Library

Stop by the library to see the collection or view the online catalog by clicking the link below. The library is open on Thursday - Saturday from 10:00am - 4:00pm each week.

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The museum reference library on military history contains 15,000 circulating books, manuscripts, and pamphlets. In addition, it maintains a large collection of historic military technical and field manuals. Special attention is given to collecting materials that specifically relate to the military experiences of Minnesotans and to military units with Minnesota ties.

If you have any questions about the collection, or books you would like to donate to the collection, please let us know! Feel free to contact our library assistant, Diane DeVere, at libraryassistant@mnmilitarymuseum.org or 320-632-7052.

A few Exceptional Titles Among the 15,000 Volumes

The library has many items that are of immense interest to scholars and general public alike. Below is a list of some select items chosen by library staff. Some were chosen for their uniqueness, comprehensive coverage of a select topic, or interest to researchers.

• Naval Documents of the American Revolution edited by William Clark, published by the US Department of the Navy, 1964.
• War of Rebellion Records of the Union & Confederate Armies: 127 volumes, published in 1880-1900.
• Minnesota in the Civil and Indian Wars: 2 volumes published in 1891 and 1899.
• The Full Official History of the War with Spain by Murat Halstead: Published in 1899.
• MN in the Spanish-American War and the Philippine Insurrection, Vol. 1: Edited by Franklin Holbrook. Published in 1923.
• The American-Spanish War: A History by the War Leaders, published in 1899.
• Our Boys in the Spanish American War - Duluth Battalion
• Division Summary of Operations in WWI: 27 volumes. Published 1944.
• History of the 1st Division, 1917-1919: Published 1922.
• Americans All - the Rainbow at war by Henry J. Reilly: History of the 42nd U.S. Infantry Division. Published in 1936.
• Soldiers of the Great War: 2 volumes published by Soldiers Record Publishing Association in 1920.
• The Naval History of the World War by Thomas G. Frothingham: 3 volumes. Published 1925-1927.
• The Story of the Great War: 7 volume series, 1920.
• United States Army in the World War, 1917-1919: 17 volume series published by Historical Division, US Department of the Army, 1948.
• Minnesota County (41 counties) Honor Rolls: Illustrated historical records 1917-1919.
• The War Diary of George E. Leach: Published 1923.
• The "Green Book" series of the US Army in WWII: 75 volumes
• The Army Air Forces in WWII: 5 volume set. Edited by W.F. Craven and J.L. Cate.
• U.S. Navy at War, 1941-1945: Official reports by Fleet Admiral E.J. King. Published 1946.
• What America Thinks: Editorials and Cartoons Munich Crisis and WWII, 1941.
• Foreign Relations of the United States: The Conferences at Malta and Yalta, 1945. Published by the US Department of State in 1955.
• U.S. Submarine Losses WWII by the Naval History Division: Published 1963.
• Combat Connected Naval Casualties in WWII by State: Two volumes. Published in 1946.
• Documents on American Foreign Relations published by World Peace Foundation: 6 volumes, 1939-1945.
• Collections of Oral History Interviews with veterans of WWII and Vietnam, produced by the MN Military Museum.

Educational Classroom and Mural

The library’s large classroom is an ideal setting for school groups touring the museum. Periodically, this space is used for public programming and author talks offered by the museum. Along the east wall of the library is our 30-foot WWI America mural featuring 100 notable individuals from the era of different backgrounds, interests, ethnicities and orientations. Recently completed by local Veteran David Geister, it was inspired by the even larger, century-old Pantheon de la Guerre on view at the National WWI Museum in Kansas City.