Genealogy Guide: United States

“A History of City Directories in the United States and New York City” with links to the library’s holdings and to other sources is available here.

These microfilms or microfiches are available at the Milstein Division of U.S. History, Local History and Genealogy, Microforms Rm. 119:

• NYC City Directories (Manhattan and parts of the Bronx): 1665, 1786 ‑1861, 1863-1918, 1920-1925, 1931-1934
• Brooklyn City Directories: 1796, 1802/3, 1811/12, 1822‑1826, 1829‑1910, 1912-1913, 1933/4.
• Trow’s Directory for Queens: 1902, 1904, 1906-1910, 1912.
• Polk's NYC Directory, Boroughs of Queens and Richmond (Staten Island): 1933/4.
• Staten Island Directories: 1835, 1882-84, 1886, 1888-1899, 1903, 1906, 1912-14, 1921-24, 1928/29, 1933, 1934, 1936.

In addition, the 1898 Trow’s Directory for Queens is available through the reference desk of the Milstein Division, Rm. 121.

The New York Public Library possesses microfilmed or microfiche city directories for many U.S. cities besides New York, including Philadelphia, Baltimore, Chicago, and many smaller cities. These microfilms or microfiche are available at the Milstein Division, Microforms Rm. 119.

• New York State City Directories, ca. 1898‑1960s.
• City directories for about 300 U.S. cities, 1752‑1860 and 1861‑1935.
• London City Directories, 1677‑1855.

Current paper telephone directories for the 5 boroughs of New York City are available in the General Research Division, Rose Main Reading Room, Rm. 315; in the Wallace Periodical Room, Rm. 108; and on open shelves in the Periodicals and Microforms Reading Room, Rm. 100.

An incomplete set of paper telephone directories (except in states beginning with “A”, which have been microfilmed) before 1976 for most other major U.S. cities is in the closed stacks and may be requested in the Periodicals and Microforms Reading Room, Rm. 100.  A microfiche collection of telephone books for many U.S. cities for 1976-2005 is also available in the Periodicals and Microforms Reading Room, Rm. 100.

Microfilmed telephone directories for Manhattan for 1942-1949, 1953, and 1957-1961 may be found in the Milstein Division of U.S. History, Local History and Genealogy, Microforms Rm. 119.

The following microfilmed telephone directories from the New York City area, including many by address (reverse directories) are also available in the Periodicals and Microforms Reading Room, Rm. 100:

The Manhattan reels from 1878-1929 include various parts of the tri-state area such as Brooklyn, Bronx, Long Island, New Jersey, Westchester, and Connecticut, with each reel varying in inclusion.  There are also some combined reels for Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, and Staten Island covering the 1920s.

Cole’s Cross Reference Directories from 1971 through the present are also available at the Science, Business and Industry Library at 188 Madison Ave. at 34^th St., New York, NY 10016.

Below are examples of the format subject headings used to find city directories in the NYPL catalog:

• New York (N.Y.) -- Directories. 
• New York (N.Y.) -- Commerce -- Directories. 
• Bronx (New York, N.Y.) -- Directories.

For non-NY directories, the subject heading is usually by the town or city, but sometimes also goes by county.  For example:

• Dayton (Ohio) -- Directories
• Tombstone (Ariz.) -- Directories.
• Essex County (N.J.) -- Directories.
• Westchester County (N.Y.) -- Directories.

Paper copies of the following can be obtained at the New York Public Library’s General Research Division.

• Foreign telephone directories (many stored off-site and must be requested in advance)
• U.S. and Canadian city and telephone directories (stored off-site and must be requested in advance).

The New York Public Library
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