52 Weeks To Better Genealogy – Challenge 2

Go to your local public library branch again. Examine the local history, archives and/or special collections section. Ask a librarian if you don’t know if your library has special collections or where they are located. Be sure to check the reference section, too, as many of the newer and more valuable books are held in that area. If you have a genealogy blog, write about what you find in your library’s local history and special collections.
This challenge runs from Saturday, 9 January 2010 through Friday, 15 January 2010.

Years ago when I started searching my family tree I went to the local library to see what they had as far as genealogy research. Our library was very small with limited resources, most of their genealogy items were for local history. My family is mostly from New Jersey and Kansas. So, I did not find much help there.

About a few years ago the county built a new library, I have not been there yet, so I decided to go check it out. I asked my boss (I am married to him so asking was easy) if I could take an hour off to go to the library. I am glad I did, the new library is beautiful and huge! When I walked in the first thing I noticed was a separate room for genealogy research.

I went in and started to poke around,  most of the items were for local research:

Local genealogy magazines

Local publication called the “Family Puzzlers Magazine”

Local obituaries

Local maps

History of the county,  etc.

They did have resource information for:

The National Archives and Census

How to read the codes for the soundex, which was interesting

General “how to do general genealogy research”

Lineage societies

Emigration and Immigration

Mayflower descendants

Micro Film from Roots Web - limited to Florida, Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina and Virginia

Online access to Ancestry Library edition, Heritage Quest and Newsbank

There were some books on the shelf from different states,  I found one on NJ and one on early marriages in Kansas. I found some surnames that were in my tree and wrote the information down so I could research them when I got home. I was excited about that.

I was also surprised to see a book from Cyndi’s List, I have used her site before but I did not know she printed out a book!

There were also self help books on how to do genealogy research. Most were for in use only.

I then poked around the rest of the library to see what genealogy books I could check out. I found some more self help books and wrote down the names so I could read the reviews online, I decided I rather purchase them then worry when they would have to be returned.

Three hours later I returned to work.