Libraries with a National Focus
The Allen County Public Library
The Allen County Public Library holds the second largest genealogical collection in North America. Among their resources are United States and Canadian census records, town and county histories, city directories, and indexes and abstracts for selected county vital records.
Cleveland Public Library
Among the genealogical resources in the Cleveland Public Library are a collection of records for England and New England, including parish registries. Their holdings also include county histories for Ohio and passenger list indexes.
Dallas Public Library
The collection at the Dallas Public Library includes census records, selected cemetery records, marriage records, will abstracts, and many county and family histories. They also offer access to the FamilySearch computer from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Denver Public Library
The collection at the Denver Public Library concentrates on the United States prior to 1900. While they have a good Western collection, their holdings are stronger for states east of the Mississippi. Among the items in their collection are census records and indexes, genealogical publications, and county histories.
Detroit Public Library
The Burton Collection at the Detroit Public Library includes United States census records, indexes and transcriptions of vital records from throughout the United States, county and city history indexes for Michigan, and some resources for Canada and Great Britain.
Enoch Pratt Library
The collection at the Enoch Pratt Library includes old city directories and telephone books, state census records, ship passenger lists, genealogies of prominent families, newspapers on microfilm, and a photo collection.
The Family History Library of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
The Family History Library holds over 2 million rolls of microfilmed records, 400,000 microfiche, and 300,000 books. It also houses an extensive collection of written manuscripts including family histories, local histories, indexes, periodicals, and aids to help in genealogical research. This immense collection of genealogical material covers most of the world, allowing researchers to search original records from countries as far as the Netherlands, Hungary, Chile, and China, although the emphasis is on Great Britain, Canada, Europe, and America. The Library's United States holdings include records from thousands of county courthouses and state and regional archives, plus all of the U.S. Census records from 1790-1920. Known for their extensive knowledge and excellent assistance, the staff at the Family History Library will help answer questions and guide you through the Library. Other key resources include the computerized FamilySearch system and the inter-library loan program that the Library maintains with its more than 2,000 branch Family History Centers around the world (books do not circulate in this inter-library loan program).
The International Genealogical Index (IGI) is an index which documents births and marriages of deceased persons from around the world. Beginning with submissions from individuals, both church members and non-members, the IGI was started in 1969 by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. In addition, extractions were made from pre-1970 temple records. To get records from places other than just church archives, the Extraction Program was developed. The Extraction Program involves hundreds of volunteers, some of whom travel around the world to filming records. Other volunteers then transcribe the records on the films. The Parish and Vital Records List, which is published by the Library, shows which records have been extracted and listed in the IGI for each geographical area and time period. It also shows which records are currently being extracted. The volunteers copy birth, christening, and marriage information about deceased individuals listed in various church and civil vital records. These records are not limited to LDS Church members or their ancestors.
The IGI contains over 250 million names. Most of the names come from records dating from the early 16th century to the late 19th century. The index does not include every person from any given country, nor the names of all persons from the records indexed. However, the names listed in the IGI are not limited to individuals who are relatives of LDS members.
The IGI is accessible through the Family History Library and also through its Family History Centers around the country. It may also be available at some major genealogical societies and libraries. It can be accessed on microfiche and CD-ROM.
It should be noted that the extracts from the original records that are recorded in the IGI are not always accurate. Many agree that there is wide variation in the reliability of the records found in the IGI. In addition, it is possible that you will find incomplete records in the IGI. That is, you may come across a record that contains the name and the date, but not the place of the event. This is a result of the submitter not including this information. (All records recorded before 1992 are complete.) For these reasons, the IGI is recommended as an excellent source of information, provided that you verify your information against original documents. In short, use the IGI as a tool to direct you to the original record.
The Library of Congress
The Library of Congress only collects published works and does not have original records. They have an extensive collection of local and family histories, and many genealogical periodicals, bibliographies, and indexes.
The Daughters of the American Revolution Library
The DAR Library collection includes books pertaining to genealogy and American and local history. Among their special collections are Genealogical Records Committee Reports from all 50 states, which contain selected Bible records, cemetery transcriptions, court record abstracts, censuses, military records, and vital records. They also have files which document DAR membership applications, 25,000 family histories, a collection of genealogical research notes and personal letters, a Native American collection, genealogical periodicals, and city directories. In addition, there is also special collection devoted to the history of the American Revolution, the formation of the Union, and the Constitution.
Houston Public Library
The collection at the Houston Public Library includes records for both the United States and some foreign countries. Among their holdings are the United States census, county histories, indexes of abstracts of wills and marriages, and a collection of genealogical periodicals.
Los Angeles Public Library
The collection at the Los Angeles Public Library includes a large quantity of published local and family histories, as well as United States census materials and passenger lists.
Mid-Continent Public Library
The collection at the Mid-Continent Public Library includes censuses, county histories, Native American records, and passenger list books. In addition they offer access to the Family History Library's International Genealogical Index (IGI).
National Genealogical Society Library
The collection of the National Genealogical Society includes family and local histories, Bible records, and genealogical periodicals. They also have U.S. census indexes and a collection of European and military history books. For information about the genealogy society itself.
The New England Historic Genealogical Society Library Address
The collection of the New England Historic Genealogical Society concentrates on New England. They have censuses, vital records, town histories, and church records for most New England States, and especially for Massachusetts. In addition, they have selected records for the remainder of the United States, as well as Canada, England, Ireland, and parts of Europe. For information about the genealogy society itself.
New York Public Library
The collection of the New York Public Library includes family and local histories, especially for New York, New Jersey, and the surrounding area; indexes to vital records of New York, and passenger lists for New York arrivals and selected other ports in the area.
Newberry Library
The collection of the Newberry Library includes local and family histories from throughout the United States. Their strength lies in families that have been in the United States for more than 150 years.
Saint Louis Public Library
The collection at the St. Louis Public Library includes a strong collection of records, and family and town histories for Missouri and Illinois, as well as for the states from which many people migrated to Missouri. Also among their holdings are passenger lists for the 19th century, indexes to 19th century military records, and heraldry and coat of arms materials.
Samford University -- Harwell Goodwin Davis Library
The collection at Samford University concentrates primarily on Alabama. Among their holdings are abstracts from county records, Alabama newspapers, a surname index to family history manuscripts, genealogical periodicals, and county and town histories.
Seattle Public Library
The collection at the Seattle Public Library concentrates on the United States. Among their holdings are United States census records, courthouse books of records, family and town histories, and genealogical periodicals.
Sutro Library
The collection of the Sutro Library includes family histories, census records, CD directories, and phone books.