Utah Archives and Libraries
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Many archives and libraries have resources such as maps, gazetteers, and other place-finding aids to help you locate information about Utah. They may have collections of previous research, such as family and local histories and biographies. Many have record-finding aids such as guides to their own collections or inventories of records housed elsewhere in the state.
Many societies have libraries and archive holdings, with biographical and genealogical records. These collections will be listed under Utah Societies.
The following libraries and archives are helpful for research in the state of Utah. Search the wiki for the county to locate local libraries, archives, and Family History Centers.
See also United States Archives and Libraries for a more extensive list of libraries on a national basis.
Wiki Articles on Major Repositories in Utah
Utah State Archives · Utah State Historical Society · Church History Library · Daughters of Utah Pioneers · Logan Public Library · Salt Lake City Public Library · BYU Lee Library · Family History Library · BYU Family History Library · Logan Family History Center · Ogden FamilySearch Library · Riverton FamilySearch Library · St. George FamilySearch Library · Bancroft Library at UC Berkeley · National Archives at Denver
Online Resources
 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.
State RepositoriesResearch CenterResearch Center for Utah State Archives and Utah State History |
The Research Center is in the historic Rio Grande building and serves researchers of both the Utah State Archives and the Utah State Historical Society below.
Utah State Archives
- 346 S Rio Grande St
Salt Lake City, UT 84101
Phone: (801) 531-3848
Internet: Utah State Archives
- 346 S Rio Grande St
- The Utah State Archives and Records Service is a state government agency that works with records created by state and local governmental entities in Utah. Records of historical value are preserved and are available for research. The Archives also has the Records Service: Name Indexes database.
Utah State Historical Society
- 300 S Rio Grande St
Salt Lake City, UT 84101
Telephone: (801) 245-7225
Internet: Utah State History- Records of early settlements, Great Basin colonization, Mormon pioneers, mining, and records not available at other repositories.[1] Utah State History’s mission is to preserve and share the past for a better present and future. Services include the Utah Historical Quarterly, Library and Collections, Historic Buildings preservation, and antiquities.
- Records of early settlements, Great Basin colonization, Mormon pioneers, mining, and records not available at other repositories.[1] Utah State History’s mission is to preserve and share the past for a better present and future. Services include the Utah Historical Quarterly, Library and Collections, Historic Buildings preservation, and antiquities.
- 300 S Rio Grande St
Utah State Library
250 North, 1950 West, Suite A
Salt Lake City, UT 84116-7901
Telephone: 801-715-6777
Fax: 801-715-6767
Internet: Utah State Library Division
- Their collection includes almost every state, county, or local history of Utah.[1] Salt Lake City, Utah, family histories, photographs, books, manuscript collections, telephone directories, maps, newspapers, yearbooks, and periodicals are available in the Research Center and online.[2]
Utah Vital Records Office
Utah Vital Records Office
PO BOX 141012
288 North 1460 West
Salt Lake City, UT 84114-1012
Telephone: (801) 534-4694
Internet: Vital Records Office
- Statewide births and deaths since 1905; marriages and divorces since 1978.
Church History Library
Church History Library
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints History Library
15 East North Temple Street
Salt Lake City, UT 84150-3800
Library Telephone: 801-240-2745
Archives Telephone: 801-240-2272
Internet: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints History Library
- The Church History Library collection is especially strong for early Utah and Mormon pioneers.[1] You will need to bring identification with a photograph, such as a driver's license, to use some of the records. Church History Library material does not circulate to Family History Centers.
Pioneer Memorial Museum
Daughters of Utah Pioneers
300 N Main Street
Salt Lake City, Utah 84103
Telephone: 801-532-6479
Fax: 801-532-4436
E-mail: info@isdup.org
Internet: Daughters of Utah Pioneers
- Houses many records pioneers brought with them including Bibles, photos, diaries, journals, and letters. Also has compiled genealogies on nearly every pioneer that arrived before 1869.[1]
Public Libraries
Brigham City Library
26 East Forest Street
Brigham City, UT 84302
Telephone: 435-723-5850
E-mail: brighamlibrary@gmail.com
Internet: Research Center - Family History]
- Good genealogy collection for Utah settlers.[1]
Logan Public Library
255 North Main
Logan, UT 84321
Telephone: 435-716-9120
E-mail: Ask a Librarian form
Internet: Logan Library
- The library has received the collection from Everton Library. The Everton collection had around 80,000 genealogical volumes.
Salt Lake City Public Library
209 East 500 South Street
Salt Lake City, UT 84111
Telephone: 801-524-8200
Fax: 801-524-8289
Internet: Salt Lake City Public Library
- The Salt Lake City Public Library has a good heraldry collection, and better than average Western Americana collection including books about Mormon and other ethnic pioneers. They participate in inter-library loan service. Their noteworthy genealogically related databases include: HeritageQuest Online, The Pioneer (Utah's online library), Utah Digital Newspapers, Digital Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps 1865-1970, Gale Virtual Reference Library, and the Biography Resource Center.
University Libraries
University Libraries may have unique collections useful for history and genealogy. These may include oral history interviews, family collections, and doctoral dissertations, to name a few.
BYU Lee Library
Brigham Young University Harold B. Lee Library
P.O. Box 26800
Brigham Young University
Provo, UT 84602-6800
Telephone: 801-422-6200
E-mail: Ask a Librarian
Internet: BYU Harold B. Lee Library Internet site
- An outstanding research library including county and local histories, LDS Church records, diaries, journals, periodicals, newspapers, government documents, maps, and computer databases.
