Library & Research Services

LIBRARY & RESEARCH SERVICES

OVER 50,000 DERRY TOWNSHIP & HERSHEY ARTIFACTS & RECORDS FOR YOUR RESEARCH

A variety of resources are available to the public and for researchers to assist in genealogical and property documentation, such as church records, cemetery records, and yearbooks, as well as general historical research related to Derry Township and Hershey.

We are pleased to announce that some of our photo collections are online! To browse our current online photo collections, as well as order image reproductions, click hersheyhistory.pastperfectonline.com. You may contact us by email at photos@hersheyhistory.org for assistance.

Due to the extensive number of images in our collection, however, not all images are available online. The good news is that we are regularly publishing new photo catalogs, so check back often.

History Center members automatically receive a 25% discount on all orders.

HOW WE CAN HELP

Independent research can be conducted by scheduling an appointment to visit by calling 717-520-0748 during hours of operation or contact us by email at research@hersheyhistory.org so that a research assistant will be available to maximize the results of your research time. There is no charge for visitors to use our library or resources. But access depends on staff availability.

FEE-BASED RESEARCH SERVICES

Available for genealogical research and other requests, this research service is ideal for individuals who have conducted little to no personal research on their family tree and would like initial genealogical work completed, or individuals who have various other historical questions. Fee-based services include source materials, if available, and a brief report summarizing results. Additional recommendations for in-depth research may be included.

SELF-DIRECTED RESEARCH

In our Library, visitors may use a dedicated laptop to access PDFs. Basic computer skills will be necessary. Visitors wishing to use the laptop must schedule a research appointment. There are instructions on searching the collections, and how to request assistance with your research.

Special Collections: Cemetery Files, Deeds, Family Files, Maps, Newspapers, Obituaries, Oral Histories, and Scrapbooks.

Master Collections: HHC Objects, HHC Archives, and the HHC Library. There are desktop links to the HHC Online Photo Collection (Past Perfect) and the HHC Website.