The Hoboken Public Library historical collection is located on the second floor of the Hoboken Public Library. Please call ahead 201-420-2347 to make an appointment to view items in the collection. You may also call or email hobkref@bccls.org with brief questions. There is no charge for this service. (please note: our newspapers on microfilm are not indexed so you need to provide us with the date as well as a time span of no more than a few weeks for your search).

Books

The library's historical collection includes over 600 books focused on the history of Hoboken as well as original documents such as council minutes from the early 1900's.

The library is also in the process of digitizing some of the books so that their contents will be preserved. Soon these digitized books will be available to be viewed from a portable hard drive in the library.

Photographs

The library has a collection of over 1,000 black and white historical photos. The library, in conjunction with the New Jersey Digital Highway Project, now offers many of the historical photographs online.
Go to NJDigitalHighway and choose the Hoboken Historical Photographs under collections in the advance search to see our photographs.

The library also has black and white photographs taken by Caroline Carlson between 1970 and 1975 collected in a binder, as well as recent color photographs taken by Jerry Dougherty.

Oral History Transcripts

Also included in the collection are transcripts from the Oral History Project, a collaboration between the Friends of the Hoboken Public Library and the Hoboken Historical Museum, to preserve memories of a variety of Hobokenites including people from all walks of life: local business owners, a former mayor, and factory workers during the 20th Century.

Jersey City and Hoboken City Directories on Microfilm

1861-1898; 1902-1911; 1915; 1922-1923; 1925-1926

Newspapers on Microfilm

Jersey Journal

May 2, 1867-Dec 31, 1956; Jan 3, 1995-Dec. 31, 1955; Jan. 2, 1982-Dec. 31, 1982, Jan. 1984-Present (we are currently in the process of acquiring more years; the Jersey City Library has a complete collection of the Jersey Journal on microfilm)

New York Times

Jan.1, 1988-Present

Hoboken Reporter

Sept 21, 1983-Dec. 27, 1992 (also original paper copies from 1989-Present)

Corporate Reporter/Modern Times

Oct. 9, 1986-Nov. 9, 1989

Hudson Review/Hudson Current

April 19, 1990-Jan. 6, 1993

Hoboken Advertiser

Feb. 2, 1878-June 2, 1883

Hoboken Pictorial

Jan. 8, 1960-Dec. 31, 1970

Census on Microfilm

New Jersey Federal Census

1850; 1860; 1870; 1880; 1900; 1910; 1920

New Jersey State Census

1885; 1895; 1905

Vertical Files

Newspaper clippings, flyers, pamphlets, and some photographs are collected on a variety of topics such as Churches, Schools, etc. in our vertical file collection.

Scrapbooks on Microfilm

Scrapbooks have been microfilmed on topics such as World War I, Ships, and Prohibition, as well as on the town of Hoboken from Nov. 1960- Dec. 1990.

Maps and Atlases

The library has a collection of historic maps and atlas. Please note that many are in very fragile condition and require staff assistance to view. The Sanborn Maps of New Jersey from 1906-1938 are also on Microfilm.

Sinatra Collection

The library has a collection of books, photographs, cds, and vertical files on one of our most famous former Hobokenites.