Rhode Island Historical Society’s Research Library Reading Room Closure

On December 17, 2013, the Rhode Island Historical Society’s Research Library Reading Room sustained water damage from a mechanical failure. The Library will be closed until further notice. During the pending Reading Room reconstruction, reference staff will not have access to Rhode Island Vital Records, the newspaper microfilm collection, or the genealogical reference resources that are housed in the Reading Room. These collections are undamaged, but inaccessible. Unfortunately, without these collections, we are temporarily unable to answer reference questions about genealogy, family history, or newspaper articles. We will continue to provide copy and ILL copy requests from accessible collections for researchers, but please note that response time may be slower than usual. We have added a webpage of resources that you and your patrons may find helpful in your research endeavors during the time when we are closed.