Ancestry.com
Start your family history search here at the library! Ancestry.com offers free access to all library patrons. (In library only)
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Lakeland History Room
Formerly Special Collections
Our Collection
The collection features a variety of materials—documents, photographs, maps, building plans, audio/visual media, and scrapbooks with specialty items like citrus crate labels, artwork, yearbooks, posters, and postcards.
View over 7,000 images online via our DIGITAL COLLECTION.
Copyright Restriction Information
Origins of Lakeland Series
Fort Meade native and Lakeland resident Dr. Canter Brown, Jr., is an award-winning historian of Polk County, Florida, and the South. View his eight-part "Origins of Lakeland" series through the links below.
Origins of Lakeland Series Pages:
Hours:
Mon - Fri 9 am - 5 pm
Saturdays: 10 am - 2 pm
Sun: Closed
**Access to the Lakeland History Room, outside of the current schedule, is coordinated by Librarian LuAnn Mims.**
Lakeland History Room Librarian: LuAnn Mims
Ph: 863.834.4269
Email: luann.mims@lakelandgov.net
D.I.Y. Digitize
Create your own Personal Family Archive and digitize your old home movies, photos, cassettes, slides & negatives so you can easily share them with family and friends.
For information about how to use the lab, please fill out our interest form or contact LuAnn Mims 863.834.4269.
Interest Form
Popular at the Lakeland History Room
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I Love a ParadeOur story begins with you...what better way to tell the many stories of Lakeland and its history, than visually by showcasing highlights from our Digital Collection through Flickr.
Check out our featured album:
Community celebrations, military events, and holidays are best enjoyed with a processional parade of Lakeland's finest!Enjoy this photographic stroll of the marching bands, decorated floats, large balloons, and costumed characters that marched through historic downtown. -
History Pin - Vanished LakelandThe Lakeland History Room at the Lakeland Public Library has developed a wonderful collection of photographs, documents, books and artifacts that depict the history of Lakeland and surrounding areas.
View the changes that have been made to Lakeland and many of its buildings using History Pin.
Use the slide bar to unveil what these past Lakeland pictures look like today.
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CONTENTdm
Can't make it to the Lakeland History Room? No problem, we offer over 6,000 images accessible for viewing online via our digital collection provided through CONTENTdm.
This platform allows you to quickly access to a variety of content including photographs, maps, and scrapbooks with specialty items like citrus crate labels, artwork, yearbooks, posters, and post cards.