User:AdkinsWH/Sandbox Closer to home access
United States Genealogy AdkinsWH/Sandbox Closer to home access
See also Obtain the Records and Principles of Family History Research
The closer you can get to an original document, the better. Originals usually contain important clues that were missed or misread in indexes or transcripts.
Copying an original document or searching a set of records yourself is not always convenient. This page offers options for accessing far-away items within the United States. It is also a central listing of the many Wiki articles about the subject.
Contents
Books, microfilm, other media[edit | edit source]
You may want to view the tutorial "Ancestors Season 1: Libraries and Archives" at the FamilySearch Learning Center.
Inter-library loan, etc.[edit | edit source]
Not everyone learned about ILL
- ILL, WorldCat, Jstore, NGS, FSL, Mid-continent,
- Jstore has just introduced -- adding more and more to free access; subscription -- put under online -- journals and index to journals most not available. Main window to access. subscription at FSL. See Jame's blog for articles.
- Mid-Continent Public Library Midwest Genealogy Center
- Allen County Public Library offers look-up and (periodical) article-copy services
- Jstor per Wikipedia
- National Genealogical Society Book Loan Collection Also links to look-ups and ill
- Library of Congress -- needs it's own explanation Often digitized and sent to a library and read in the library.
- ILL, WorldCat, Jstore, NGS, FSL, Mid-continent,
- Ordering Microfilm or Microfiche FHL
- WorldCat Online Catalog
- Interlibrary loan
- Talk:Interlibrary loan
- Obtain the Records
- Talk:Obtain the Records
- How to Obtain Books Listed in the FamilySearch Catalog
- United States Previous Research#Tip_1._How_can_I_use_Interlibrary_Loan.3F_ILL
- National Genealogical Society Book Loan Collection
- Tennessee SLA interlibrary loan
Internet Resources[edit | edit source]
Millions of indexes and document images are added to the Internet every day. Some sites may be used free of charge and some ask you to subscribe ($) to search and view the indexes and/or images.
If you don't find the name (and variations) when you search an index, try another index. Local societies or individuals often publish indexes to records of their areas. See also Look for Indexes |
Popular sites for indexes or images[edit | edit source]
- United States Historical Collections (Free) About 1 million images and index entries are added by FamilySearch each week.
- Ancestry.com ($) Many libraries and archives subscribe as institutions, thus allowing their members or visitors to use this abundant site without a fee.
- United States Online Genealogy Records has links to online collections for each state.
- FamilySearch.org (Free) Family and local histories from partner libraries throughout the United States.
- Google books
- Digital Public Library of America "... brings together the riches of America’s libraries, archives, and museums, and makes them freely available to the world."[1] (2.4 million items, May 2013)
Sites for locating items in libraries or archives[edit | edit source]
(needs better heading)
- WorldCat (Free)
- Jstore
Government and University sites[edit | edit source]
- National Archives
- State Archives
- Universities and Special Collections
- State Libraries
- Societies
Link-listing sites[edit | edit source]
(needs better heading) These sites scour the Internet for links to genealogy, history, and related items:
When using an unfamiliar site, verify your findings though original records. |
Social Media[edit | edit source]
Advantages of social media groups include: They may be willing to trade look-ups; they may have direct access or personal knowledge;
- Genealogical community (cost trade off)
- Forums
- Facebook groups, etc.
Local Resources[edit | edit source]
There may be fees involved, including copy costs
- Writing, emailing, calling, etc.
- State archives microfilms to my library
- Local libraries, societies
- Government (county clerk, state VR, etc.)
- Going there yourself
- Societies Category page
- Repositories Category page
- Swedish American:Minnesota Historical Society
- State Historical Society of North Dakota
Go there yourself[edit | edit source]
- On-site Research in Poland
- German Records: Research beyond vital records Archive research requires either being onsite or hiring an onsite researcher. Some archives will respond to requests to copy a specific file
- Tracing Immigrants Origin Court Records You may have to hire on-site researchers to investigate foreign court records.
- Plan a Research Trip to Wales
- On-site Research in Poland
- Research Forms#Family_Tree_Magazine Repository checklist - Plan a research trip by recording details about the archive or library you intend to visit.
- Allen County Public Library#Tips_for_Your_Visit
- Principles of Family History Research For Further Reading Balhuizen, Anne Ross. Searching on Location: Planning a Research Trip. Salt Lake City: Ancestry, 1992. At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 929.1 B198s.
Search Services[edit | edit source]
"Look it up" vs. "Track it down"
You have to know exactly what you want and you just need someone's feet and hands and eyes.
Look ups[edit | edit source]
You are very involved in the research when you use look-up services. You will tell them everything:
- The name(s) you want them to look up
- The record to search and copy, such as "index to Deed Book B"
- A short date range, such as "The Daily World, for death notices and obituaries from April 12–22, 1915"
This may be a two-step process to have them first send you the index, from which you decide which specific copies to order.
Record holders: Libraries, societies, archives, offices, private record holders Record searchers
Researchers[edit | edit source]
You are less involved when you use research services. Frequently, you will supply what you already know and what you want to learn.
- Credentials from professional organizations
- Professional organizations
- Board for Certification of Genealogists (BCG)
- Association of Professional Genealogists (APG)
- International Commission for the Accreditation of Professional Genealogists (ICAPGen
- Referrals from libraries, societies, archives, friends
[edit | edit source]
- Then by topics -- with links to states topics? If so, then the list can be generated in Excel
with links to states topics? If so, then the list can be generated in Excel
Family Records[edit | edit source]
Many families have stories or records that will help you. Bibles, photos, deeds, marriage certificates, wills, employment records, funeral programs, and much more may be stored in an attic, garage, or basement.
For ideas to access family records, see:
- Gather Family Information
- [How to find] Family Records
- How to Preserve and Restore Family Records and Books
Land and Property[edit | edit source]
- United States, Land Transactions Person to Person#Where_to_Find_It
- Land Patent Search
- Obtaining Online Legal Land Descriptions and Grantee Names
Newspapers[edit | edit source]
- How to Obtain United States newspapers
- Finding Microfilmed Newspapers Using WorldCat, nicely illustrated
- United States Newspapers#Where_to_get_United_States_newspapers
- United States Newspapers#Web_Sites_2
- Swedish American: Kansas Newspapers
- Jewish Newspapers
- Newspaper archives, LC Chronicling America, NewsBank,
- State archives (UT, AZ, NV)
- Local lib may look it up
To Categorize[edit | edit source]
- United States Previous Research#Where_to_Find_It
- Canada Previous Research, Part 1#Tip_1._How_can_I_use_Interlibrary_Loan.3F
- Where to find it
- United States, Histories of Towns, Counties, and States#Where_To_Find_It
- Canada Census#Where_to_Find_Censuses
- Canada Census#Online_Resources
- Swedish American: Minnesota Churches
- United States, How to Find Family Histories
- Nebraska Maps
- Pacific Island Research Strategies--Research Written Records from Pacific Island Guide
- Obtain and Search the Records
- User:National Institute sandbox 18A Vicki Standings beginning. Don't know what it will be named when finished. Talks about ILL quite a bit. Some interesting views. Is this just copied or original with Vicki?
- Denmark: Access Original Records Page name says "Orginal"