Contains oral histories donated to the local historical collection of the Grand Rapids Public Library and oral histories generated by the Local Historical Collections Department or the City Historian's office.

The oral history collection is open-ended, with interviews added periodically over time. The interviews and recordings of events date back to the late 1940s and contain many aspects of Grand Rapids history. The earliest include the Grand Rapids Christmas Party in the old City Hall on December 21, 1945, and the 1948 report from Congress by the newly elected representative Gerald R. Ford Jr. Other interviews contain information on past Grand Rapids politicians, migrants to the Grand Rapids area, and major natural events which struck the area. Interview synopses, and/or transcripts are available for some of the interviews.