All New Orleans Public Library Locations including City Archives & Special Collections will be closed on May 25 for Memorial Day.

Nutrias

GenFest 2026

Thank you for another successful GenFest! This year, we went back the to basics of genealogy research, with a panel discussion and programs focusing on foundational research practices when starting your genealogy journey. Recordings for some programs will be available soon. Thank you to all participants, panelists, presenters, and attendees for making GenFest such a special event!

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Men comparing photographs

How to: Researching Police Records

The City Archives & Special Collections holds a large collection of records from the City’s police departments, dating back to 1804. Here, we take researchers through the process of navigating our collection of police records and provide tips on searching and access.

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sample census page

How to: Search Census Records

How to: Search Census Records A census is a complete listing of a population, and it may contain additional metadata about that population. The most commonly referenced

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Carnival Collection

This exhibit celebrates Carnival Ephemera from the Old Line Carnival Krewes, showcasing invitations, dance cards, bulletins, and admittance cards.

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Local Elections

Local Elections This fall, New Orleans residents will vote on many seats of municipal government, including the office of the Mayor, City Council, numerous parish

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Nutrias.org

In 1995, archivists Wayne Everard and Irene Wainwright created the New Orleans Public Library’s first website, the beloved www.nutrias.org. In an effort to pay homage to our original web presence, we present to you the City Archives & Special Collections’ blog: Nutrias.

Thank you for sharing your photos with us! Please save your photos to Sneauxmageddon Photo Submissions.