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Help Files
Genealogical Research In Libraries |
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Help Files
Genealogical Research In Libraries |
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Genealogical Research In Libraries Genealogical materials can be found in a variety of library environments. Researchers will use one or more of these types during the course of their research: - public: Orlando Public Library, Allen County Library in Ft. Wayne, Indiana Many genealogists overlook university libraries as a resource. These libraries can be very useful for special collections aimed at a specific locality, region, historical period, ethnic group, or families from whom a person became successful on a national and/or worldwide scope. Another advantage university libraries offer is remote access to their holdings. Most academic libraries have their collections available through INTERNET access. This allows researchers access on a 24 hour basis. This allows the researcher to know if the collections contain enough information to justify a trip to the campus, or a request through inter-library loan. Types Of Library Collections Genealogical collections in American Libraries can be divided into three basic groups: 1. Small town public libraries, or historical society libraries, that contain a few items pertaining primarily or exclusively to the local city, county, or historical society. Some of these do not publicize their collections. For those small libraries which do not publicize their collections, you will not find any reference to any genealogical holdings in any national directory. 2. Medium-sized or metropolitan libraries that have designated budgets reserved for genealogy and/or separate reading areas devoted exclusively to genealogy and local history. Fort Myers-Lee County Library would fit within this category. The Fort Myers-Lee County Library genealogical collection is divided into 5 sections: - General collection which covers a nationwide or worldwide scope 3. Research level libraries such as the National Archives, New England Historical & Genealogical Library in Boston, the LDS Family History Center Library in Salt Lake City, or the Allen County Library in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Libraries in this category have large genealogy and manuscript collections with a world-wide focus and promote genealogical research and scholarship. Many of these large libraries have some capacity which allow researchers access to the collection via the INTERNET. Some libraries charge users fees, while others do not. Genealogical Sources In Libraries Small Town Public, Genealogical, or Historical Libraries 1. County Histories. County histories, especially those published in the late 19th century, usually consist of two sections: - how the county developed, and are arranged by town, or subject Time has proven that many of these profiles may be exaggerated or outright falsehoods. However, genealogists have found the pictures of family members to be of immense value. Even the most exaggerated accounts contain a grain of truth, and in many cases, the profiles have proven to be accurate in a general sense. The beneficial aspect of these accounts is how they may lead to further research. 2. Town Histories. Many local public libraries will have town histories for nearby communities. Many town histories were produced for the town's 100th, 150th, or 200th anniversary, the American centennial (1876), or the U.S. Bicentennial (1976) celebrations.
The biggest contrast between these accounts and their more contemporary accounts centers around the doctrine of political correctness. More recent publications place emphasis on chronicling the events within a community provided they are politically correct by modern revisionist standards. In many cases, events or individuals which played an important role in the development of a community have been eliminated or de-emphasized with little or no explanation for obvious gaps in time. Because of modern bias against ideas that were common in past eras, very little attention is given to original settlers. Instead of describing the personalities (both good and bad) of our early ancestors, contemporary authors seem to have decided to pretend they never existed. 3. County Atlases, Old Platbooks, & Local Maps. Various commercial firms in the late 19th century published elaborate county atlases, with individual maps for each town, township, village, or urban area within the county. In many cases, each farm or house is identified by the name of an owner or occupant, and the location of all cemeteries within the locality are given. Some libraries, regardless of their size, will have some or all of these for their town or surrounding counties, if an atlas was ever published. Plat books are periodically issued by speciality publishers or title companies. They usually contain detailed maps indicating ownership of every piece of land within a locality. Some also published books which showed the original land grants to individuals from state or federal government agencies. Title company binders determine and guarantee ownership of a specific piece of land. These volumes also show the current owner of each specific piece of property. All items listed under this classification can be found in county courthouses. Some communities have placed an additional copy in the local public or historical society library. The LDS Family History Library also has many of these materials in their genealogical collection in microfilm or microfiche format. 4. Historical & Genealogical Society Publications. Many towns and cities have active genealogical or historical societies that publish journals, newsletters, or source materials such as: birth, marriages, death certificates, tombstone inscriptions, will abstracts, deeds, or court records, for their specific locality. Like older town histories, these materials usually focus on pioneers families, early church history and parish or congregational registers, and local civil records. Some of these societies spend their time transcribing or photocopying unpublished local records which they present to local libraries in their community or region. Thanks to their dedicated efforts, many libraries have transcribed and indexed copies of some of the primary and secondary records from their town, county, or region. 