How Your Local Library Can Provide Clues to Your Ancestry
Joining the world of genealogy research can
be quite exciting at times. At other times, though, it can be confusing
and difficult. It can be hard to locate sources of information about your
family; it can also be hard to figure out who is related to whom. Starting
your genealogy research can be a difficult and daunting task. With so many
resources at your fingertips, it can be difficult to decide where to start
your research. One of the best places to begin your genealogy research,
though, is your local library.
There are a number of different reasons to rely on your local library for
the beginnings of your genealogy research. The first reason, though, is
that they have trained personnel who can help you find what you are
looking for. Working on your family history involves more research than
you have probably ever completed in your life. In most cases, the research
you will be working with is not simple research, either. It is both
complex and tedious. This is one reason to rely on your local librarians
for help. Most have degrees in library science, so they know where to find
the information you are looking for. Moreover, many librarians deal with
hundreds of people each day, so it is possible that they have helped
others with the same difficulties you are experiencing. It is not beyond
the realm of possibility that they have already looked through the copies
of the 1890 census information ten times in the past month. As a result,
they might be able to give you a leg up on where to find some of the
information you require.
Another reason to work with your local library in the beginning stages of
your research is because over the past hundred years or so, they have been
accumulating material to help you with your research. Everything from
local newspapers to programs from important town events might be contained
in your library's archives. In fact, many libraries have a special
genealogy section to help you with your research. Most compile thousands
of family histories, so you can cross reference your own work. Many have
census data dating back to 1790 on a federal, state, and county level.
Many also have city directories dating back to the time the city you live
in was founded. Moreover, if you live near a port of entry into the United
States, it is likely that your local library has passenger lists of
vehicles carrying immigrants. Some local libraries even index military
records of local veterans.
Even if your local library has very little accumulated material or if your
family history does not begin in the town you currently reside in, your
local library will have online databases to help you with your research.
Most of these databases are only accessible from your library, not from
your home computer. Many of them also have some pretty extensive
instructions which your local library can help you sort through as you
begin to use them.
As you begin your library sources, there are a few things you should
consider. First, you will want to rely mostly on primary sources. A
primary source is any document that contains first-hand information. For
example, your great-grandfather's military record would be a primary
source. Similarly, the 1890 census that lists your great-great aunt would
also be considered a primary source. However, this will not always be
possible with genealogy research. As a result, you should evaluate your
secondary sources carefully. You must decide how accurate the information
contained within might be. For example, if you are looking at an
autobiography written by the mine owner in a small Kentucky town, you
might be given a very different view of the working conditions your
grandfather was dealing with than if you took your information from some
letters he wrote to your grandmother at the time he was working. The
accuracy of either source, though, can be doubtable at times. Both sources
can have wrong dates, and both can list wrong countries of origin. If you
end up being seriously stuck, sometimes it is best to consult a
professional genealogist for help, as they have run up against the same
problems you have many times over.
About the Authors
Paul Duxbury and Kevin Cook own www.amateur-genealogist.com and
www.our-family-trees.co.uk two of the leading Genealogy Websites. In
addition Paul owns a wide range of exciting websites which can be viewed
at www.paulduxbury.com
