BLOOMFIELD, NJ — Bloomfield Public Library’s history and genealogy information is in the process of being digitized and preserved. Thanks to a grant from the Essex County Division of Cultural and Historic Affairs, the library obtained enough funding to purchase archival supplies to properly preserve treasures of Bloomfield history, such as old photographs, microfilm and more.
The library will also continue digitizing its microfilmed newspapers. Newspaper articles are invaluable research tools for genealogy and local history buffs. Researchers can find obituaries of ancestors who died in Bloomfield, which can provide them with a glimpse of their life as well as provide them with the names of other kin. Marriage and birth announcements appear as well. Those interested in local history or the views of local residents on world affairs can take a glimpse at the headlines to see what was important to residents in any given year.
Do you have a parent or grandparent who served in World War II? The library probably has their name in its files. Records of service members carefully kept for a dozen years by Florence E. Roberts, secretary to Mayor Donald H. Scott, were turned over to the library for safekeeping. The files contain thousands of cards listing Bloomfield service members who served in World War II and Korea.
Photos Courtesy of Bloomfield Public Library
In the black-and-white photo containing four people: Records of service members carefully kept for a dozen years by Florence E. Roberts, secretary to Mayor Donald H. Scott, are turned over to the library for safekeeping. Shown accepting the files are Frank Kovach, library board president; Helene S. Taylor, librarian; and Scott. This photo ran in the May 28, 1953, issue of The Independent Press.
About the Author