5. Institutional Histories. Histories of local institutions such as churches, banks, charitable societies, or patriotic organizations, are often written to commemorate an anniversary such as a centennial, or bicentennial. Like older antiquarian town histories, these histories were mainly interested in profiling individual members, especially the founders, officers, and high profile politicians. The information contained in these accounts should always be taken with a grain of salt. Do not accept anything at face value until it has been confirmed by another source. 6. City Directories, Annual Town Reports, & Telephone Directories. Many public libraries own sets of local city directories, annual reports, and telephone books for their locality or region. City Directories span the entire 19th century. Some communities like Boston had city directories as early as the late 1700's. By 1850, most major American cities and many rural areas had directories as well. These volumes are usually alphabetically arranged, list adult residents by name, occupation, and both home & work address. Some will list the children. Many libraries will have a complete run of annual town reports or budgets. These publications are not as useful to genealogists; however, they can contain some valuable information such as: - was your ancestor a city, town, or county employee, or politician Town reports can also be valuable because they usually include birth, marriages, and deaths that occurred within the calendar year. Telephone books can fill many of the gaps caused by the discontinuation of city directories. Telephone directories are not as comprehensive as city directories because many residents have unlisted numbers or do not own telephones. Nevertheless, a substantial portion of the adult population of every community is listed in the telephone directory by name and address. Such information can be valuable in locating living relatives or friends of your parents or grandparents. When visiting any town where an ancestor with a rare surname may have left descendants, it is advisable to begin your research by contacting people who share that surname. 7. Vital & Town Records. These types of records exist in various formats for most towns. The operative question is how far back the records exist. Some of these records have been copied by local history or genealogical societies, and a published version deposited in the local public library. In other cases, you must visit the local courthouse. In some localities, an index of all the records has been deposited in the library, with the records kept in the courthouse. Many of these published vital records not only include births, marriages, and deaths recorded by the town clerk or the clerk of court for the county, but also church and cemetery records and even family information gleaned from private sources such as journals and diaries. Municipal or city records may list city employees, their positions and salaries, and biographical information if they won some award and were recognized by the city. Town selectman's records are a source generally unique to New England towns and libraries. If they are in a published format, this was the result of efforts of a local historical & genealogical society. These selectman's records often contain lists of the town founders, officers, taxpayers, land grantees (whenever the town was grantor), residents who owe the town money, residents who were paid some form of compensation for services rendered to the town, new inhabitants, and those who were kicked out of town for a variety of reasons. 8. Miscellaneous Books & Manuscripts. Small local libraries are often repositories of gifts of family genealogies and historical manuscripts that are focused on the locality or region. In many cases, these are gifts from the last surviving widow or son of a family that was once prominent in the area for several generations. 9. Special Indexes. Among the transcriptions prepared by local genealogical societies, librarians, or genealogical volunteers, may be various indexes of birth announcements, marriages announcements, tombstone inscriptions and cemetery marker maps from local or regional cemeteries, and obituaries from the local newspaper. Even if the library is not directly involved, the Library Director (in small towns) is usually familiar with these projects. Sources In Medium-Size Genealogical Collections Medium-sized genealogy collections often place more emphasis on state, regional, or national materials. Medium-sized libraries frequently have many of the same items and sources I've discussed in the section on small libraries, supplemented with general bibliographies, indexes, genealogical reference works, major genealogical periodicals which focus on a national or state basis, and collections of newspapers and census data on microfilm and fiche. The number of volumes at libraries with medium sized collections can vary from several hundred to several thousand. Fort Myers has several thousand volumes. I am in the process of compiling a shelf list which will include all materials including those not on DYNIX. To date, we have compiled 70 pages of entries covering the entire General, International, and State Collections through Florida. 1. General Bibliographies. These materials will contain genealogical materials arranged by subject, author, and title. Researchers use this type of source to identify materials that are relevant to their area of research. After identifying these materials, patrons should check to see if the items are in the library collection. If not, ask the librarian about obtaining these materials though inter-library loan. The following titles are among the most popular, and can usually be found in most medium-sized genealogy collections: A) Filby, P. William. American and British Genealogy and Heraldry: A Selected List Of Books. 