Below are some useful sources for Rhode Island history research. Some are only available inside Rhode Island libraries, others can be accessed from home.
Ancestry Library Edition
Access billions of genealogy records including Census, SSDI & Military records. Available for use inside the library only.
Digital Commonwealth
Digital Commonwealth is a non-profit collaborative organization, founded in 2006, that provides resources and services to support the creation, management, and dissemination of cultural heritage materials held by Massachusetts libraries, museums, historical societies, and archives. Digital Commonwealth currently has over 200member institutions from across the state. The site is managed by Boston Public Library.
FamilySearch
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints provides FamilySearch free of charge to everyone, regardless of tradition, culture, or religious affiliation.
Warwick Public Library is an affiliate library.
HathiTrust Digital Library
HathiTrust was founded in 2008 as a not-for-profit collaborative of academic and research libraries now preserving 18+ million digitized items in the HathiTrust Digital Library.
The Internet Archive
The Internet Archive is used extensively by libraries and other cultural organizations to store their digitized items. It holds more that 44 million digital print objects.
The Library of Congress
The Library of Congress is the largest library in the world, with millions of books, films and video, audio recordings, photographs, newspapers, maps and manuscripts in its collections. So far more than 9 million items have been digitized.
The National Archives: Boston
The National Archives at Boston holds the permanent records of Federal agencies and courts located in the six-state New England region.
Providence Journal
Provides access to the Providence Journal newspaper from 1981 – Present. Includes images from 2017 – Present. Remote Users: Enter your 14-digit Warwick Public Library card number.
Providence Journal: Obituaries
Provides access to the Providence Journal Obituaries & Death Notices December, 1981- Present. Remote Users: Enter your 14-digit Warwick Public Library card number.
Rhode Island Digital Newspaper Project
Rhode Island Digital Newspaper Project from the Rhode Island Historical Society, through the Library of Congress, as part of the Chronicling America Project.
The RIHS lists the newspapers held in their collection.
Rhode Island Genealogical Society
Rhode Island Genealogical Society publish the Rhode Island Roots Magazine quarterly, which is available to members online. If you are not a member, Newport Public Library has print copies in their Special Collections room.
Rhode Island Cemetery Commission
Rhode Historical Cemetery Commission is the go-to if you are searching for a grave. It is overseen by the State of Rhode Island Historical Preservation & Heritage Commission.
Rhode Island Judiciary Records Center
Rhode Island Judiciary Records Center contains civil cases, criminal cases and divorce cases 1671-1900, and naturalization papers 1671-1982.
The Rhode Island State Archives
The Rhode Island State Archives is responsible for preserving and maintaining access to the permanent, historical records of State government. Their website contains digital copies of more than 10 million records dating back to 1638.
State of Rhode Island Historical Preservation and Heritage Commission
The Rhode Island Historical Preservation & Heritage Commission (RIHPHC) has produced 58 publications about each of the state’s 39 towns and several historic neighborhoods, as well as for thematic studies. Although the publications are out-of-print, they remain invaluable resources for researchers, armchair explorers, and residents.
The Online Review of Rhode Island History
Online Review of Rhode Island History is a website full of great free articles.
Warwick Beacon
Digital Archives of the Warwick Beacon 1960 - Present .
Available for use inside the library only.
Sanborn Fire Maps
Free access to Sanborn Maps from the Library of Congress.
Warwick Yearbooks
Yearbooks digitized by Warwick Public library.
We also have a larger print collection. Ask us about donating your yearbook to the library.
Worldcat
WorldCat.org is a great resource for locating unique, trustworthy materials that you often can’t find anywhere except in a library. And by connecting thousands of libraries’ collections in one place, WorldCat.org makes it easy for you to browse the world’s libraries from one easy search box.
Worldcat has linked its records to full text digitized items, where available.