United States Archives and Libraries: Difference between revisions

*[http://www.digitalstatearchives.com/ Online State Archives] - website listing links to all the state archives and highlighting each state's online collections.  

[http://techcrunch.com/2014/06/30/us-national-archives-to-upload-all-holdings-to-wikimedia-commons/ "US National Archives To Upload All Holdings To Wikimedia Commons" ]  

The National Archives has a list of [http://www.archives.gov/digitization/digitized-by-partners.html digitized records] and links to access them through online databases. It includes pay sites such as Ancestry and Fold3.com that have partnered with the National Archives to digitize many of the archives' records. Read more about the [http://www.archives.gov/digitization digitization program] at the National Archives.  

For more details see [[Family History Library|Family History Library]].  

[[Image:Library of Congress Jefferson Building.jpg|right|275px|Library of Congress Jefferson Building.jpg]]Genealogy and Local History Reading Room<br>101 Independence Ave. at First Street, S.E.<br>Washington, D.C. 20504<br>Telephone: 202-707-5000<br>Fax: 202-707-5844<br>Internet address: [http://www.loc.gov/rr/genealogy/ Library of Congress, Local History and Genealogy Reading Room]<br><br>  

The Library of Congress site has a wonderful [http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/index.html American Memory] page that links to more 60 collections, searchable by keyword or time period in a variety of media.  

[[Image:NEHGS Newbury Street.jpg|right|175px|NEHGS Newbury Street.jpg]]101 Newbury Street<br>Boston, MA 02116-3087<br>Telephone: 617-536-5740<br>Fax: 617-536-7307<br>Internet address: [http://www.americanancestors.org New England Historic Genealogical Society]<br><br>  

{{See|New England Historic Genealogical Society}}  

[[Image:New York Public Library exterior.jpg|right|175px|New York Public Library exterior.jpg]]Local History and Genealogy Division<br>Fifth Avenue &amp; 42nd Street<br>New York, NY 10018<br>Telephone: 212-930-0828<br>Fax: 212-921-2546<br>Internet address: [http://www.nypl.org/ New York Public Library]  

The [[New York Public Library]] has collected many published sources, such as local histories, city directories, maps, newspapers, and genealogies.  

[[Image:Newberry Library.jpg|right|175px|Newberry Library.jpg]]60 West Walton Street <br>Chicago, IL 60610-3394<br>(312) 943-9090<br>(312) 255-3513&nbsp; fax<br><br>  

The [http://www.newberry.org/ Newberry Library] was established in 1887 with a bequest from the estate of [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walter_Loomis_Newberry Walter Loomis Newberry].&nbsp; A privately endowed independent research library, their collections are free and open to the public.&nbsp; The library's [http://www.newberry.org/genealogy/guides.html Genealogy Collection] includes more than 17,000 published family histories, and an extensive collection of local histories, military records, published indexes and abstracts, manuscripts and published sources.  

The following libraries also have exceptional genealogical collections. These libraries collect major national sources as well as records of the states they serve.  

*[[Maryland State Archives]] (Annapolis, Maryland)  

*[[Mid-Continent Public Library Midwest Genealogy Center|Mid-Continent Public Library]] (Independence, Missouri). Internet site: [http://www.mcpl.lib.mo.us/ Mid-Continent Public Library Midwest Genealogy Center]  

*[http://www.onelibrary.com/Library/calslsut.htm Sutro Library (San Francisco State University)]  

*[[Tennessee State Library and Archives]] (Nashville, Tennessee)  

*[http://www.wrhs.org/ Western Reserve Historical Society (Cleveland, Ohio)]  

*[http://www.wisconsinhistory.org/ Wisconsin Historical Society (Madison, Wisconsin)]

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

'''See also [[American Indian Archives and Libraries]].'''  

Most large universities have a special collections division of their university 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.  

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.  

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 [http://www.statearchivists.org/states.htm Council of State Archivists] website. Another comprehensive list of [http://sos.georgia.gov/archives/what_do_we_have/other_state_archives state archives] and their websites is available from the Georgia Secretary of State's website for anyone wanting to find a specific state archive.  

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

<center>{{Archives and Libraries States}}</center> <center>'''Territories and Federal District'''</center> <center>{{Archives and Libraries Territories}}</center>  

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 Family History Library has copies of many of these important records on microfilm.  

:*''The Handy Book for Genealogists: United States of America''. Tenth edition. Logan, Utah: Everton Publishing, 2006. (FHL {{FHL|1362899|title-id|disp=973 D27e}}) ([http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/62744825 Worldcat]) The Handy Book also lists the county seat and zip code.

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:  

:*''Directory of Historical Organizations in the United States and Canada''. 15th Edition. Nashville, Tennessee: American Association for State and Local History, 2001. (FHL {{FHL|1007248|title-id|disp=970 H24d}}) ([http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/48910178 Worldcat])

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 Family History Library, at your public or university library, or through interlibrary loan.  

[http://archives.chadwyck.com/marketing/index.jsp 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. $  

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[[Category:United_States_Archives_and_Libraries]]