3rd Edition. Genealogy Ref. 016.929 Fil. This work contains more than nine thousand entries, often annotated with a brief description of contents, including many major articles and works in English concerning many foreign countries. B) Kaminkow, Marion J. Genealogies In The Library Of Congress: A Bibliography. 2v. c1972 Supplement, 1972-1976. c1977. All three of these titles specialize in family histories. The first mentioned is a compiled list of all entries from the 60 drawer "Family Name Index" catalog of the local history and genealogy section of the Library of Congress. The third title mentioned lists all the genealogies found in C) Daughters Of The American Revolution. DAR Library Catalog. 2v. Washington, DC: Daughters of the American Revolution. c1982. Supplements 1985-1991. c1991. Volume one is a listing of all family histories and compiled family genealogies available in the DAR Library collection. The second volume of this set is devoted to materials other than family histories. D) New York Public Library has two gigantic dictionary catalogs of their genealogical holdings. Part one is comprised of 18 volumes. This set is a compiled bibliography of the holdings for the main collection of the Local History and Genealogy Division. The other 800 volumes cover their specific research divisions. E) Kaminkow, Marion J. United States Local Histories In The Library Of Congress. 5v. Genealogy Ref. 016.973 Kam. F) Filby, P. William. Bibliography Of American County Histories. c1985. Genealogy Ref. 016.973 Fil. 2. Indexes. Most genealogical literature has been indexed or inventoried either by the original author, by a reprint publisher, by librarians who have published an analytical index of their genealogical collection, or by authors who have published analytical indexes of major genealogical works. Librarian generated indexes can take several forms: a subject shelf list, a complete surname index, or an index of researchers using the collection. An example of some of the most popular publisher-generated index found in genealogical libraries include the following: A) Index To American Genealogies. Genealogy Ref. 016.9293 Ind. (Reprint). Issued by Joel Munsell Publishers in 1900. Several earlier editions were published beginning in 1868. This is a surname index to genealogies and local histories published in the 19th century. The 60,000 entries cover New England, mid-Atlantic, and southern surnames; also title, author, and page numbers. Although many genealogies and local histories were surveyed, only the principal surnames of the cited work were indexed. B) Genealogical Index Of The Newberry Library. This is a four volume surname index to books acquired by that research institution between 1896 and 1918, covering over 5,000 entries. C) Greenlaw Index Of The New England Historic Genealogical Society. Subject index to over 1,000 volumes acquired by the society library between 1895 and 1940. In addition to listing the source, author, publication date, and page number of each of the 33,000 entries, this index includes the full name of the immigrant ancestor or later central figure of each sketch, the towns or counties in which the family in that line resided, the time period covered (often more than a century), and the length of each entry. D) American Genealogical-Biographical Index. This index covers genealogical holdings of the Godfrey Memorial Library in Middletown, Connecticut. This index is now available on-line through ancestry.com. This is a commerical genealogical website. Users must pay a subscription fee. E) Biography And Genealogy Dictionaries Master Index. This set lists more than 800,000 persons who appear in sixty past and current edition's of Who's Who and other works of collective biography. F) Filby, P. William. Passenger And Immigration Lists Index. Genealogy Ref. 929.373 Fil. Surname index of millions of immigrants gleaned from known published passenger lists to the United States and Canada.. G) IGI (International Genealogical Index). This is the largest analytical index in existence. The IGI is an on-going project of the Mormon Church. The IGI incorporates births, christenings, marriages, deaths, and other types of records from over 100 countries, containing more than 300 million entries.. The IGI is available on-line and in microform formats. At Fort Myers-Lee County Library, we have the IGI in two formats: as part of our Family Search Computer CD-ROM Program, and the 1978 microfiche edition. This 1978 edition is still good for historical purposes, and to fill in gaps where information is missing from the computerized version. Patrons should consult both if they can budget their time accordingly. 3. Genealogical Periodicals. Numerous periodical are available in most genealogical collections. While the content of most genealogical periodicals and journals can vary, they usually contain actual secondary source records pertaining the region or locality of origin. If the library has a complete set of the given periodical, they will also have a published index. These periodicals can be very useful. In some cases, patrons will find source materials which have never been published in book form. Each state will usually have one major genealogical periodical (some have several). In addition to state or regional periodicals, researchers can utilize major national genealogical periodicals or journals. These follow the same format and indexing as those on the state and regional level. The most comprehensive of these national periodicals for genealogists include the following: A) New England Historical And Genealogical Register. Genealogical journals and periodicals have been extensively indexed largely by Donald Lines 4. Genealogical Compendia. In addition to bibliographical materials and some types of analytical indexes, many medium-size genealogical collections usually own some types of genealogical compendia. These are large compilations of family pedigrees often organized by geographical area or topic. Examples would include the following: A) Burke's Presidential Families of The United States.