DSU Browning Library
Dixie State University Val A. Browning Library Special Collections
225 South 700 East
St. George, Utah 84770
Tel. 435-652-7714
Email: library@dixie.edu
- A large manuscript collection for early Utah pioneers, and a big genealogy collection with many records about out-of-state people.[1]
SUU Sherratt Library
Gerald R. Sherratt Library Special Collections
Southern Utah University
351 W. University Blvd.
Cedar City, UT 84720
Telephone: 435-586-7945
Fax: 435-586-8152
Email specialcoll@suu.edu
U of U Marriott Library
Marriott Library
University of Utah
295 South 1500 East
Salt Lake City, UT 84112
Telephone: 801-581-8364
Fax: 801-585-3464
USU Merrill-Cazier Library
Merrill-Cazier Library
Utah State University
3000 Old Main Hill
Logan, UT 84322
Telephone: 801-797-2678
Fax: 801-797-2880
- Best western "mountain man" collection anywhere.[1]
WSU Stewart Library
Stewart Library
Weber State University
2901 University Circle
Ogden, UT 84408-2901
Telephone: 801-626-6515
Toll Free 877-306-3140
Fax: 801-626-7045
Major Family History Centers
Family History Library
35 North West Temple Street
Salt Lake City, UT 84150
Telephone: 801-240-2331
Fax: 801-240-1584
E-Mail: fhl@ldschurch.org
Internet: FamilySearch Family Tree pedigrees, Memories photos, Search historical records, Genealogies, FamilySearch Catalog, and FamilySearch Wiki
- 450 computers, 3,400 databases, 3.1 million microforms, 4,500 periodicals, 310,000 books of worldwide family and local histories, civil, church, immigration, ethnic, military, and Mormon records. Many Utah microfilms are also at branch FamilySearch Centers in local LDS churches, and described in their online FamilySearch Catalog.[3]
- The following guide book will help in using the library. It gives suggestions on preparing to visit the library, genealogy research tips, and helps in using the library.
- Parker, J. Carlyle. Going to Salt Lake City to Do Family History Research. 3rd ed. Turlock, California: Marietta Publishing, 1996. At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL book 979.2258 J5p 1996.
- A history of the Genealogical Society of Utah was written during the centennial of the society. This book covers the beginning of the society to 1994. It contains a history of the library, of microfilming, and an overview of the Granite Mountain Records Vault.
- Allen, James B., Jessie L. Embry and Kahlile Mehr. Hearts Turned to the Fathers: A History of the Genealogical Society of Utah. 1894-1994. Provo, Utah: BYU Studies, Brigham Young University, 1995. At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL book 979.2258 C4a.
BYU Family History Library
Harold B. Lee Library
150 East 1230 North
P. O. Box 26800
Provo, UT 84602-6800
Family History Reference Desk: 801-422-6200
Family History Librarian: 801-422-7661
Fax: 801-538-1050
Internet: BYU Family History Library
- An excellent research library and Family History Center with genealogical material from the United States and all over the world, including immigration sources.[1]
Logan Family History Center
50 North Main
Logan, Utah 84323
Reception Desk: 435-755-5594
- Unique early Utah, Idaho, and Wyoming sources about ranching, settlers, cattlemen, farmers, trails, and railroads.[1]
Ogden FamilySearch Library
539 24th Street
Ogden, Utah 84401
801-626-1132
FAX: 801-626-1129
Riverton FamilySearch Library
3740 W Market Center Dr.
Riverton, Utah 84065-8026
801-240-9601
- Mostly computers and classrooms; almost no collection.
St George FamilySearch Library
162 North 400 East 2nd Floor
St. George, Utah
Telephone: 435-673-4591
E-mail: stgeorgefsl@gmail.com
Repositories Outside Utah
Bancroft Library at UC Berkeley
University of California, Berkeley, California 94720-6000
Telephone: 510-642-6481 Reference desk
Fax: 510-642-7589
Website: The Bancroft Library
- Good early Utah collection. Premier Western Americana, and Latin Americana collections, including Native Americans, Spanish encounter and colonial settlement, exploration of western America, maps and atlases, the Mexican War, westward migration, the Gold Rush, mining, land surveys, religious and Utopian communities, and ethnic communities. This library has more about western North America than any other site.[4] [5]
National Archives at Denver
17101 Huron Street
Broomfield, Colorado 80023
Telephone: 303-604-4740
Fax: 303-407-5707
Internet: National Archives at Denver
- Archival holdings consist of Federal records from the mid-1800s to the late 1900s received from over 100 Federal agencies and courts in Colorado, Montana, New Mexico, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming. Includes Utah plural marriage cases, Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Indian Affairs, and federal naturalizations. The Federal Records Center maintains non-current retired Federal records.[6]
Directories
To locate libraries in Utah, the state library maintains an updated site to public libraries.
- Utah State Library Directory The directory has links to each library web page, provides addresses, phone numbers, hours, and maps.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 William Dollarhide, and Ronald A. Bremer, America's Best Genealogy Resource Centers (Bountiful, UT: Heritage Quest, 1988), 109. WorldCat 39493985; FHL Book 973 J54d.
- ↑ "Research Center and Collections" and "Collections Available at the Research Center" in Utah State History [Internet site] at http://history.utah.gov/research_and_collections/index.html (accessed 18 October 2008).
- ↑ Dollarhide and Bremer, 1.
- ↑ Collections in The Bancroft Library Internet site (accessed 26 October 2013).
- ↑ Dollarhide and Bremer, 19, 21 and 109.
- ↑ National Archives at Denver in National Archives (accessed 5 September 2015).
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