The Local History/Genealogy Collection includes print and online resources for the Genesee Valley Region.

The purpose of the Local History Collection at the Richmond Memorial Library is to serve as a vital resource for research and education by maintaining a comprehensive collection of local history materials, promoting community understanding and engagement with the past. Our goal is to provide open access to a well-organized and balanced collection that documents Genesee County’s history and people, with a particular focus on Batavia.

The emphasis of this collection will be to maintain, preserve, and classify materials that contribute to the knowledge of the social, civic, religious, economic and cultural life, both past and present, of Batavia, New York and Genesee County. Materials to be held will include books, yearbooks, pamphlets, manuscripts, newspapers, magazines, newsletters, genealogical reference works, bibliographies, directories and guides which include holdings of materials in other manuscript or archival collections, Batavia based publications, published works of local authors, city directories, records of local businesses, schools, photos, prints, current and historic maps, churches, sporting bodies and information in a variety of formats to support research. Materials will emphasize individuals, groups and organizations whose activities have principally been in Genesee County.

Local History/Genealogy Consultations are available by appointment. Email btvgenealogy@nioga.org or contact the Reference Desk at (585) 343-9550 x3 to schedule an appointment. 

Land Acknowledgement:
The Richmond Memorial Library acknowledges that the land on which we operate is the ancestral and unceded territory of the Seneca Nation, one of the Six Nations of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy. We honor the Indigenous peoples who have stewarded this land for generations and continue to do so today. We recognize the ongoing presence and contributions of Native communities in Western New York and are committed to fostering respect, inclusion, and healing through our work.