What Libraries Can Offer the Genealogist
The databases your local library may offer include, census and immigration records, birth, death and marriage records, biographies, obituaries, historical newspapers, and phone books. Smaller libraries may subscribe to only a few databases while larger libraries will offer a wide range of databases.
I have put together a list that is the most common databases that most libraries offer for genealogical research.
1. Ancestry.com - the Ancestry Library Edition
This site offers a wide range and variety of content. It includes the complete Federal Census Collection, 1790-1930; Immigration Collection, including the passenger lists and naturalization petitions; Military Records: Civil War, World War I Draft Registration and many other local and family history records.
You will also find the UK and Ireland census, the England & Wales civil registration index and the phone book archives. This is a very expensive database to be a member of but libraries offer this service free of charge for their members using only the libraries computers.
2. Proquest Obituaries
Proquest offers more than 10 million obituaries and death notices that have appeared in the top U.S. national newspapers dating back to 1851. These are viewed in full digital images from the actual papers. Some of the newspaper that have been digitalized are: The Los Angeles Times, The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Chicago Defender, The Chicago Tribune, the Atlanta Constitution and the Boston Globe. They are constantly adding new newspapers every year.
3. Biographical and Genealogy Master Index
This is a master index of biographies that have been published since 1970, in a wide collective biography volume. It list the individual's name, birth, and death date and offers the source document for further reference.
4. Heritage Quest Online
Heritage Quest offers over 25,000 family and local history books, the complete US Federal Census, Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant application files, and many other genealogical collections.
Heritage Quest Online is available via remote access, meaning if your local library has this offer then you can access the site using your library card from any computer.
5. Digital Sanborn Maps, 1867-1970
This is offered by Proquest. This database provides digital access to more than 660,000 large-scale maps of more than 12,000 American towns and cities. These maps provide excellent details of structures existing in larger towns and cities. It also lists street names, property boundaries and other information. These maps were originally created for insurance adjusters.
6. Historical newspapers collections
Almost every library offers some kind of access to historical newspapers. These newspapers may be local newspapers, national newspapers, or newspaper from around the globe. A good example is Proquest, they offer a historical newspaper collection that includes full text and full image of articles from the major American newspapers: The New York Time - September 18, 1851-December 31, 2002; The Wall Street Journal - July 8, 1889-December 31, 1988; The Chicago Tribune - April 23, 1849-December 31, 1985. They also offer digital archives of full-image pages that were published by The Times (London) from 1785-1985.
There is also a library version that the Newspaper Archives offers. It has online access to full-page historical newspapers that are across the U.S., plus newspapers from the United Kingdom, Canada, and other countries that date from 1759 to 1977.
If you have a library card, library members can access many of these databases but you have to have a valid library card and a pin number for them to work. You need to check with your local town, county or state library to see what databases they offer. Some state libraries offer their members access to all these and more databases, if you are a resident of their state
Some states also let nonresidents apply for a library card. You just have to ask around.
Published by Tammy Evans
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2 Comments
Post a CommentGreat information, I used the library census a while back. They are very helpful in pointing you in the right direction of where and what to look for.
Great information and great article.