Major Genealogical Libraries Libraries which fall into this category usually have genealogical collection in excess of 100,000 volumes. Most have a nationwide or world-wide focus. Some may also have additional special collections devoted to an ethnic group, historical event/s, or regional history. The genealogy and special collection sections will be independent entities with their own separate staff for each section. Most offer some form of research service and make a concerted effort to develop and maintain a growing genealogical collection. Patrons who plan to visit communities where these libraries are located are best advised to contact the library in advance to request a brochure or books describing the collection. The brochures usually are free of charge. If the library has a published book for sale, it is usually a wise investment. Regardless of the price, think about the time saved in having the opportunity to formulate a research strategy in advance. This advantage alone will usually justify the price of any publication. Major genealogical research libraries will normally have a comprehensive collection of bibliographical and source materials which will exceed the scope described in the previous section on medium-sized libraries. Research Tips 1. To begin your library search, select the family line that interests you the most. Professional genealogists will always recommend selecting the branch or individual you know the most about. 2. Your success in utilizing libraries for genealogical research will depend on the following factors: - your ability to prepare a research strategy 3. When utilizing any library genealogical collection, ask the librarian or genealogy volunteer for an orientation to the collection. 4. Tours. When contacting medium or large libraries about brochures which describe the genealogy collection, inquire about the availability of tours of the collection. Some libraries will take advance reservations, others operate on a first come, first served basis. On occasions, these libraries also maintain a list of lodging facilities which give researchers discounts for advanced reservations. Brochures or publications which discuss the genealogy collection can be very helpful, but having a guided tour to supplement the written information will enhance your chances for success. If guided tours, brochures, or publications about the genealogy collection are part of the service package offered by the library, the information provided will usually touch on the following topics: - brief history of how the collection was started Most genealogy departments operate with volunteers. The number of volunteers will depend on the size of the library and collection. 5. The key to successful use of any sized genealogy collection is knowing how the materials are organized. In the last 20 years, most libraries have begun putting their holdings on computer and eliminating the old card catalog. The search techniques are the same, but some additional features have been added. 6. Advantages of computerized card catalog holdings: 7. Most libraries use one of two classification systems: Both systems arrange their books according to the book call number, which in turn is assigned according to the subject matter contained in the book. In order to find the shelf location of a specific book, you must obtain the call number of the book. The librarian or genealogy volunteer will always be able to assist you in this task. 8. Modern technology has changed the formats of many library collections. Materials of interest to genealogists are no exception. Book collections have been supplemented by microfilm, microfiche, and CD-ROM collections. Many libraries now have their newspapers on microfilm or microfiche. Many family histories have also been converted to one of the microform formats. Two of the most popular CD-ROM products are PERSI (Periodical Sound Index), which is prepared and maintained by Allen County Library in Ft. Wayne, Indiana, and FAMILY SEARCH, which is prepared and maintained by the Church Of Jesus Christ-Latter Day Saints. FAMILY SEARCH, which is available at Fort Myers-Lee County Library, includes the following five sources: - Ancestral File In genealogical collections, these technological changes have been a tremendous asset because they provide an inexpensive, compact, and