Yakima Valley Libraries Special Collections are located at Yakima Central Library in the Northwest Reading Room. The primary focus of Special Collections is local and regional history, from the territorial period through the mid-20th century. Research assistance and access to these materials is available by appointment, onsite or online. Use the Book Appointment button to schedule your appointment.

Relander Collection includes historical manuscript collections, books, private papers, ephemera, maps, and more. Selected portions of the Relander Collection have been digitally preserved and are available online.

Yakima Memory is a digital project that creates digital copies of photographs and documents tied to local history, and then stores those digital copies where anyone with an Internet connection can access them. Created by Yakima Valley Libraries and the Yakima Valley Museum.

Yakima Valley Libraries Online Exhibits bring together information and images from our files about selected topics. Our current exhibits include:

• Fruit Crate Labels This OMEKA exhibit of Yakima Valley Libraries’ fruit crate label collection provides information about the development, production and ultimate use of fruit crate labels.
• WWII Posters shows wartime propaganda posters used to mobilize public support for the war effort.
• Celebrating Yakima’s Carnegie Libraries 1,946 Carnegie libraries were built in the United states. This exhibit explores the Carnegie libraries built in the Yakima Valley.
• Latino-Americans, 500 Years of History This exhibit focuses on Latino cultural and economic contributions to the culture, lifestyle and growth of communities over time throughout the Yakima Valley.
• The Filipino American Story This exhibit highlights the 3rd largest Asian American community, its contributions to the American Labor Movement, contributions to World War II, and the community, cuisine, and history.

Yakima County Heritage includes photographs, documents, and artifacts which tell the stories of Yakima County communities.

Maps and Atlases Find clues to where your ancestors may have lived and learn where to look for written records about them.

Genealogy Resource Gateway is a curated list of genealogy resources that have proven to be of value to researchers.

Historical Newspaper Collection Yakima Valley Libraries has limited runs of past newspapers, some of which are available online. You can also find microfilmed issues available at Yakima Central Library.

School Yearbooks Collection Yearbooks from a variety of schools have been donated to our collection and are available at Yakima Central Library.

Microfilm Resources available at Yakima Central Library.

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