Collections

Book & Document Collections

Our collection contains maps, pamphlets, and other documents for discovering state and local history and genealogy.

Image Collection

Our image collection contains stereoscopic views of the city of Auburn and surrounding areas, photographs of local people and places, and vintage postcards. Many of these images are available online at History Pin.

Newspaper Collection

Our newspaper collection includes bound editions of the Advertiser Journal (1914 – 1931), Daily Advertiser (1903 – 1915), and the Auburn Citizen (1918 – 1963), newspapers on microfilm (1819 – present), and our new newspaper digital archive.
We also offer guidance in using the free online newspaper archive: fultonhistory.com.

Our new microfilm machine, now located within the History Discovery Center, is easy to use and allows visitors to print or save articles of interest.

Digital Archive

Our digital archive currently houses our scrapbook collection.

Special Collection: The Mahoney Case

Ellen Jean Mahoney, a longtime library employee, gathered together a multitude of resources, including magazines, newspaper articles, and letters, on the Auburn Prison/Correctional Facility and Harriet Tubman. She bequeathed these materials to the library upon her death in 1984. In 1985, the library set aside a special cabinet named in her honor to house this collection.

Auburn Correctional Facility

The Mahoney Case carries a large collection of materials, including books and newspaper articles, featuring the history of the Auburn Correctional Facility. In 1985, John Miskell, a retiree of the Auburn Correctional Facility, said that this collection was “one of the finest which can be found anywhere.” (Auburn Citizen, August 4)

Harriet Tubman

The Mahoney Case features a wide variety of Tubman-based materials. The collection includes biographies, magazine articles, newspaper articles, pictures, and copies of personal letters to and about Harriet Tubman.

Collections Disclaimer

Seymour Library’s History Discovery Center collects, preserves, and makes accessible materials that document the record of the past.  The materials in the collections reflect the attitudes, perspectives, and beliefs of the times in which they were created.  Some materials in the historical record may contain offensive language and/or negative stereotypes.  Views expressed in historical items in the collection do not reflect the views of Seymour Library.

Database

Our collections include access to the popular genealogy site Heritage Quest. Please note: Heritage Quest is available at home and in-library.