Brand Blvd. looking towards Broadway, 1930.

Brand Blvd. looking towards Broadway, 1930.

Glendale Galleria interior, first floor, 1977

Glendale Galleria interior, first floor, 1977

Webb's department store at Brand and Wilson, 1962.

Webb's department store at Brand and Wilson, 1962.

The Owl Drug Co. at 100 Block West Broadway at Brand, 1930.

The Owl Drug Co. at 100 Block West Broadway at Brand, 1930.

Brand Blvd. looking north towards mountains, 1967.

Brand Blvd. looking north towards mountains, 1967.

Train car stopped in front of the Glendale Sanitarium on Broadway before continuing on its way into Eagle Rock on the Glendale and Eagle Rock Railway line, circa 1909-1910.

Train car stopped in front of the Glendale Sanitarium on Broadway before continuing on its way into Eagle Rock on the Glendale and Eagle Rock Railway line, circa 1909-1910.

See the latest History Room display, "Flavors of the Past: Exploring Glendale's Culinary History," at the Central Library through August.

See the latest History Room display, "Flavors of the Past: Exploring Glendale's Culinary History," at the Central Library through August.

Glendale History Room Introduction

The Glendale History Room is committed to documenting local history by collecting, preserving and making available to the public materials related to Glendale, California. By preserving the collective memory of our community, we pass on the knowledge of Glendale’s rich and diverse heritage so that present and future generations will learn from the past. 

Accessing the Collection

The History Room is located on the 2nd floor of the Central Library and is open for research by appointment. A Glendale library card is not required. To schedule an appointment or for any other inquiries, please contact glendalehistoryroom@glendaleca.gov or 818-548-2037. (Email is preferred.) 

Digital Resources

California Revealed  - An initiative by the California State Library, this site showcases California-related images from institutions across the state. Materials from GLAC include local newspapers and newsletters beginning in the early 1900s, and images related to Glendale’s aviation history. A keyword search for “Glendale” will yield materials from other institutions. 

Calisphere  - Calisphere is a gateway to primary resources from California institutions. A project of the University of California Libraries, the site contains over 2 million historical records from more than 300 institutions. GLAC’s collections on the site include exhibition catalogs from Brand Library; historical Glendale photographs; and historical promotional brochures. 

Online Archive of California  - A project of the University of California’s California Digital Library, the OAC provides access to finding aids to archival collections from California institutions. Finding aids typically provide descriptions, background information and contents lists of collections held by each institution. Finding aids for the History Room and Brand Library and Art Center are available. 

flickr  - Although GLAC is no longer adding images to flickr, it continues to showcase some of our most notable images related to Glendale history. 

Highlights of Glendale History  - On the City of Glendale site, you’ll find pictorial histories of the Glendale libraries, mayors, and past and present library cards. 

  • READING ROOM USE POLICIES 

     

    All are welcome to visit the Glendale History Room. Please observe the following policies to ensure the preservation of materials. 

    • Materials in the History Room are non-circulating and must be used in the History Room only. 

    • Researchers are required to sign in on the register.  

    • Personal items such as backpacks, purses, bags and coats must be set aside in the designated area. 

    • Pens, markers, Post-it notes are not permitted. Pencils are provided. Laptops are permitted. 

    • Food, drinks or tobacco products are not permitted. 

    • Please exercise care when handling materials. Use one box and/or folder at a time and keep items in the same order as found. 

    • Please see staff if you wish to make any reproductions. 

  • Most materials are related to Glendale history but some are not. Almost all materials can be requested and viewed by patrons but different types of materials require different procedures: 

    Books: Discoverable through our online catalog, library use only. 

    Archives: This includes photos, manuscripts, maps, clippings—basically, nearly everything other than books. Some (not all) archival collections have finding aids in the Online Archive of California. Library use only. 

    Newspapers: We have back issues of the Glendale News-Press on microfilm and print. Library use only. Issues from 1921-1923 of the Glendale Daily Press, the precursor to GNP, are online.

  • Topical and Biographical files Each of these collections have their own tab in this spreadsheet.