The Rhode Island State Library
On March 16, 2020, Governor Raimondo announced that the State House is closed to the public, which includes the State Library. Our team of librarians will continue to provide reference and general assistance by phone and email. Some of the State Library's resources are available digitally through its online catalog, including much of its Federal Depository Collection.
The State Library welcomes researchers to use its books and materials within the library. As a non-circulating library, the State Library materials can only be used in the library. As a public library, everyone is welcome to use the State Library’s resources. The State Library is a non-circulating library, which means the collections may not leave the room. While some federal and state materials are available digitally through the catalog, many materials are available only in print. Researchers can contact or visit the State Library to access these resources. When possible, librarians are happy to make copies of materials to better assist you with your research.
To enhance its collection, the State Library participates in the Libraries of Rhode Island (LORI) Interlibrary Loan (ILL) program as provided by the Office of Library and Information Services (OLIS). Click Here to view our complete ILL Policy. A full list of all LORI Network Libraries can be found here: LORI Network Libraries.
Online Research
Researchers are welcome to conduct research offsite using the State Library’s online catalog. The catalog allows users to search the library's collection, which includes state agency reports, executive orders, federal documents, Rhode Island Public Laws volumes, historic and current Rhode Island General Law collections, and books on Rhode Island history. The State Library catalog provides simple and advanced search options, and it provides the PDF to materials that have been digitized or were published digitally.