Disability, like race and gender, is a central part of the human experience. DHM's goal is to create a theme-based, searchable collection of primary source materials that will help expand knowledge and understanding about the historical experience of people with disabilities in the United States.

The Disability History Museum's Library is a digital archive. It contains digital versions of images, texts, and other artifacts related to disability history that have been gathered from libraries and private collections across the country.

Materials in the Library date back to the 18th century and represent all disability categories across the life span. These records illuminate daily life, work, charity, popular culture, local and national political milestones, shifts in visual representation and medical knowledge, and the rise and fall of a variety of social movements.