Local History
The Public Library of Brookline preserves and provides access to materials that document the history of Brookline. The Brookline Room at the Brookline Village location is our dedicated space for local history materials and is open during regular library hours. Materials in the Brookline Room do not circulate, and some items require an appointment to view. Need more information or interested in setting up an appointment? Contact an archivist!
Print and Microfilm Collection
Our print and microfilm collections are searchable via our catalog.
Keyword searching of a selection of our microfilm and print holdings is also available.
Digital Collections
Brookline Annual Reports (1846-2017)
ARCHIVAL MATERIAL
INSTANT ACCESS| ALL CARDHOLDERS
Browse and search digitized copies of Brookline’s annual reports (1846-2017) through the Library’s Internet Archive collection.
Brookline Historical Society Map Collection
ARCHIVAL MATERIAL
INSTANT ACCESS| ALL CARDHOLDERS
Find digitized maps of Brookline from as far back as 1636 through the Brookline Historical Society’s Map Collection.
Brookline Newspaper Archive
NEWSPAPERS
INSTANT ACCESS| ALL CARDHOLDERS
Search back issues of Brookline Chronicle, The Chronicle, The Brookline Press, The Brookline Townsman, and more local newspapers with fully scanned originals available for browsing, scanning, downloading.
Brookline Photograph and Manuscript Collections
ARCHIVAL MATERIAL | PHOTOGRAPHS
INSTANT ACCESS| ALL CARDHOLDERS
Browse by name or keyword for a selection of photographs and manuscripts from the Library’s archival collections.
Brookline Street Lists (1891-2016)
ARCHIVAL MATERIAL
INSTANT ACCESS| ALL CARDHOLDERS
Browse and search digitized copies of Brookline’s Town Street Lists (1891-2016) through the Library’s Internet Archive collection.
Murivian (1923-2016)
ARCHIVAL MATERIAL
INSTANT ACCESS| ALL CARDHOLDERS
Browse and keyword search digitized scans of the Brookline High School yearbook the Murivian (1923-2016) through the Library’s Internet Archive collection.