Lancaster County has an extensive history. Originally formed in 1729 from Chester County, Lancaster was one of the doorways to expansion, both southern and western. Over the years, many individuals and families passed through the area leaving pieces of their family history behind. Lancaster Public Library is just one of the many sources available to genealogists in Lancaster County.
Our Collection Includes:
- Census records (microfilm)
- Local newspapers (paper and microfilm)
- Local histories
- Atlases
- Select collection of family histories
- Select church and cemetery records
- Small collection of passenger lists and immigration records
- Lancaster City Directories
Digital Yearbooks
The Lancaster Public Library offers hundreds of print and digital copies of local yearbooks dating back to the turn of the twentieth century. The public can browse print copies of over 400 yearbooks from more than 35 local schools.
Some of the schools in our collection include: Conestoga Valley, Donegal HS, East Hempfield HS, Elizabethtown College, Elizabethtown Area HS, F&M College, Lancaster Catholic HS, Lancaster Country Day School, McCaskey HS, Lancaster Mennonite School, Manheim Township HS, Millersville University, Penn Manor, Pequea Valley, Solanco HS, and Warwick HS.
Stop by library to see all the yearbooks we have to offer.
Access Digital Yearbooks
Now, through POWERLibrary, the public can access digitized copies of the Hempfield School District, McCaskey High School, and Lancaster Catholic High School yearbooks up to the year 1988. All digitized content is accessible on any internet connected computer or mobile device. All digitized content is in the public domain and may be reused freely by the public. All yearbooks are browseable and searchable within the collection.
Click the access button above to search our digitized yearbook collection or follow the directions below.
- Visit www.powerlibrary.org/collections
- Scroll down and click on “Yearbooks”
- Select the Lancaster Public Library Yearbook Collection
Microfilm
Our microfilm collection contains a selection of Lancaster County Newspapers, magazines, United States Census records for Lancaster County from 1790 to 1930, and Lancaster City Directories.