The Library's Santa Monica Collection contains historical photographs and slides (Image Archives), books, videocassettes  on Santa Monica, complete microfilm of the Santa Monica Evening Outlook newspaper and the only available index to the Outlook.

 Materials are available for check out as well as for research use in the Library. Images may be printed from the digitized Image Archives and photos may be purchased. Copies may also be made from the Outlook microfilm.

Presently no definitive history of the Santa Monica Bay area exists. However, several early histories, pictorial histories, and general histories are available. General histories of the Los Angeles area, such as Harris Newmark's Sixty Years in Southern California or Short stories of Rancho Boca de Santa Monica by Daniel Marquez are also useful.

The local newspaper may provide the best history of the Santa Monica Bay area.  The newspaper had various names during its 123 year history: Santa Monica Evening Outlook, Evening Outlook, and Santa Monica Outlook. Evening Outlook or some variation of that name was used until 1987.  From 1987 through 1998 the newspaper was titled The Outlook. The Outlook ceased publication March 13, 1998.  More information on the history of Santa Monica may be located using the Santa Monica File, the Library's online index to the Santa Monica Evening Outlook.