United States Archives and Libraries: Difference between revisions

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Online State Archives State-by-state links to online databases and indexes that may include vital records, biographies, cemeteries, censuses, histories, immigration records, land records, maps, military records, naturalizations, newspapers, obituaries, or probate records.
Digital Public Library of America access to the best of America’s libraries, archives, and museums.
The Mountain West Digital Library is a search portal for an aggregation of digital collections from more than 50 universities, colleges, public libraries, museums, and historical societies in Utah, Nevada, and Idaho. It is in partnership with 60 academic libraries, public libraries, museums, historical societies, cities, counties, and state agencies from Utah, Nevada, Idaho, and Hawaii (coming soon: over 60 new partners in Arizona!)

Researchers' entrance at National Archives I in Washington, D.C.
See Archives and Libraries for more information.

Libraries

Allen County Public Library

Genealogy Center
900 Webster Street (P.O. Box 2270)
Fort Wayne, IN 46802
Telephone: 219-421-1225
Email: genealogy@acpl.info
Website
Genealogy Center

The Genealogy Center houses the second largest genealogy research collection in the United States, and the largest in a public library. It is primarily a North American collection, with some complementary resources for the British Isles and other European countries. One of America's best genealogical libraries. They especially shine in genealogical periodicals, printed county histories, and printed family histories.^[6]

Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) Library

76 “D” Street N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20006-5392
Telephone: 202-879-3229
Fax: 202-879-3227
Website.

The DAR Library houses one of the largest genealogical collections in the United States. Its book collection includes more than 150,000 volumes concerning people and places throughout the nation. The collection focuses primarily on the generation of the American Revolution, but also includes substantial resources for studying people from the colonial period and the nineteenth century. "Through the efforts of local DAR members and chapters nationwide approximately 15,000 volumes of Genealogical Records Committee Reports have entered the Library and constitute a unique source for family histories, cemetery record transcriptions, and Bible records." ^[7]

National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution (SAR) Genealogical Research Library

National SAR Genealogical Research Library in Louisville, KY

809 West Main St.
Louisville, KY 40202
Telephone: 502-589-1776
Contact Form
Website
Catalog

This national genealogical research library houses over 55,000 items, including family histories, local, county, and state records - with a collecting focus that spans all 50 states and the breadth of American history. The Library also houses an archival collection containing both institutional and Revolutionary period items.

FamilySearch Library

FamilySearch Library in Salt Lake City, Utah

35 North West Temple Street
Salt Lake City, UT 84150
Telephone: 801-240-2331
Fax: 801-240-1584
Email: fhl@ldschurch.org
FamilySearch

Family Tree pedigrees, Memories photos, Search historical records, Genealogies, FamilySearch Catalog, and FamilySearch Wiki

Library of Congress

Library of Congress Jefferson Building in Washington, D.C.

101 Independence Ave. SE
Thomas Jefferson Building, LJ G4
Washington, D.C. 20540-4660
Telephone:Reading Room: 202-707-5537
Fax: 202-707-1957
Email: Ask a Librarian

Contact Information
American Memory page that links to more 60 collections, searchable by keyword or time period in a variety of media.

Local histories, and collections of manuscripts, microfilms, maps, newspapers, photographs, and published material, strong in North American, British Isles, and German sources. ^[8] ^[9]

Mid-Continent Public Library Midwest Genealogy Center in Independence, Missouri

Mid-Continent Public Library Midwest Genealogy Center

3440 S. Lee's Summit Road
Independence, MO 64055-1923
Telephone: 816-836-5200
Fax: 816-521-7253
Email: ge@mcpl.lib.mo.us
Website

The collection covers the entire United States and includes over 80,000 family history books, 100,000 local history items, 565,000 microfilms and microfiches, and 7,000 maps. Significant holdings include all federal censuses 1790-1930 and many indexes, federal land sales in Missouri 1818-1903, the Draper Manuscript Collection, Kentucky tax records, Missouri State Penitentiary Records 1836-1931, papers of the St. Louis fur trade, Records of Antebellum Southern Plantations, indexes and Compiled Service Records of MO Union and Confederate Civil War soldiers, Civil War Union and Confederate unit histories, selected passenger arrival lists, Native American sources, partial state vital records for AL, AR, CA, GA, IL, IN, KY, OR, TX, WA, Massachusetts original town records, city directories, the Independence Examiner, and Kansas City Star and Times, other newspapers (primarily Missouri), American Biographical Archives, Black Biographical Dictionaries, UMI Genealogy and Local History Series, and the United States Serial Set.^[10]

New England Historic Genealogical Society

101 Newbury Street
Boston, Massachusetts 02116-3007
Telephone: 617-536-5740; Library 617-226-1231
Fax: 617-536-7307
Email: info@nehgs.org
Website.

