People often find using the library a little mysterious. Libraries have their own language, but once you master that language, worlds of knowledge open to you. To help you find your way, library staff have created pathfinders that provide the tools needed to research a particular topic.
- Architecture -- covers homes and buildings of Rochester past and present, and the architects who designed them
- Digital Map Collections in Rochester Images -- a guide to maps of Rochester and Monroe County available online, from 1796 to the twentieth century
- Made in Rochester: Researching Businesses in Rochester -- a guide to the library's resources on businesses throughout Rochester's history
- Many Roads to Freedom: Abolitionism and the Civil War in Rochester -- an online history tour covering people, events, places and writings in the Rochester area relating to abolitionism, the Civil War, and its aftermath
- Raising the Flag: Patriotism in Rochester, 1892-1922 -- a photo gallery of patriotic images from Rochester's past
- Rochester Loves Lilacs! The Story of the Lilac Festival -- the history of Highland Park and its famous festival
- School Heritage Collection -- a guide to schools from Rochester's past, including many yearbooks which may be viewed online
- The Susan B. Anthony Letters Collection -- contains personal correspondence of Susan B. Anthony and printed material related to her and the women's suffrage movement
- A Tour Around Rochester on the Erie Canal from 1850 to the Present -- a photo gallery of the canal in Rochester's history
- Town & Village Pathfinders -- See how Hamlin has utilized and beautified its natural resources throughout the years. Explore the daily life in East Rochester a century ago. Learn how Hilton's fire department was established and grew. Read about the changes the Canal brought in business, trade, travel, and everyday life in Rochester.
- Underground Railroad -- a guide to the history of the Underground Railroad in Monroe County
Research Guides
The library staff have also created a number of research guides to help you use library resources to find out more on elected topics.