theft proof means of information retrieval. PERSI and FAMILY SEARCH are only two of hundreds of genealogical CD-ROM products available. These types of products can offer researchers information ranging from U.S. and some foreign census indexes, marriage records, military service records, ships' passenger lists, collections of GEDCOM files, compiled family histories, to indexes of historical and genealogical periodicals. In addition to microform and CD-ROM products, many of the larger public and most academic libraries, subscribe to on-line databases, and provide INTERNET access. Public access INTERNET terminals and on-line databases, provide patrons with access to thousands of genealogical websites and databases. When using the INTERNET, one must realize that most of this information is of secondary nature. Until the information is corroborated with other sources, caution should be exercised in accepting the information at face value. 9. If you discover the librarian or genealogy staff member is a professional researcher, discuss some of your goals and objectives with them. If you have encountered some unique problems or dead-ends, this would be a great opportunity to get some expert advice. How To Locate Libraries With Genealogical Collections More than 1,500 organizations in the U.S. have special genealogical collections of published and unpublished sources. The following reference tools are good sources to find library addresses and telephone numbers: - American Association for State and Local History. Directory of Historical Organizations in the United States and Canada. 14th Edition. Nashville, TN: American Association for State and Local History, c1990. Genealogy Ref. 973.025 Dir. - Bentley, Elizabeth Petty. Directory of Family Associations: Addresses, Phone Numbers, Contact Persons, and Publications. Baltimore, MD: Genealogical Publishing Company, c1991. Genealogy Ref. 929.102 Ben. - ----------------------------- Genealogists Address Book. 3rd Edition. Baltimore, MD: Genealogical Publishing Company, c1995. Genealogy Ref. 929.102 Ben. - Byers, Paula K. African American Genealogical Sourcebook. Detroit, MI: Gale Research Corporation, c1995. Genealogy Ref. 929.1 Afr. - -------------------- Asian American Genealogical Sourcebook. Detroit, MI: Gale Research Corporation, c1995. Genealogy Ref. 929.1 Asi. - ------------------- Hispanic American Genealogical Sourcebook. Detriot, MI: Gale Research Corporation, c1995. Genealogy Ref. 929.1 His. - -------------------- Native American Genealogical Sourcebook. Detroit, MI: Gale Research Corporation, c1995. Genealogy Ref. 929.1 Nat. - Cerny, Johni and Wendy Elliot. The Library: A Guide to the LDS Family History Library. Salt Lake City, UT: Ancestry Publishing Company, c1988. Genealogy Ref. 929.1 Lib. - Daughters of the American Revolution. DAR Library Research. Washington, DC: Daughters of the American Revolution, c1998. Genealogy Ref. 016 DAR. - Dollarhide, William. America's Best Genealogy Resource Centers. Bountiful, UT: Genealogy Digest, American Genealogy Lending Library, c1997. Genealogy Ref. 016 Dol. - Eichholz, Alice. Ancestry's Redbook: American State, County, and Town Sources. Revised Edition. Salt Lake City, UT: Ancestry Publishing Company, c1988. Genealogy Ref. 929.1 Anc. - Everton, George B. Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America Edition. 8th Edition. Logan, UT: Logan Publishers, c1991. Genealogy Ref. 929.1 Eve. - Meyer, Mary Keysor. Meyer's Directory Of Genealogical Societies in the United States and Canada. Pasadena, CA: M. K. Meyer, c1993. Genealogy Ref. 929.1 Mey. - Neagles, James C. The Library of Congress: A Guide To Genealogical and Historical Research. Salt Lake City, UT: Ancestry Publishing Company, c1990. Genealogy Ref. 929.1 Nea. - Schaefer, Christina K. The Center: A Guide To Genealogical Research In The National Capital Area. Baltimore, MD: Genealogical Publishing Company, c1996. Genealogy Ref. 929.1 Sch. Szucs, Loretto Dennis and Sandra Hargreaves Kuebking. The Source: A Guidebook of American Genealogy. Revised Edition. Salt Lake City, UT: Ancestry Publishing Company, c1997. Genealogy Ref. 929.1 Szu. Wright, Raymond III. The Genealogist's Handbook: Modern Methods For Researching Family History. Chicago, IL and London, England: American Library Association, c1995. Genealogy Ref. 929.1 Wri.