Best overall collection for New England vital records and probates, and excellent collection for Canada, Great Britain, Ireland, and Europe. The manuscript collection for members only has diaries, letters, account books, business papers, church and town records, sermons, maps, wills, deeds, unpublished town and family genealogies, photos, and papers of the region's best genealogists since 1850.^[11]

New York Public Library

New York Public Library in Manhattan

Local History and Genealogy Division
Fifth Avenue & 42nd Street
New York, NY 10018
Telephone: 212-930-0828
Fax: 212-921-2546
Email: histref@nypl.org
Website

The New York Public Library's collection is one of the largest in the world with over 14 million titles. The Irma and Paul Milstein Division of U.S. History, Local History and Genealogy has an outstanding collection of American history at national, state and local levels; international genealogy and heraldry in Roman alphabets; the Dorot Jewish collection; photos; New York censuses, directories, and vital records. The Milstein Division acquires materials beyond the local region. The United States town, city, county and state history collection is national in scope.^[12] Books requested in the Bill Blass Public Catalog Room are delivered to the Rose Reading Room. The open shelf dictionaries, encyclopedias, biographies, and indexes alone include 25,000 volumes.

The library has computers with Internet access including the most popular genealogical databases, and free Wi-Fi for personal computers of visitors. The Milstein Microfilm Room gives access to New York State censuses, New York City directories, and indexes to New York City vital records (births late 19th century-1982; deaths late 19th century-1982; and marriages 1869-1937), coroner's inquisitions 1823-1898, divorce index 1784-1910, 1890 New York City “Police” Census, New York City historical newspapers, NYC land and property records 1654-1857, 18th and 19th century wills for many counties.

In addition, the Manuscripts and Archives Division, 3rd floor, has about 30,000 feet (9,144 meters) of archival papers of individuals, families, and organizations mostly from the New York area. The Rare Book Division, 3rd Floor, has 130,000 titles from Europe, England, and the Americas. The Art, Prints and Photographs Division, 3rd floor, has 200,000 prints.

The New York Public Library now houses the New York Genealogical and Biographical Society's collection. All of their collection has been cataloged and is located in the New York Public Library's online catalog.

Newberry Library

Newberry Library in Chicago, Illinois

60 West Walton Street
Chicago, IL 60610
Telephone: 312-255-3512
Email: Contact a Librarian form
Website

A large Chicago repository with genealogies, local histories, censuses, military, land, indexes, vital records, court, and tax records many from Illinois, the Mississippi Valley, eastern seaboard, Canada, and the British Isles.^[13] They have over 17,000 printed genealogies. The collection is noteworthy for its colonial America, especially New England holdings. They have church, town, and county histories from all parts of the United States, Canada, and the British Isles. This includes a comprehensive set of New England town histories, and strong collection of county histories from the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic states. Their Civil War unit histories collection is one of the best.^[14] This library has research guides on various subjects related to genealogy and library holdings cataloged from 1978. See

Ackman & Ziff Family Genealogy Institute

Center for Jewish History
15 West 16th Street, New York, NY 10011
(917) 606-8217
gi@cjh.org
Website
The Ackman & Ziff Family Genealogy Institute at the Center for Jewish History provides access to a wealth of genealogical resources through the Center’s partner collections and the Institute’s extensive reference collection, online databases, and research guides.The partners’ archives comprise the world’s largest and most comprehensive archive of the modern Jewish experience outside of Israel. The collections span a thousand years, with more than 5 miles of archival documents (in dozens of languages and alphabet systems) and more than 500,000 books, including family and community histories, memoirs, newspapers, photographs, as well as records of various communal, cultural, political and professional organizations. "

Other Major Genealogical Collections

The following repositories also have exceptional genealogical collections. These libraries collect major national sources as well as records of the states they serve. There is a page in this Wiki for each repository which includes contact information, a brief description of their collection, and list of alternative repositories with related collections.

