The Special Collections Department is a unique collection reflecting the history of the United States, the South, Alabama, and particularly Cullman County. Included in the department's holdings are the Daughters of the American Revolution and the United Daughters of the Confederacy Collections of Southern history and genealogy.

The Special Collections Department is arranged in Dewey Decimal Order and has its own card catalog. Some items are included in the library's automated catalog.

The collection includes:
Books: Persons using the book collections are asked not to re-shelve items and to use pencils only when working in the room.

Microforms: The library maintains many materials on microfilm, including some census records, official county records, and local newspapers. The library has a microfilm and microfiche reader-printer. Interlibrary loans of Special Collections materials are not available to other libraries. Microfilm prints are .20 per page.

Archival materials:  Examples of which are the photographic collections documenting the history of Cullman County from the earliest times to the 1970's.  These include:
  • The Beyer-Karter Collection
  • The Herfurth Collection 
  • The Johnson Photographic Collections

Artifacts in the collections include archaeological relics from the Battle of Hog Mountain (1863) and other intrinsic items that document the rich history of the region.

A small collection of maps, given anonymously to the library in honor of long-time library board member Dan J. Scott provides support resources for historical research.

Two file cabinets of family files are maintained for public access. These files contain information, pedigree charts and other genealogical notes on various families. Items in these files are donated by individuals; therefore the library cannot guarantee the accuracy of information contained in them. If you wish to add your information to the files, please leave them with the librarian on duty.

Census indexes and Cullman City Directories are kept apart from the remainder of the collection and are shelved along the south wall near the microfilm reader.

Periodicals: In the center of the room are bookcases of genealogical and historical periodicals (complete holdings list coming soon). The library does not actively subscribe to any genealogical publications other than -
  • Odum Library Family Tree (Scottish genealogy)
  • Alabama Review
  • Alabama Heritage
  • American Heritage
  • Alabama Family History
  • Genealogy News (local genealogy)
Donations of back issues of historical and genealogical periodicals or active subscriptions are appreciated, as are donations of published family histories or local history works. A list of available periodicals will be available soon, so check back.

If there is a printed history of your Cullman County family, community, or church, the library would appreciate owning a copy.

It is our intent to become the repository for all publications relating to Cullman and Cullman County and German colonization in North Alabama.
As this page grows, we hope to add unique genealogical and historical publications relating to Cullman County history or families. If you have a manuscript you wish to submit for CCPLS Homepage publication consideration, contact the County librarian.