More About the Collections
The State Library has been building its collections since Benjamin Franklin selected its first set of books in 1745. Current collection development reflect its basic mission to provide research service to the Commonwealth government but its long history of collection in the broad subject areas of interest to state government has resulted in a collection which is particularly strong in the fields of public administration, economics, political science, statistics, education, public services, as well as North American, United States and Pennsylvania history. Detailed information about the various parts of the collection can be found under Resources.