American Antiquarian Society (Worcester, Massachusetts)
Bancroft Library (University of California, Berkeley)
Brigham Young University Harold B. Lee Library (Provo, Utah)
Clayton Library Center for Genealogical Research (Houston, Texas)
Dallas Public Central Library (Dallas, Texas)
Detroit Public Main Library (Detroit, Michigan)
Historical Society of Pennsylvania (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)
Library of Virginia (Richmond, Virginia)
Los Angeles Public Library (Los Angeles, California)
Maryland State Archives (Annapolis, Maryland)
Oklahoma Historical Society (Oklahoma City, Oklahoma)
Pritzker Military Museum and Library (Chicago, Illinois)
St. Louis County Library (St. Louis, Missouri) includes the National Genealogical Society collection
Sutro Library (San Francisco State University, California)
Tennessee State Library and Archives (Nashville, Tennessee)
Western Reserve Historical Society (Cleveland, Ohio)
Wisconsin Historical Society (Madison, Wisconsin)

Other Kinds of Repositories for Genealogists

Your local public library can help you locate these and other archives and libraries. Current directories include:

GoldenWest Marketing, Directory of Genealogy Libraries in the United States. Offers addresses, phone numbers, and web links to libraries with varying degrees of genealogical holdings; arranged by state.
State by State listing of Digital Archives and Libraries
Council of State Archivists.
See also the Wiki page American Indian Archives and Libraries.

Previously published directories include:

American Library Directory. 53rd Edition. New Providence, New Jersey: R. R. Bowker, 2000-2001. (FS Library 973 J54a 2000, 2 vol.) Alphabetical by state and town. Lists addresses, telephone and fax numbers, and describes each library's holdings and special interests.
- 65th Edition being published May, 2013.
Bentley, Elizabeth Petty. The Genealogist's Address Book. Fifth Edition. Baltimore, Maryland: Genealogical Publishing Company, 2005. (FS Library 973 D24ben 2005.) Includes national, state, ethnic, religious, historical, adoption, computer interest group, and vendor addresses with telephone numbers, Email addresses, supervisors, and repository hours.
The National Historical Publications and Records Commission. Directory of Archives and Manuscript Repositories in the United States. Second Edition. Phoenix, Arizona: Oryx Press, 1988. (FS Library 973 J54u 1988; 1978 Edition on fiche 6010080-89.)

University Libraries with special collections

Most large universities have a special collections division in their library. Some of these repositories have extensive collections of local and state historical documents, including many individual record collections. Carefully search the university library catalog for references to the individuals you are researching. Access to the special collections may be very restricted, so check with the library about any restrictions before visiting.

Federal Depository Libraries

The federal government has designated at least one library in each state (generally a major university library) to receive a copy of published federal records. These include a wide variety of topics, such as pension lists, private land claims, veterans' burial lists, and individuals' petitions to Congress. For their locations see the Federal Depository Library Directory online.

State Archives and State Libraries

Each state has a state archive or a state library. Many states have both. These serve as the repositories for state and county government records. They often have some federal records as well, such as the U.S. census schedules for the state. A list of all of the state archives and libraries is kept up to date on the webpage for the Council of State Archivists website.

Also see each state's Archives and Libraries wiki article (links below) for more information on these and other archives in each state.

Archives and Libraries in each State

NOTE: Local public libraries—even smaller ones—often have Unique Genealogical Collections that are not online for the area they serve. Many local libraries have collections dedicated to local history and genealogy.

Territories and Federal District

County and Town Courthouses

Many of the key records essential for genealogical research were created by local county or town governments. These include court, land and property, naturalization and citizenship, probate, taxation, and vital records. The county and town courthouses are the primary repositories of these valuable records. (However, some courthouse records have been destroyed or transferred to state archives.) The FamilySearch Library has copies of many of these important records on microfilm.

The individual counties have organized their records and offices in many different ways. Each county's Wiki article provides further information on how to obtain these records.

Easy-to-use sources that list the various county offices in each state and the types of records at each office are:

Bentley, Elizabeth Petty.County Courthouse Book. Baltimore, Maryland: Genealogical Publishing Company, 1995. (FS Library 973 D24bena) (Worldcat)
The Handy Book for Genealogists: United States of America. Tenth edition. Logan, Utah: Everton Publishing, 2006. (FS Library 973 D27e) (Worldcat) The Handy Book also lists the county seat and zip code.

Historical and Genealogical Societies

Historical and genealogical societies have been organized in each state, most counties, and some towns. These societies collect many valuable records and offer various helpful services to researchers. Addresses of local societies are listed in:

Carson, Dina C., Directory of Genealogical and Historical Libraries, Archives and Collections in the US and Canada. Niwot, Colorado: Iron Gate Pub., 1002. (Worldcat)
Directory of Historical Organizations in the United States and Canada. 15th Edition. Nashville, Tennessee: American Association for State and Local History, 2001. (FS Library 970 H24d) (Worldcat)

Inventories, Registers, and Catalogs

Most archives have catalogs, inventories, guides, or periodicals that describe their records and how to use them. If possible, study these guides before you visit an archive so that you can use your time more effectively. Many of these are available at the FamilySearch Library, at your public or university library, or through interlibrary loan.

