Houston Metropolitan Research Center (HMRC) includes archival, Texan and local history, and special collections departments with the primary objectives of locating, preserving, and making available to researchers the documentary evidence of Houston's history.
The African American Library at the Gregory School, Houston’s first colored public school located in historic Freedmen’s Town, serves as a resource and repository to preserve, promote, and celebrate the rich history and culture of African Americans in Houston, the surrounding region and the African Diaspora.
The Houston Oral History Project is an effort to record and preserve the dynamic history of Houston through the stories and experiences of its residents. It is a collaboration between the Mayor’s Office, the Houston Public Library and the University of Houston.
The Clayton Library Center for Genealogical Research has been named one of the best genealogical research libraries in the United States. The Clayton Library houses national and international collections of family history research materials in print, microprint and online. These include published and unpublished family histories, vital records, state and county histories and information and materials from all over the United States, as well as foreign countries such as Canada, Mexico, the United Kingdom and German.
In 1977, Jacob Greenberg endowed the Fine Arts Department with a trust fund established in memory of his deceased spouse, Lurine Karon Greenberg. This fund supports the collection of nonfiction books on music, art, antiques, architecture, cooking, and travel including the history of any of these subjects and biographies of persons connected with any of these subjects.
The Texas and Local History department offers reference service and research materials in every subject relating to Houston and Texas. It is a closed-stack, non-circulating collection. Users must register, and the staff works with researchers to suggest and locate sources of information.
The Houston Public Library is a selective depository library for U.S. government document publications. The Library has been a depository since 1884 and has the oldest and largest collection of government publications in the Houston area.
The Houston Public Library system serves the City's culturally diverse communities by offering a broad program of free educational, informational and recreational activities through a central complex and neighborhood branch libraries. The World Languages Center serves Houston’s diverse community by offering opportunities for learning, fun and access to technology in multiple languages.