The North Carolina Room - (336) 703-3070
LOCAL & STATE HISTORY, GENEALOGY, CULTURE & GOVERNMENT
GROUND FLOOR - The North Carolina Room is a special collection of the Forsyth
County Public Library. Our department focuses on local and state history, genealogy,
culture, biography, travel, literature and folklore, as well as federal, state and
local government information. Our collection includes the Photograph Collection
(housed on the second floor), microfilm and microfiche, as well as a map collection.
Because we house many rare and out-of-print resources, genealogical manuscripts,
and microform materials, we are a non-circulating (building use only) research collection.
Computers for online research on any topic related to the North Carolina Room are
available and may be reserved up to a day in advance. Computer scanners are also
available to convert microfilm and photographic images into digital files. A staff
member will always be available to assist you with your research.
Related Online Resources from the Library
Forsyth County Public Library Newspaper Index
The Newspaper Index allows users
to search for articles in five local newspapers, Winston-Salem Journal,
The Sentinel, Union Republican, Winston-Salem Chronicle
and Clemmons Journal. The database was created as a project by library staff in
the 1990s to index newspaper articles by assigning them subject headings. The project
began in 1992 and ended in 1999 but library staff also entered citations for articles
from newspapers back to the early part of the 1900s. Many of the citations were
transcribed from cards that indexed newspapers beginning in 1976.
When searching the index keep in mind:
- It is not a full text database. Keywords in the title, terms in a list of subject
headings, dates and newspaper sources are all that can be searched. To see an article
you must use the microfilm of the newspaper in the North Carolina Room or in another
library.
- It is not comprehensive. All articles from the newspapers were not indexed. Advertisements
were not indexed.
- Given that the database was created years ago and entries were made by many people
over time errors may be encountered. Please
contact the library when errors are found and we will try to correct them.
- Results can be sorted by clicking on the column heading. For example, by clicking
on the Article Date column articles will be sorted in ascending or descending order.
View the Library Newspaper
Index
More Ways to Find Newspaper Articles.
The library subscribes to an online index to Winston-Salem Journal which begins
coverage in 1997. It can be accessed on the library’s
Online Resource page or just click
here.
The North Carolina Room has a large collection of Vertical Files organized by subject
headings that contain many clippings from local newspapers as well as other materials.
The North Carolina Room has microfilmed copies of local newspapers and some national
newspapers going back, in some cases, over a century and they can be browsed anytime
the library is open.
Photograph Collection
The Photograph Collection of the Forsyth County Public Library consists of five
collections of historical photographs. The collections are those of Frank B. Jones,
Jim Keith, Bill East, Bill Ray and Coppedge Studios. Photographs in the collections
date from the end of the 19th century to current day and feature images of local
buildings, homes, street scenes, people, and city events. Many of the photographs
were taken for use in the local newspapers, and others are professional portraits.
Access to this restricted collection is through appointment, although many of the
photographs from the collections can be viewed on the website www.digitalforsyth.org. The Digital Forsyth website is also
accessible from a link on the library’s website.
Questions about these and other photographs in the collection can be directed to
Molly Rawls, Photograph Collection Librarian, at (336) 703-3072 or at rawlsmg@forsythlibrary.org. Permission must be obtained from
the Photograph Collection Librarian to use the photographs in any form.
Government Information
Forsyth
County Public Library is a part of the Federal Depository Library Program. To find
out more about the program and to access federal documents, go to www.gpoaccess.gov. Our Library is also a depository of the
North
Carolina State Publications Clearinghouse. As a result the library is an
ideal place to locate federal and state government information. Almost all printed
and microfiche documents are located on the ground floor in the NC Room. Also in
the NC Room are county and city ordinances and some legal resources such as Supreme
Court decisions. The NC Room also has research computers dedicated to locating government
information. Computer scanners are also available to convert microfilm, photographs,
text, videotape, cassettes and slides into digital files. Thanks,
Websites for North Carolina & Local Government Information
GPO Access Websites
Local and N.C. Law
The North Carolina Room is the place for finding information about local and state
laws. Much of what you are looking for can be found through the links below. Physically
located within the department are the print versions of North Carolina General Statutes,
Forsyth County Code, and Winston-Salem City Codes. You can use these works to find
information about landlord/lease laws, noise ordinances, and much more!
Also located in the N.C. Room are the Building Codes. Here you can find out what
is legal and illegal when building or remodeling your home. It's a great source
to check before you tear down that wall or want to see if your contractor is following
the codes.
Feel free to stop by or give us a call at (336) 703-3070.
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