Using the Archives

The Municipal Archives prepares finding aids and/or inventories for all archival collections that are open to the public. All of these research tools are available to you through Explore the Collections.

The Municipal Archives maintains a collection of reference publications related to municipal government work and issues. The Reference Library Collections are catalogued in the international bibliographic database WorldCat.

Research Guides

Additionally, we have prepared several Research Guides to assist you with specific types of research, including building and genealogical research, and direct you to specific collections that may be of use to you.

Reference Requests

The Municipal Archives services reference requests from researchers and the general public which relate to archival and historical City records under its administration in the City Records Center. If you need reference assistance with our collections, please Ask a Question.

Onsite Research Appointments

Research appointments are required for on-site research visits. Please contact the Archivist to schedule an appointment.

Preparing for a Research Visit

The following policies, procedures and forms are provided to help you familiarize yourself with the Municipal Archives and its collections in advance of your visit, to enhance your research experience. Please review them and contact the Archivist with any questions. Completed research applications and retrieval request forms may be brought in to the Municipal Archives at the time of research appointments, or emailed or faxed in advance of research appointments to the Archivist.

• Rules and Procedures for Use of Archival Collections
• Public Research Application
• Archival Records Retrieval Request (use a new request slip for each unique item)
• Request for Permission to Reproduce / Publish

Archives Orientations

The Municipal Archives offers archival research orientations for high school and college-level classes, student groups, and other adult groups. Participants will learn what the Municipal Archives has to offer and how to utilize those resources, as well as having a hands-on session with highlights from the collections. Orientations last approximately 1.5 hours and can accommodate 5 to 15 participants at a time. Orientations may be tailored to the specific research interests of each group. To schedule an orientation, please contact the Archivist at (912) 651-6412 or email Archives@savannahga.gov.  

The Online Archives Orientation (PDF version) or (PowerPoint version) is available for individuals and groups who need an orientation but cannot schedule one before coming in to use the Municipal Archives.

Coordinating Research Visits with Other Savannah Repositories

Additional Savannah Area Libraries and Archival Repositories.