Unless you are fortunate to come from a family with a tradition of maintaining the family genealogy, and this tradition has included maintaining a of family bibles, diaries, or correspondence, it is inevitable that libraries will play an important role in your research. What are some of the roles a library can play in helping one with genealogical research? 1. provide guidance in how to begin your research (how-to books, seminars, informational handouts, providing forms). 2. referral service to local or regional genealogists or genealogy societies 3. giving genealogists a profile of libraries within a regional where they either plan to visit or correspond with. This can assist the genealogist in planning their genealogical research trip or how they develope a research plan. If patrons let me know in advance the libraries they intend to visit or write to for information, I can utilize our refence links to try and obtain a profile of resources available. 4. indexes to or secondary records from city, county, state, and federal records, ship passenger lists, military rosters, pension applications, land grants, etc. (will allow you to identify localities where ancestors lived, and contact the appropriate authorities). On some occasions, jurisdictions will actually have one set of historical primary records (usually those prior to 1900) on microfilm or fiche at the local library. 5. information on international sources to assist patrons who need to contact authorities in other countries. Some libraries will have a limited number of secondary records compiled form sources within a given country. 6. INTERNET access. There are thousands on websites which are devoted to genealogical research in one form or another. 7. CD-ROM products such as Family Search, Family Tree Maker. (FM has Family Search). 8. assiting patrons with genalogical research. This is usually limited to middle or large public libraries with research level collections. There are more than 1,500 library related organizations which have genealogical collections in one form or another. These include libraries (public, private, or academic), archives, historical or genalogical society libraries. Some examples would include the following: 1. public: Orlando/Orange County Public Library or Allen County Library in Ft. Wayne Indiana. 2. private: Ellen Payne Odom, Moultrie, GA or Jack Ladson Library in Vidallia, GA (near Savannah). 3. genealogical or historical society: New England Historical & Genealogical Society Library or the Historical Society of South Florida which is a branch of the Miami-Dade Public Library. 4. university library with special collections related to genealogical research: P.K. Younge Collection on Florida History (UF-Gainesville) or the Eugene C. Barker, Texas History Center, Center For American History (affiliated with the University of Texas at Austin). Many genealogists overlook university libraries as a resource. These libraries can be useful for special collections aimed at a specific locaity, region, historical period, ethnic group, or families from whom a person became successful on a national or world-wide scope. Acadamic libraries also offer remote access to their holdings via the Internet. This allows researchers access to their holdings (for browsing purposes). 5. ethnic or religious library: American Historical Society of Germans from Russia, or the National Archives of the Mennonite Church, or the Family History Library of the Church of Jesus Christ Latter-Day Saints. 6. lineage society libraries: UDC or the DAR. The two best sources for locating libraries with genealogical sources are: -Some genealogy collections are private and not mentioned in any of the bibliographical sources. If the locaity you plan to visit or send correspondence to does not have a libray listed, try contacting the local Chamber of Commerce (most libraries have the nation-wide directory) or consult the Genealogists Address Book to see if the state has a historical commission. Contact the historical commison and inquire about the given county having a county historian. These historians sometimes have private collections. Types Of Library Collections Collections can be grouped in three classifications: 1. Small town public or local historical/genealogical society libraries with collection that contain items which pertain primarily or exclusively to local town and/or county history. Many will have files on the prominent familes that have played major roles in the social and econoomic development of the area. These libraries will only purchase materials for their locality or region. Any other materials are primarily acquired through donations. 2. Medium-sized or metropolitan libraries that have designated budgets reserved for genealogy. The collection is usually housed in a seperate reading area and utilize volunteers and a staff member to serve their patrons. The Fort Myers-Lee County Library genealogical collection would currently fit into this category. Our collection is divided into 5 sections: Medium-sized collections can follow several types of formats: 1. They are open to acquiring major materials with a nationwide focus, but concentrate their main focus on the states east or west of the Mississippi River or north vs south of the Mason Dixon Line. 2.Focus on collecting all materials for their region of the country, and relevant foreign materials which apply to the major nationalities and nations responsible for providing the area with its original settlers. 3. Having a comprehensive collection of all documents, manuscripts, primary, and secondary records applicable to local or regional twons, cities, counties, and states within a soecified geographical area. This would be supplemented with secondary source materials covering a much wider regional scope or perhaps on a nation-wide basis. There is no one-set formula for what you'll find in a given collection. Many libraries in the middle and large-sized range provide brochures which describe their collection. These brochures are usually provided free of chege simply by writing the library. 3. Research collections such as the National Archives, New England Historical Genealogical Library in Boston, the LDS Family History Center Library in Salt Lake City, or the Allen County Library in Fort Wayne, Indiana. |
