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Location Closure The Light Street Branch is closed through Tuesday, July 1 due to a facilities maintenance issue.

Announcement The Pennsylvania Avenue Branch is operating on a reduced schedule with limited services 10 am–4 pm until further notice, due to a facilities maintenance issue.

Location Closure The Central Library will be closing Monday, June 30 @ 5 PM due to a speaker event.

Location Closure The Brooklyn, Forest Park, Govans, Hamilton, Herring Run, Northwood, Reisterstown Road, and Washington Village branches are closed for facility improvements. Learn more here.

Holiday Closing All Pratt Library locations will be closed Friday, July 4 in observance of Independence Day.

Social Science & History Department

The Social Science and History Department has materials to help you whether you’re looking for a historic map, investigating true crime, or researching federal law.


Social Science and History Department entryway

The Collection

The Social Science and History Department maintains a collection of reference and circulating books and audiobooks, U.S. government documents, more than 100,000 maps of various kinds, books to find financial assistance for college, and Class Visit Guides for high school library tours.

Subject areas covered include coins, criminology & true crime, education, genealogy, U.S. and world history, federal law, Political Science, sexuality and gender, sociology, travel, Urban Planning, and Women's Studies. 

Social Science and History Department section with maps
Social Science and History Department tables, chairs, bookshelves

Government Documents

The Central Library of the Enoch Pratt Free Library & State Library Resource Center manages the State Publications Depository and Distribution Program. Browse a collection of government documents from all State agencies covering subjects of interest to consumers and researchers alike.

Grants Collection
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Grants Collection books

Grants Collection


Visit the Grants Collection to find hundreds of materials related to fundraising, nonprofit management, grant seeking and grant writing, 990 and 990-PF forms, and related subjects.

Databases
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woman using a laptop at a Pratt Library table

Databases


A Pratt library card grants you access to databases for all ages! Research and search articles and documents across dozens of subjects.