New York’s Heritage Digital Collections

New York Heritage is a research portal for students, educators, historians, genealogists, and anyone else who is interested in learning more about the people, places and institutions of New York State.

New York Heritage is a collaborative project of eight Empire State Library Network members: Capital District Library Council, Central New York Library Resources Council, Long Island Library Resources Council, Northern New York Library Network,  Rochester Regional Library Council, Southeastern New York Library Resources Council, South Central Regional Library Council, and Western New York Library Resources Council.

New York Heritage offers access to thousands of unique primary source materials.  that can enhance any lesson in the history of New York State and inherently support the New York State K-12 Social Studies Framework and an inquiry-based approach to learning.

You may also find these digital resources helpful.

• New York State Historic Newspapers
  • Rockland County Specific Historic Newspapers
• Hudson River Valley Heritage Newspapers
• Digital Culture of Metropolitan New York
• Library of Congress Primary Source Sets
• ​Digital Public Library of America Primary Source Sets
• History Unbound : New York State resource collections by time period and subject, as well as educator resources including resources aligned to the Framework by grade level, lesson plans, and graphic organizers.
• New York State Archives’ Digital Collections : The New York State Archives’ Digital Collections provides access to photographs, textual records, artifacts, government documents, manuscripts, and other materials. Most items come from the holdings of the New York State Archives, but this collection also includes material from the New York State Museum, State Library, and project partners across New York State.
• Cornell University Library Digital Collections
• New York Public Library Digital Collections
• Winning the Vote : A resource on Western New York suffragists.
• The Missing Chapter: Untold Stories of the African American Presence in the Hudson Valley
• Native Knowledge 360° Lessons & Resources : Explore featured educational resources from the National Museum of the American Indian, including The Haudenosaunee Guide for Educators.