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Prince George’s Room


 

About

The Prince George’s Room, located in the rebuilt Hyattsville Branch Library, is a noncirculating, local history and genealogy collection. Formerly known as the Maryland Room prior to the demolition and reconstruction of the Hyattsville Branch, The collection reopened under the new name of The Prince George’s Room with the reopening of the Hyattsville Branch on March 30, 2022. In addition, the Prince George’s Room also holds in its collection historic newspapers on microfilm, and collects several local, genealogical and historical magazines and journals. 

Additionally, the Prince George’s Room houses a selection of circulating works–both fiction and non-fiction–from locally based authors. The Prince George’s Room contains the Hyattsville Branch Library’s collection of non-circulating reference works. This selection of books consists of items that are of general interest for users to refer to on a variety of different topics.

 

Collections

The Prince George’s Room collection consists of two broad categories of materials, all of which are focused on the history of Prince George’s County and surrounding areas or genealogical topics. The first and largest category is the collection of print materials, both books and periodicals housed in the open stack area that is accessible to all researchers anytime the Hyattsville Branch Library is open. These materials are cataloged, with a few exceptions. See below for instructions on how to view cataloged items in the Prince George’s Room collection in the library catalog. 

  1. Go to our public catalog.   
  2. Type an asterix/star [*] in the search bar and hit enter or click the magnifying glass icon. 
  3. Look on the left side of the page where you now have options to narrow your search and scroll down until you find the category ‘Assigned branch’, Select Hyattsville Branch [Prince George’s Room Col.] and check the box. 
Newsletters & Periodicals + Newsletters & Periodicals -
  • ASM Ink: Newsletter of the Archeological Society of Maryland, Inc. This monthly publication is an 8 to 12-page newsletter that keeps every member of the Society abreast of the latest archeological news in Maryland, field and lab projects needing volunteers, upcoming meetings, workshops, and talks, Chapter news, legislation and other action affecting archeology, and much, much more.
  • County Business Patterns: Annual edition from the U.S department of commerce Bureau of the census. The report provides information on reporting units, payroll, and employment by industry classification and county location.
  • Maryland archeological month 2022: Maryland Archeology Month focuses on the importance of recording the archeological context of artifacts. Context refers to the physical location where an artifact was found and the artifact's spatial relationship to other objects and cultural features. Context allows artifacts to be linked to specific events, site occupations, and cultural traditions. Context also helps to explain how objects were used, what their significance was, and what role they played in the lives of people in the past.
  • Maryland Genealogical Society Bulletin: Maryland Genealogical Society Bulletin is a periodical publication with genealogical information about Maryland source records, family histories, “how-to” articles to improve genealogical research skills, book reviews, and other features. The Journal is a must for anyone researching their heritage in the state of Maryland.
  • Maryland Genealogical Society Journal: Maryland Genealogical Society Journal is a periodical publication with genealogical information about Maryland source records, family histories, “how-to” articles to improve genealogical research skills, book reviews, and other features. The Journal is a must for anyone researching their heritage in the state of Maryland.
  • Maryland Historical Magazine: Published by the Maryland Center for History and Culture since 1906, the Maryland Historical Magazine is a semiannual, peer-reviewed journal read widely by specialists as well as general audiences. With a circulation of 4,000 copies per issue, it enjoys one of the largest readerships among state historical journals in the nation. The magazine is an indispensable resource for scholars, teachers, families, librarians, archivists, students, independent researchers, and the general public.
  • Potomac Catholic Heritage: The magazine is published by the Catholic Historical Society of Washington, with the purpose of promoting awareness of the catholic history in the Potomac area.
  • Southern Maryland - this is living: Southern Maryland This is Living is a full-color, high-gloss magazine focusing on the unique flavor and outstanding offerings of the Southern Maryland region.
  • Then and Now: Quarterly publication of the Prince George’s County Historical Society, the publication contributes to fulfilling the society mission of preserving and promoting the County’s long and diverse history.

The next category in the collection is a selection of microfilm reels. The majority of the reels are of local newspapers such as the Prince George’s Sentinel, Prince George’s Post, The Bowie Blade, and the Laurel Leader. There are also Sanborn fire insurance maps, historical Prince George’s County records such as court proceedings and assessment books as well as a few other miscellaneous state records. The reels can be used by requesting access from a staff member or submitting a request on The Prince George’s Room Consultations Form. The reading room contains a microfilm/microfiche machine reader for accessing the information on the reels.

Digital Exhibition

Digital Exhibitions

Please fill out this form if you have questions related to our collection.   Consultation Form


Hours of Operation

Mon: 10:00AM to 6:00PM

Tue: 12:00PM to 8:00PM

Wed: 12:00PM to 8:00PM

Thu: 10:00AM to 6:00PM

Fri: 10:00AM to 6:00PM

Sat: 10:00AM to 5:00PM

Sun: 1:00PM to 5:00PM

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