In-house Arkansas History and Genealogy Collection at Laman Library
The William F. Laman Public Library is home to the Arkansas History and Genealogy Room and Clifton E. “Gene” Hull Railroad Collection. Here, patrons have access to reference books, vertical files, physical newspapers and their microfilm, city directories, genealogical materials, and more right at their fingertips.
The Railroad Collection largely consists of photographs and ephemera related to railroading in Arkansas and beyond collected by Hull, born in North Little Rock.
Arkansas History & Genealogy Room books are for in-house use only and may not be checked out. You may use your mobile phone to take pictures or scan pages. For physical copies, please ask library staff for assistance.
Books and Journals
The Arkansas History and Genealogy Room has a small collection of reference books and journals for in-house use: many of the books are one of a kind and fragile, so they can only be used in the Genealogy room.
Books are generally sorted into “Arkansas History” and “Genealogy,” then follow the Dewey decimal classification system. Most books in this collection fall within the 900's.
Journals, periodicals, bound newspapers, and city directories are shelved separately, grouped by publication then chronologically by year.
We ask that, when you are finished, you leave the books or journals on the worktable for staff to check in and reshelve.
Unique Equipment
The Arkansas History and Genealogy Room is home to a microfilm scanner, two computers, a photo and document scanner and three audio recorders.
Using the Genealogy computer attached to the microfilm scanner, browse selected film, enlarge, and scan just the articles you want to save to a personal flash drive for future viewing. In order to access the computer and use the scanner, you will need an active library card. Please see a library staff member at the circulation desk to sign up for a free card!
Want some hands-on help with our equipment? Book an appointment with a skilled staff member through our Book-a-Librarian service!
Prepare for Your Visit
Get ready for your visit by reviewing the map of the Genealogy Room! Staff members are available to show you around, or you can reserve a specific time with a staff member in advance through Book-a-Librarian.
The best way to browse the collection is to visit Laman Library whenever the library is open. To browse a selection of the collection online, go to our online catalog and search "Genealogy Collection" in the search bar.
Free Online Tools from the Library!
Discover genealogical and historical sources with HeritageQuest and explore an extensive newspaper archive with Newspapers.com on your personal device. Unlock free access to Ancestry Library Edition by visiting the library in-person!
Want some help navigating our genealogy databases? Click on the name of the database to be taken to a helpful beginner's guide: HeritageQuest, Newspapers.com, and Ancestry Library Edition.
Thanks to the Arkansas State Library for providing access to historical and genealogical databases!