Arizona Collection

The Arizona Collection is a continuation of the 1864 Territorial Library. As such, it contains many items not found in other libraries. The collection is located in the Polly Rosenbaum Archives and History Building, 1901 West Madison, Phoenix, AZ 85009-5229. Materials are available for viewing by appointment in the Reading Room, Monday - Friday 8:30 am - Noon and 1 pm - 4:30 pm, excluding holidays. Click here to ask a question or make an appointment.

The Arizona Collection houses a wide variety of materials, including:

  • Historical and contemporary books and reports about the history, politics, and culture of Arizona
  • Periodicals about the history, politics, and culture of Arizona
  • Biographies about prominent Arizonans
  • City and county reports, such as annual financial reports, transportation studies, and waste management policies
  • City and telephone directories
  • High school and college yearbooks
  • Various materials to aid in genealogical research
  • Select theses and dissertations about Arizona-related topics
  • Subject and biographical vertical files

To learn more about the items available in the Arizona Collection, search our online catalog.

Many items have been digitized or are in the process of becoming digitized. They are available on the Arizona Memory Project Arizona Collection page.

additional resources for researchers

Arizona State Legistlators: Then and Now provides information about past and present legislators. This database is updated whenever possible.

Arizona Biographical Database lists whether we have come across references to Arizonans of note in our collections (newspaper articles, obituaries, vertical files, etc.). Note: this database is not comprehensive.

Arizona Almanac provides factual information about the state and is recommended for teachers, students, and first-time researchers.

Research Guides include finding aids, how-to's, and additional information about all of the State of Arizona Research Library's collections.

Click here to ask a question or make an appointment.