One of the original 13 colonies, Pennsylvania was established in 1681 by William Penn. Vital to the War for Independence, Pennsylvania's capital city of Philadelphia also served as the first capital of the new nation during the American Revolution. Philadelphia did not hold either honor for long though. While the nation tested other cities before settling the seat of government in Washington, D.C., Pennsylvania moved its business to Lancaster in 1799. Ultimately, Harrisburg became the state's enduring capital in 1812.

This guide compiles links to digital materials related to Pennsylvania such as books, government documents, manuscripts, maps, motion pictures, photographs, sheet music, and sound recordings that are available throughout the Library of Congress website. In addition, it provides links to external websites focusing on Pennsylvania and a bibliography containing selected works for both general and younger readers.