archives and Libraries

Many archives and libraries have resources such as maps, gazetteers, and other place-finding aids to help you locate information about Utah. They may have collections of previous research, such as family and local histories and biographies. Many have record-finding aids such as guides to their own collections or inventories of records housed elsewhere in the state.

Many societies have libraries and archive holdings, with biographical and genealogical records. These collections will be listed under Utah Societies.

The following libraries and archives are helpful for research in the state of Utah. Search the wiki for the county to locate local libraries, archives, and Family History Centers.

See also United States Archives and Libraries for a more extensive list of libraries on a national basis.

Online Resources

 * Pioneer: Utah's Online Library includes Centennial county history series; Utah historical serial publications; Utah Session Laws from 1851 (requires a [Utah] library card).

The Mountain West Digital Library is a search portal for an aggregation of digital collections from more than 50 universities, colleges, public libraries, museums, and historical societies in Utah, Nevada, and Idaho. It is in partnership with 60 academic libraries, public libraries, museums, historical societies, cities, counties, and state agencies from Utah, Nevada, Idaho, and Hawaii (coming soon: over 60 new partners in Arizona!)

Directories
To locate libraries in Utah, the state library maintains an updated site to public libraries.


 * Utah State Library Directory The directory has links to each library web page, provides addresses, phone numbers, hours, and maps.

State Libraries and Archives
Utah State Archives and Record Service 300 South Rio Grande Salt Lake City, UT 84101-1106 Phone: 801-533-3535 Fax: 801-533-3504 Online Catalog

The Utah State Archives and Records Service is a state government agency that works with records created by other state and local governmental entities in Utah. Records of historical value are housed in our permanent collections and are available for research. See the website for holdings and services which include an online catalog and both inhouse and online documents and photos. .

The Archives shares a the historic Rio Grande building with the Utah State Historical Society. The Research Center serves researchers of both organizations. See Research Center for the hours and link to their site.

Utah State Historical Society 300 Rio Grande Street Salt Lake City, UT 84101-1106 Telephone: 801-533-3535 Fax: 801-533-3504 Online Catalog

The Historical Society and the Utah State Archives and Record Service are both housed in the historic Rio Grande building. They share a research facility, the Research Center where there are thousands of photographs, books, manuscript collections, maps, newspapers and periodicals Center and online. See below for for the hours of operation.

The Utah State Historical Society publishes the Utah Historical Quarterly, a helpful resource for Utah research since 1928.


 * Utah State Historical Society. Utah Historical Quarterly. Salt Lake City: Utah State Historical Society, 1928– . Digital Version at Utah Historical Society; ;

Research Center 300 Rio Grande Street Salt Lake City, UT 84101-1106 Telephone: 801-533-3535 Fax: 801-533-3504

Research Center hours: 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m., Monday - Friday Closed Saturday and Sunday

The Research Center serves both the Archives and the Historical Society.

Family History Centers
Family History Library 35 North West Temple Street Salt Lake City, UT 84150 Telephone: 801-240-2331 Fax: 801-240-1584 E-Mail: fhl@ldschurch.org

This is the largest library devoted entirely to genealogical research in the world. It is also associated with more than 4,500 Family History Centers throughout the world. The holdings include a large collection of Utah records. Information on the hours, holidays, catalog, collection, services, key resources, and how to prepare to visit the library are on the FamilySearch web site.

The following guide book will help in using the library. It gives suggestions on preparing to visit the library, genealogy research tips, and helps in using the library.


 * Parker, J. Carlyle. Going to Salt Lake City to Do Family History Research. 3rd ed. Turlock, California: Marietta Publishing, 1996. ;

A history of the Genealogical Society of Utah was written during the centennial of the society. This book covers the beginning of the society to 1994. It contains a history of the library, of microfilming, and an overview of the Granite Mountain Records Vault.


 * Allen, James B., Jessie L. Embry and Kahlile Mehr. Hearts Turned to the Fathers: A History of the Genealogical Society of Utah. 1894-1994. Provo, Utah: BYU Studies, Brigham Young University, 1995. ;

BYU Family History Library Harold B. Lee Library 150 East 1230 North P. O. Box 26800 Provo, UT 84602-6800 Family History Reference Desk: 801-422-6200 Family History Librarian: 801-422-7661 Fax: 801-538-1050 Internet: BYU Family History Library

Logan Family History Center 50 North Main Logan, Utah 84323 Reception Desk: 435-755-5594

Ogden Large Multi-stake Family History Center 539 24th Street Ogden, Utah 84401 801-626-1132 FAX: 801-626-1129

Riverton FamilySearch Library 3740 W Market Center Dr. Riverton, Utah 84065-8026 801-240-9601

St. George Large Multi-stake Family History Center 355 South 200 East St. George, Utah 84770 435-673-4591



Church Library and Archive
Church History Library The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints History Library 15 East North Temple Street Salt Lake City, UT 84150-3800 Library Telephone: 801-240-2745 Archives Telephone: 801-240-2272 Internet: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints History Library


 * The Church History Library is a stand alone building that sits on the block northeast of Temple Square. You will need to bring identification with a photograph, such as a driver's license, to use some of the records. Church History Library material does not circulate to Family History Centers.

Public Libraries
Logan Library 255 North Main Logan, UT 84321 Telephone: 435-716-9120 Internet: http://library.loganutah.org/


 * The library has received the collection from Everton Library. The Everton collection had around 80,000 genealogical volumes.

Salt Lake City Public Library 209 East 500 South Street Salt Lake City, UT 84111 Telephone: 801-524-8200 Fax: 801-524-8289 Internet: http://www.slcpl.lib.ut.us/

The Salt Lake City Public Library has a good heraldry collection, and better than average Western Americana collection including books about Mormon and other ethnic pioneers. They participate in inter-library loan service. Their noteworthy genealogically related databases include: HeritageQuest Online, The Pioneer (Utah's online library), Utah Digital Newspapers, Digital Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps 1865-1970, Gale Virtual Reference Library, and the Biography Resource Center.

University Libraries and Special Collections
University Libraries may have unique collections useful for history and genealogy. These may include oral history interviews, family collections, and doctoral dissertations, to name a few.

Harold B. Lee Library Brigham Young University 150 East 1230 North P. O. Box 26800 Provo, UT 84602-6800 Telephone: 801-378-2926 Internet lib.byu.edu

Marriott Library University of Utah 295 South 1500 East Salt Lake City, UT 84112 Telephone: 801-581-8364 Fax: 801-585-3464

Merrill-Cazier Library Utah State University 3000 Old Main Hill Logan, UT 84322 Telephone: 801-797-2678 Fax: 801-797-2880

Gerald R. Sherratt Library Special Collections Southern Utah University 351 W. University Blvd. Cedar City, UT 84720 Telephone: 435-586-7945 Fax: 435-586-8152 Email specialcoll@suu.edu

Dixie State University Library Special Collections 225 South 700 East St. George, Utah 84770 Tel. 435-652-7714 Email: library@dixie.edu

Stewart Library Weber State University 2901 University Circle Ogden, UT 84408-2901 Telephone: 801-626-6515 Toll Free 877-306-3140 Fax: 801-626-7045