Boston Public Library
Social Sciences Department
McKim Building, 2nd Floor
617-859-2261
Clock in Research Library
Genealogy and Family History Resources at the Boston Public Library

Internet Links

Frequently Asked Reference Questions (and Answers)

Bibliographic Key of Sources Indexed in BGMI

Boston High Schools Yearbook Holdings

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About the Social Sciences Department

The Social Sciences Department maintains and provides service for a reference collection covering the following subject areas:

Anthropology, archaeology
Biography
Business and economics
Coins, medals, and heraldry
Criminology
Education
Family and women’s studies
Geography
History, Genealogy
Nonprofits
Numismatics
Recreation
Political science and politics
Social Philosophies
Societies and organizations
Sociology, social history, and social work
Sports
Transportation
Travel
Volunteer opportunities

Among the many highlights of the Social Sciences Department are the genealogy and local histories resources. The separate genealogy catalog provides annotated records of many of the family histories in the library’s collection. Social Sciences also maintains a genealogy vertical file that includes newsletters (from family associations and genealogical societies) and unpublished family histories. The vital records prior to 1850 for many Massachusetts cities and towns are housed in Social Sciences. Also available is full access to the Family Search and Ancestry.com Web sites.

The business collection in the Social Sciences Department is a basic collection that complements the collection at the Kirstein Business Library. It includes directories, annual reports and CD-ROM databases.

The Boston Public Library is a cooperating collection of the national Foundation Center. The foundation collection is located in the Social Sciences Department. The core collection includes directories, newsletters, a selection of annual reports and the FCSearch database. Social Sciences supplements the core collection supplied by the Foundation Center with additional works on grant and proposal writing, local foundations and donor prospecting sources.