Charles F. Cummings New Jersey Information Center

The Charles F. Cummings New Jersey Information Center (New Jersey Room) at Newark Public Library will be closed through September 25th due to renovations. Archival collections will be accessible by appointment only during this time. To make an appointment email us at njreference@npl.org or call 973-733-7775. Use the catalogs below to find specific material you would like to view when making an appointment and check out our digital collection. We look forward to seeing you in our new and improved space!

The Charles F. Cummings New Jersey Information Center (New Jersey Room) is a research-level collection of materials relating to New Jersey, Essex County and Newark. It includes both historical and current information in these formats: books, newspapers, documents, pictures and archives.

On January 18, 2006, The Newark Public Library’s New Jersey Information Center was renamed the Charles F. Cummings New Jersey Information Center.

Contact Us

You are welcome to call us at (973) 733-7775 or e-mail us at njreference@npl.org.

Please note we can do three obituary lookups or 30 minutes research per patron per month.

This service is free for New Jersey residents and $15.00 for out-of-state patrons.

Ask A Question Request An Obit

Visit Us

The Center is open during library hours at:
Newark Public Library (3rd Floor)
5 Washington Street
Newark, NJ 07102

You may walk in without an appointment. Masks are recommended. We recommend e-mailing in advance for requests for archives boxes.

E-Mail Us

Hours

WINTER (Sept-Jun)

M, F, Sat.: 9 AM – 5:30 PM
Tues-Thurs: 9 AM – 8:30 PM

SUMMER
(Jun 26, 2023 – Sept 5, 2023)

M, T, Th, F: 9 AM – 5:30 PM
Weds: 9 AM – 8:30 PM
Sat: 9:30 AM – 1:30 PM

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Find Materials:

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Introducing the Newark Evening News Digitization Initiative

There is probably no more important resource for the study of Newark in the 20^th century than the Newark Evening News, New Jersey’s newspaper of record. The Library is undertaking a new initiative to digitize the Newark Evening News.

1883-1931 is now available online: https://www.digifind-it.com/newark/

Projected cost: 1926-1937: $20,000 (half covered by Robert Treat Fund); 1938-1972: $100,000-$125,000

We will need your help! To donate choose “Robert Treat Fund” and put “Newark Evening News” in the notes field.

Donate Now

The Robert Treat Endowment

Your support of the Library’s Robert Treat Endowment Fund helps to ensure that the New Jersey Information Center collections are enhanced and preserved in perpetuity. The fund was created in 2005 by Charles F. Cummings. To learn more about giving, click here.

Who Was Charles Cummings?

Mr. Cummings, Assistant Director of Special Collections and Statewide Outreach, passed away on December 21, 2005. He was a valued employee since joining The Newark Public Library on July 15, 1963, and was recognized as the Newark City Historian and the expert source for “everything Newark” . Learn More.

Digital Collection

The Newark Public Library received a generous grant from the Carnegie Corporation of New York to digitize a portion of its historical materials. Many collections are already available in our digital archive here

or read more about the project.

Read: The activity books that pair with our digital collections: My Newark Story, Newark Eagles 101.

Knowing Newark

From 1996 through 2005, Charles Cummings wrote weekly Knowing Newark columns for The Star-Ledger. With the gracious support of The Star-Ledger and Newark Celebration 350, many of the columns are available in this keyword searchable website.

Read: The book version of this website (30+ columns) is also available digitally here.

The Newark Public Library’s Charles F. Cummings New Jersey Information Center has received generous support from the New Jersey Historical Commission (a division of the Department of State) in the form of a general operating support grant.

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