An example of a helpful guide is:

Schaefer, Christina K. The Center: Guide to Genealogical Research in the National Capital Area. Baltimore, Maryland: Genealogical Publishing Company, 1996. (FS Library 975.3 A3sc) (Worldcat) This describes the records and services of the National Archives, Library of Congress, Daughters of the American Revolution Library, and other repositories in the Washington, DC area.

Archive Finder is a current directory which describes over 220,000 collections of primary source material housed in thousands of repositories across the United States, the United Kingdom and Ireland. Available at some libraries through ProQuest; also available onsite at some libraries, such as New York Public Library, Harvard Library, USC Libraries, Mid-Continent Public Library. Check libraries in your location.

Historical Records Survey

The Historical Records Survey by the Works Progress Administration (WPA), included inventories of courthouses, archives, and libraries for each state in the United States. These inventories describe the collections available in those repositories during the time period between 1935 when the program began to when it was dissolved in 1943.

Work Progress Administration (WPA) Historical Records Survey - List of repositories by state holding Historical Records Survey materials

Wiki Articles on Major Repositories in the USA

National Archives I · National Archives II · National Personnel Records Center (NPRC) · Allen County Public Library · Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) Library · FamilySearch Library · Library of Congress · Mid-Continent Public Library Midwest Genealogy Center · New England Historic Genealogical Society · New York Public Library · Newberry Library

References

↑ Information for Researchers at the National Archives Building in Washington, DC in National Archives (accessed 31 December 2013).
↑ William Dollarhide and Ronald A. Bremer. America's Best Genealogy Resource Centers (Bountiful, Utah: Heritage Quest, 1998), 2. WorldCat 39493985; FS Library Ref Book 973 J54d.
↑ Dollarhide and Bremer, 123-34.
↑ Dollarhide and Bremer, 134.
↑ National Archives at St. Louis in National Archives (accessed 18 March 2014).
↑ Dollarhide and Bremer, 43.
↑ About the Library in DAR Daughters of the American Revolution (accessed 9 August 2023).
↑ The Collections in Local History and Genealogy Reference Services in Library of Congress (accessed 2 February 2014).
↑ Dollarhide and Bremer, 29.
↑ About the Midwest Genealogy Center at Mid-Continent Public Library Midwest Genealogical Center (accessed 14 December 2021).
↑ Dollarhide and Bremer, 5, 57, and 59.
↑ Irma and Paul Milstein Division of U.S. History, Local History and Genealogy in New York Public Library (accessed 16 October 2010).
↑ Genealogy and Local History in The Newberry (accessed 27 February 2015).
↑ Dollarhide and Bremer, 39.

[1] Information for Researchers at the National Archives Building in Washington, DC in National Archives (accessed 31 December 2013).

[DB2-2] William Dollarhide and Ronald A. Bremer. America's Best Genealogy Resource Centers (Bountiful, Utah: Heritage Quest, 1998), 2. WorldCat 39493985; FS Library Ref Book 973 J54d.

[3] Dollarhide and Bremer, 123-34.

[4] Dollarhide and Bremer, 134.

[5] National Archives at St. Louis in National Archives (accessed 18 March 2014).

[6] Dollarhide and Bremer, 43.

[7] About the Library in DAR Daughters of the American Revolution (accessed 9 August 2023).

[8] The Collections in Local History and Genealogy Reference Services in Library of Congress (accessed 2 February 2014).

[DB29-9] Dollarhide and Bremer, 29.

[10] About the Midwest Genealogy Center at Mid-Continent Public Library Midwest Genealogical Center (accessed 14 December 2021).

[DB55759-11] Dollarhide and Bremer, 5, 57, and 59.

[12] Irma and Paul Milstein Division of U.S. History, Local History and Genealogy in New York Public Library (accessed 16 October 2010).

[13] Genealogy and Local History in The Newberry (accessed 27 February 2015).

[DB39-14] Dollarhide and Bremer, 39.

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• Anchorage, AK now closed. See Seattle.	• Denver, CO for CO, MT, NM, ND, SD, UT, and WY.	• Philadelphia, PA for for PA, DE, WV, MD, and VA.
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