Local History & Genealogy
From books, to maps, and everything in between, you can find a variety of digitized materials from our local history collection. Partial funding for digitization was made possible through a grant from the Park Foundation to encourage sustainability through remote access of library materials.
You can also access HeritageQuest Online from our library computers to search census records, books, and documents for information about your ancestors. Want to search HeritageQuest from home? Log into your account, click on the Online Databases tab, and then select "Genealogy & Family Research" to see links for HeritageQuest and New York Heritage.
We can provide limited research on topics of local history or interest where the information sought is unique to the collection of the library. The Tompkins County Research Service is available to individuals and/or organizations for whom it is impossible to visit the library in person.
For additional resources, visit the following websites:
The History Center in Tompkins County
New York Heritage Digital Collections
Library of Congress New York State Guide
The Library of Congress web guide contains a variety of materials specifically relating to New York State, including manuscripts, documents, photos, books and maps. This site also provides links to websites such as:
The U.S. GenWeb Project
Genealogy websites for genealogical research in every county and every state of the United States.
Cayuga Heights History Project
Upcoming Events
Baby & Toddler Storytime
Caregivers and their children are invited to join Cassie for music, rhymes, movement and books. Storytime will be followed by a playtime from 11-12. Come and join the fun while building early literacy skills!
Trafficking Awareness and Clothesline Project Event Hosted by The Advocacy Center of Tompkins County
January is Trafficking Awareness Month.
Join the Advocacy Center of Tompkins County to get educated on the topic of sex trafficking and connect with local resources and organizations that assist survivors.
Makerspace Open Hours
Drop-in for Open Hours - registration is not required.
Study Buddies
The study buddies program is brought to you for Ithaca students, by Ithaca students. High school student volunteers will be matched up with younger students for homework help and general tutoring.
Family Storytime
Children of all ages and their caregivers are invited to celebrate reading and build their early literacy skills at Family Storytime. We meet each Saturday for stories, songs and hands-on fun.
Families Learning Science Together
Children ages 5 and up and their families are invited to a free science program co-hosted by Chemists for Outreach and Graduate Inclusion (CoRGi) at Cornell University.
Baby & Toddler Playtime
Baby & Toddler Playtime is an unstructured play and social time for children and caregivers offering a warm, child-friendly space with books and age-appropriate toys.
Learn to Sew One-on-One
Learn the basics of using a modern sewing machine!
Join Therese for a one hour instructional introduction to sewing. You will learn the parts, threading, and basic use of the machine.