LIBRARY

Our research library has the largest collection, outside of Finland, focused on the Swedish speaking population of Finland.

SFHS Library Classification System

Among the many items can be found family histories, periodicals, music, video, and audio recordings. The shelves are filled with information on most aspects of Swedish Finn culture, history, and emigration.

  • 200— Religion & Philosophy
  • 210— Nordic Religions  (Viking Era)
  • 215— Christian History
  • 220— Bibles
  • 230— Bible Readings
  • 235— Devotionals
  • 240— Hymnals
  • 242— Liturgical Seasons Christian Calendars
  • 245— Children’s Books – Sunday School
  • 246— Use of Art in Christianity
  • 248— Christian Readings
  • 249— Christian Observances in Family Life (confirmation, communion)
  • 250— Parish Clergy
  • 251— Church Buildings in Finland
  • 253— Church Buildings in America
  • 255— Church Administration or Policies
  • 267— Associations for Religious Work
  • 268— Missions
  • 290— Philosophy

  • 300— Social Sciences
  • 303— Who are Swede Finns?
  • 304— Swedish/Finnish Lifestyles
  • 305— Social Groups (Runeberg, Prohibition Groups, Swedish Finn Historical Society, Nordic Heritage,  etc.)
  • 306 – 318— PARISH INFORMATION
  • 306 KAR— Karelien Isthmus
  • 307 NYL— Nyland
  • 309 ÅBO— Åboland
  • 311 ÅLA— Åland Islands
  • 313 ÖST— Östrobothnia
  • 316 OTHER— Other parish in Finland
  • 317 SWE— In Sweden
  • 318 EST— In Estonia
  • 319— General Statistics & Business   (economic statistics, population statistics)
  • 320— Political Science or Politics
  • 323— Civic & Political Rights   (advocating for rights, Wobblies in America)
  • 338— Cooperatives
  • 340— Law
  • 360— Social Problems, Services, Associations
  • 365 Educational Topics
  • 370— Primary & Folk School
  • 376— High School
  • 378— College or Higher Learning
  • 385— Railroad, Transportation
  • 386— Inland Waterways & Ferry Transportation
  • 390— Municipal Coats of Arms
  • 391— Folk Dress
  • 393— Brage & Yngar Heikel, as it relates to folk dress
  • 394— Brage Annual Publications  (Arsskrift)
  • 398— Folklore
  • 399— Mythology

  • 400— Language
  • 405— Language Topics
  • 410— Swedish Dictionaries and Word Books
  • 415— Swedish Language, all other books
  • 420— Finnish Dictionaries and Word Books
  • 425— Finnish Language, all other books
  • 430— Other Language Dictionaries and Word Books (includes Norwegian, Icelandic, Russian, German)
  • 435— Other Language Books

  • 500— Science
  • 510— Earth Science
  • 515— Nature
  • 520— Geography
  • 522— Lakes & Rivers
  • 523— Söderfjärden
  • 524— Glacial Rebound
  • 527— Seas, Oceans & Archipelagos
  • 580— Plants (Botany)
  • 590— Animals (Zoology)

Answers the question “How is that done?”

  • 600— Technology
  • 610— Boat Building, Boating
  • 615— Fishing, Seal and Whale Hunting
  • 620— Mining
  • 625— Engineering of Railroads, Roads and Bridges
  • 630— Logging
  • 633— Agriculture (crops and plants)
  • 636— Agriculture (animal husbandry)
  • 640— Home & Family Management
  • 641— Foods & Beverages (cook books)
  • 645— Household Furnishings
  • 646— Sewing and Clothing
  • 670— Manufacturing
  • 674— Lumber processing, wood products
  • 676— Newspapers
  • 677— Textiles
  • 685— Leather, Fur processing
  • 690— Building (construction)
  • 695— Computer Technology

  • 700— Arts & Recreation
  • 705— Art of Scandinavian Countries (or of a specific country, or group of people)
  • 708— Galleries, Museums or Private Collections
  • 715— Folk Art
  • 724— Architecture  (1400 to current)
  • 729— Design & Decoration
  • 741— Drawings
  • 745— Decorative Arts
  • 746— Textile Arts (knitting, needlework, quilting)
  • 747— Interior Decoration
  • 749— Furniture & Accessories
  • 750— Painting and Sculpting
  • 759— Historical Paintings
  • 760— Graphic Arts
  • 770— Photography, Photographs & Computer Art
  • 780— MUSIC
  • 781— Books about Music
  • 782— Folk Festivals & Programs
  • 783— Folk Music
  • 784— Song Books
  • 785— Instrumental Music
  • 786— Chamber Music
  • 787— Music games or Dancing
  • 788— Plays or Films
  • 789—
  • 790— RECREATION &  ATHLETICS
  • 793— Indoor games
  • 796— Athletics, outdoor sports & games
  • 797— Aquatic sports, boating, canoeing and swimming
  • 799— Recreational fishing

  • 801— Literary Groups, Literary Studies, Literary Catalogues
  • 803— History of Swedish or Finnish Literature

Fiction

  • 805— Classics
  • 807— Prose, Proverbs, Speeches
  • 810— Poetry
  • 815— Fictional Books (novels, paperbacks)
  • 825— Humor

