Archival Collections

The Special Collections Division houses the genealogy and local history materials of the Akron-Summit County Public Library. Our goal is to collect, preserve, and provide access to the history of Summit County, and to continue to maintain one of the area’s most extensive genealogy collections. Additionally, the Special Collections Division houses the archival collections of the Summit County Historical Society.

All archival materials must be used in Special Collections. To search the collections, please see below.

• Archives Catalog
  Search archival materials from Library and Summit County Historical Society collections. (Note: The Archives Catalog serves as an index to our collections and does not include images.)
• Summit Memory
  Search our digital collections of historic photographs, documents, newspapers, artifacts and audiovisual resources from the Library, as well as our partner organizations throughout the county.

Finding Aids

Our archival holdings include many individual collections. Finding aids for each are listed below. To view a PDF on the web, your computer must have the free Adobe Acrobat Reader application installed.

Collection Title	PDF
A
Collection Title	PDF
Acme Man Radio Scripts
Akron's 175th Anniversary
Akron Art Time Capsule
Akron Beacon Journal Spelling Bee News Clippings
Akron Beacon Journal Veterans Projects
Akron Crime Clinic Collection
Akron Digital Media Center Collection
Akron Jaycees Collection
Akron Mineral Society
Akron Motorcycle Dealers and People
Akron OASIS Collection
Arbeiter Saengerbund Freiheit Club Collection
B
Collection Title	PDF
Bain E. “Shorty” Fulton Collection
Berrodin Collection
Beth El Congregation
Bloetscher Collection
Bronson History of Tallmadge and the Western Reserve – Contents
C
Collection Title	PDF
Castel di Sangro Club
Cauffield Collection
Coach House Theatre Collection
Coming Together Project
Coss Collection
Cunningham/Cunningham-McCafferty Funeral Home Records, 1906 – 1966
D
Collection Title	PDF
D. Bruce Mansfield Collection
Daniel and Anna K. Bender Family Collection
David McCann Collection
Dixon Collection
E
Collection Title	PDF
Eastman Collection: Fairy Tales, Myths and Legends
Edwin Shaw Hospital - Briar Hill Cemetery Collection
F
Collection Title	PDF
Fairlawn Garden Club Collection
Fairlawn West United Church of Christ
Fortnightly Study Club Collection
Frank-Klein Collection
Frederick J. Ilse Collection
Furnace Street Mission/ Victim Assistance Program
G
Collection Title	PDF
Garden Forum of Greater Akron Collection
German American Club Collection
Glendale Cemetery 175th Collection
Greater Akron Legal Secretaries Collection
Greater Akron Touchdown Club
H
Collection Title	PDF
H. L. Ginaven Collection
Hal Fry Collection
Harriet Leaf Collection
High Street Christian Church
I
Collection Title	PDF
Imagine Akron 2025
Inventure Place/Inventor's Hall of Fame
J
Collection Title	PDF
Jewish Community Board of Akron Collection
John Morgan Collection
John F. Seiberling Collection
Joseph D. Jesensky Collection
Junior League of Akron Radio Scripts
K
Collection Title	PDF
Kepler Coss Collection of materials about Green Township
Sherwood Kessell Collection
Krumroy Senior Citizens Center Collection
L
Collection Title	PDF
Lawrence Collection
Lewis Tobias Collection
Lighter-Than-Air Collection
Louise Sumner Board Collection
Lutz Collection of Veterans’ Burial Cards
M
Collection Title	PDF
Memories of Downtown
N
Neighborhood History Project
Noble Elderkin Collection
Northern Ohio Golf Charities Collection
O
Collection Title	PDF
Old-Time Athletes Association
Ott Gangl Collection
Ott Gangl Kenley Players Collection
Ott Gangl Ohio Ballet Collection
Our Lady of the Elms Family History Collection
P
Collection Title	PDF
Pfahl Collection
Phi Chapter Delta Kappa Gamma Collection
Pi Beta Phi Akron Alumnae Club
Pierson Collection
Polly Paffilas Collection
R
Collection Title	PDF
Ralph Holaday Collection
Ralph E. (Koehn) Kane Collection
Richard Gardner Collection
Roadway Express Collection
Robert Orr Collection
Robert W. Little Collection
Roderic B. Dibbert Collection
Rubber City Retreads Collection
S
Collection Title	PDF
Saalfield and Werner Publishing Companies Collection
Saint Paul's Catholic Church
Six-Hour Day Collection
Smith-Clouse Collection
Soap Box Derby Collection
Sounds of the City
Summit County Medical Society Collection
Summit Regional Council of Catholic Women
T
Collection Title	PDF
Thomas Knowles Collection
“The Times They Were A-Changin’: Akron Remembers 1968” Oral History Project Collection
Trucking History Collection
Turkeyfoot Island Collection
U
Collection Title	PDF
U.S. Naval Air Station, Akron Collection
V
Collection Title	PDF
Van Dusen and Marquardt Family Collection
Veterans’ Grave Registration Cards
Veterans' Burial Reports
W
Collection Title	PDF
Wallpaper Project
William W. Cox – Mohawk Rubber Company Collection
WITAN (Women in Touch with Akron’s Needs)
Women’s Art League Collection