Collecting and Connecting Michigan's Past, Present & Future
This site contains born-digital publications, digitized materials from the Library of Michigan's own collections, and content provided through partnerships and collaborations with Michigan libraries, cultural institutions, state and local governments, and individuals.. The content of this site is inspired by LM's mission and supports the Library's goal to preserve and tell the Michigan story.
By law, LM is the official repository for published and public Michigan state government information. LM actively collects, preserves and provides access to government information under the Michigan Documents Depository Program (MDDP).
To read about the Library of Michigan's long legacy of serving the people of the state of Michigan, see the links below.
- Library of Michigan Past and Present
- Library of Michigan History Collection
Future Development
The collections on this site are constantly growing and evolving. Users are encouraged to check LM Digital Collections often to keep up with new content and features. See our MI Digital Community page for exciting opportunities to collaborate with the Library of Michigan and enrich these collections.
Organization
The topics and collections on this site highlight common themes and aspects of life in Michigan. Some content-specific collections are designed to provide access to known research interests within state government and to Michigan researchers. Descriptions of the collections and links to popular titles appear on each collection page.
LMDigital uses topics, collections and subjects to provide users with a better browsing experience.
- Topics are broad overarching categories of information and include multiple collections of a narrower focus. Highways & Byways, which includes materials related to all forms of ground transportation in Michigan, is an example of a topic on this site.
- Collections provide narrower divisions of information that can stand alone or be grouped under a more inclusive topic. The Michigan Administrative Law Collection is part of Governing Michigan, a topic that focuses on primary and secondary source materials published by all three branches of state government. Collections are also used to present materials contributed by LMDigital partners and collaborators such as the Historical Society of Greater Lansing's project, Pave the Way : the I-496 Project.
LM Digital Collections Logo - the Inspiration
LMDigital's logo is inspired by the Petoskey stone, Michigan's state fossil and long-treasured as a natural Michigan souvenir. Iconic to Michigan and found throughout the state from gravel pits to beaches, the Petoskey stone is the fossil of a once living Devonian Era coral from approximately 350 million years ago. This collectible and unique stone is a tangible record of early forces that shaped the state of Michigan, correlating to LMDigital's purpose in connecting Michigan's past, present and future.
We're here for you
Library of Michigan staff is happy to help you navigate the site. You can reach us by phone calling (517) 335-1477 or by going to our contact page
Searching in LMDigital
See our Search Tips and Tricks page for guidance in discovering and navigating the information on this site.
Are there copyright or use restrictions on the materials in this site?
See the information at Copyright, Terms of Use & Policies for more information.
Who do I contact if I'm having difficulty using the site or just have a question about the content?
We’re here to help! See our Contact page to reach out to us.
Who chooses the materials offered on this site?
LM Digital Collections is the online repository for the Library of Michigan, the state library. The materials here are a mix of born-digital documents captured from current websites, digitized content from the Library of Michigan's print collections, and collections of images and documents provided to us through collaborations with other Michigan organizations. The intent of this website is to gather information unique to the Michigan story. If you have materials that you would like to donate or add to this site, please see the information on our Digital Community page.
What is the inspiration for the LM Digital logo?
LM Digital's logo is inspired by the Petoskey stone, Michigan's state fossil and long-treasured as a natural Michigan souvenir. Iconic to Michigan and found throughout the state from gravel pits to beaches, the Petoskey stone is the fossil of a once living Devonian Era coral from approximately 350 million years ago. This collectible and unique stone is a tangible record of early forces that shaped the state of Michigan, correlating to LMDigital's purpose in connecting Michigan's past, present and future.