Non-Fiction

  • 850— Biographies (written by others)
  • 855— Auto-Biographies (written by self)
  • 860— Memoirs (usually, a rather narrow timeline; focus is on an important phase in a person’s life)
  • 875— Narrative Non-Fiction or Historical Fiction
  • 890— Stories Written for Children

  • 900— History
  • 910— Archeology & Archeological Finds
  • 917— Vikings
  • 920— Scandinavians or Nordic Countries
  • 922— SAMI People
  • 924— Norway
  • 926— Denmark
  • 929— Estonia
  • 947— General History of Russia or Soviet Union
  • 948— General History of Sweden
  • 948.2— Sweden prior to 1654
  • 948.3— Sweden 1654 to 1818
  • 948.4— Sweden 1819 to 1905
  • 948.5— Sweden 1906 to 2000
  • 948.6— Sweden 2001 to Current
  • 950— General History of Finland
  • 950.3— Finland – Early History to 1808
  • 950.4— Finland – Period of Russian Rule 1809 to 1917
  • 950.5— Finland – 1917 – 2000
  • 950.6— Finland – 2001 to current
  • 951— Victims of War
  • 951.1— Soldiers
  • 951.4— Women & Children
  • 951.8— Communities & Groups of People
  • 954— Maps & Atlases
  • 955— Finland in Pictures
  • 956— General Information about Finland
  • 957— Travel Information about Finland
  • 960— General History of Canada
  • 962— Pictures of Canada
  • 965— Emigrants to Canada
  • 967— Settlements in Canada
  • 967.BC— Settlements in Canada British Columbia
  • 967.ONT— Settlements in Canada Ontario
  • 968— Stories of Emigration to Amerika (US & Canada)
  • 969— Scandinavians in America
  • 969.2— Swedes in America
  • 969.4— Swedish Finns in America
  • 969.6— Finns in America
  • 970— General History of United States
  • 972— Picture Books of USA
  • 974— General History NE USA
  • 974.1— ME Maine
  • 974.2— NH New Hampshire
  • 974.3— VT Vermont
  • 974.4— MA Massachusetts
  • 974.5— RI Rhode Island
  • 974.6— CT Connecticut
  • 974.7— NY New York
  • 974.8— PA Pennsylvania
  • 974.9— NJ New Jersey
  • 975— General History of SE USA
  • 975.1— DE Delaware
  • 975.2— MD Maryland
  • 975.3— DC District of Columbia
  • 975.4— WV West Virginia
  • 975.5— NC North Carolina
  • 975.6— SC South Carolina
  • 975.7— GA Georgia
  • 975.9— FL Florida
  • 976— General History of S. Central USA
  • 976.1— AL Alabama
  • 976.2— MS Mississippi
  • 976.3— LA Louisiana
  • 976.4— TX Texas
  • 976.6— OK Oklahoma
  • 976.7— AR Arkansas
  • 976.8— TN Tennessee
  • 976.9— KY Kentucky
  • 977— General History of N Central USA
  • 977.1— OH Ohio
  • 977.2— IN Indiana
  • 977.3— IL Illinois
  • 977.4— MI Michigan
  • 977.5— WI Wisconsin
  • 977.6— MN Minnesota
  • 977.7— IA Iowa
  • 977.8— MO Missouri
  • 978— General History of W. USA
  • 978.1— KS Kansas
  • 978.2— NE Nebraska
  • 978.3— SD South Dakota
  • 978.4— ND North Dakota
  • 978.6— MT Montana
  • 978.7— WY Wyoming
  • 978.8— CO Colorado
  • 978.9— NM New Mexico
  • 979— General History of Great Basin & Pacific Slope Region USA
  • 979.1— AZ Arizona
  • 979.2— UT Utah
  • 979.3— NV Nevada
  • 979.4— CA California
  • 979.5— OR Oregon
  • 979.6— ID Idaho
  • 979.7— WA Washington
  • 979.8— AK Alaska
  • 983— Explorers/Emigrants to Africa
  • 985— Explorers/Emigrants to Australia & New Zealand
  • 987— Explorers/Emigrants to Caribbean & Central America
  • 989— Explorers/Emigrants to South America
  • 990— Reverse Emigration- Immigration back to Countries of Origin from Finland & Sweden
  • 992— Emigrants from Amerika to Finland
  • 995— Emigrants from Amerika to Karelia or Russia

Research Ready

A Library Made for You

Find a book to break through your genealogy brick wall or learn about the history and traditions in Nyland, Åboland, Åland, and Ostrobothnia. Whether you want to learn about the lives of Swedish Finn emigrants in the early twentieth century, study the Winter War, or read Finlandssvensk literature we can help you find what you need. This library is one of a kind and it was built for you—a Swedish Finn.

Plan your library visit!

Location

1920 Dexter Avenue North
Seattle, Washington 98109
(206)706-0738
info@swedishfinnhistoricalsociety.org

Hours

Monday–Thursday 10:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m.
Friday by appointment
It is always a good idea to let us know when you will be visiting. We would hate to miss you!

Become an SFHS Member

Members get access to our digital archive, our publication Kusiner, our programs and three hours of research or translation assistance annually.

Support SFHS

Your tax deductible donation enables us to connect the descendants of Swedish Finn emigrants all over the world to their roots in Finland.

Life in a 1902 Chinook, Washington logging camp—
read the journal of Swedish Finn emigrant Hannah Asp.