About the Church History Library

Jesus Christ, in a revelation given during the Church’s organization on April 6, 1830, gave charge to His newly organized members: “there shall be a record kept among you” (Doctrine and Covenants 21:1). Since then, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has maintained a detailed record of Christ’s work and gospel throughout the earth. Today, the Church has a presence in over 160 countries, with more than 30,000 congregations. The need to keep and preserve Church records has never been greater.

A Refuge for Records

After the Church’s records made the trek to Utah in 1848, they were stored in several locations in Salt Lake City or nearby, including:

• 1848 - Private residence
• 1854 - Council House
• November 1854 - Tithing House
• 1856 - Historian’s Office
• March 1858 - Music Hall; Provo, Utah
• July 1858 - Historian’s Office
• 1917 - Church Administration Building
• November 1972 - Church Office Building
• 2009 - Church History Library

A Repository of Faith and History

The Church History Library is the epicenter of materials related to the global Church, including:

• 270,000 books, pamphlets, magazines, manuals
• 500,000 historic photographs, posters, maps
• 23,000 audio and video recordings
• 120,000 local histories for Church units
• 150,000 journals, diaries, papers, and manuscripts
• 20,000 rolls of microfilm
• 3.5 million patriarchal blessings for Church members

These records represent the experience of tens of thousands of individuals, spanning over 150 languages, and reflect the global reach and diversity of the Church. Records are stored in the library, at other facilities around the world, and using cloud storage.

The Church continues to heed the Lord’s command and aims to help others draw closer to the Savior through sharing its rich history.