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The major sources of  information on the physical environment of Michigan's counties (including rock features, glaciers, streams, wind-produced landforms, ground water, weather and climate, soils, vegetation, minerals, agriculture, tourism, and recreation) are located in several books found at the information desk in the Local History Department reading room. These books include: 

• Geology of the Great Lakes by Jack L. Hough 
• Geology of Michigan by Dorr and Eschman 
• Atlas of Michigan edited by Lawrence Sommers 
• Climactic Atlas of Michigan by Eichenlaub, et al. 
• All About Michigan edited by Harry Shay

Other information on Michigan counties can be located through the Michigan/Local History card catalog which is located opposite the information desk. This is a card catalog to the closed stack book collection of the Local History Department. This catalog is arranged by title, author, and subject. Begin by searching the catalog by the name of the county you are researching. Read each card carefully. There is a wide range of information available on many Michigan counties but it may have little or no information on the physical environment. This collection is primarily historical information. There are soil surveys for most Michigan counties which can be accessed through this catalog. For any title you want to examine, use a Book/Archival Material request card. These are located the registration table and above the card catalog. These cards must be filled out with the complete call number and title (not subject heading) as well as your name and library card number or address. We will be happy to retrieve as many titles as you need, but please limit your requests to four titles at a time. 

For environmental research you may also want to examine topographical maps. The department has a complete collection of Michigan topographical maps which can be accessed by using the map of Michigan quadrangle names located at the information desk. 

Local climatological data is available in NOAA statistical reports by month and by year back to 1976 (1981 for the entire state). Record temperatures for Grand Rapids are archived at the NOAA web page. 

Tourist guides to the state of Michigan are located on the 2nd Floor of the Main Library. These books may be checked out with a valid library card. 

There is a copy machine located in the reading room but please ask for authorization before copying any Local History Department material. Please feel free to ask any member of our staff for information on use of any material in the Local History Department or for direction in your research.