Library of Michigan to Lose Genealogy and Federal Document Holdings

Sad to hear --  The Library of Michigan, transferred last year to the Michigan Department of Education and facing severe budget cuts is now forced to narrow its scope and lose its support for genealogy and federal documents, as reported on LibraryJournal.com, "Library of Michigan, Facing Cuts, To Drop Genealogy and Federal Documents." The library is "committed" to finding good stewards, but some are worried the move will limit access, if nothing more than owing to space limitations.

"While most state libraries have genealogy collections, non-state collections are more rare, and Robertson described Michigan’s as one of the top ten in the country, with more than 44,000 volumes of book materials and close to 100,000 volumes of microform."

I have a personal affection for Michigan records. In doing one branch of our family line, I was delighted by the extent of Michigan records available on FamilySearch Labs. While it certainly cannot substitute for a library full of records, it's a good place to start.

New "Sources" on Irish Reserach

Here is some great insight to a source we might not all be perusing in our online travels.  Leland Meitzler, on his GenealogyBlog, highlights "The New 'Sources' Database for Irish Research." Described as "A new database of source materials for Irish research, entitled simply 'Sources,'has been  launched by the National Library of Ireland."

Research Room Etiquette: What to Bring and What to Do

Modern technology has brought convenient access to millions of documents, with more being made available every minute, it seems . . . but not everything. Many archives and libraries house unique and valuable information that is not available online . . . and may never be. Because so many of these materials are irreplaceable, access to that material is governed by specific rules. In her article, Research Room Etiquette: What to Bring and What to Do in Archive or Library Research Rooms, Rita Marshall provides some important guidelines to help your prepare.

Denver Public Library digitizing important frontier documents

Although my ancestors did not arrive in Colorado until the late 1930s, I am very interested in the digitization efforts of the Denver Public Library, and particularly interested in how the neighborhoods developed. A recent article in the Denver Post, "Library to preserve documents of 19th-century Denver," reports more than 100 volumes of documents housed in the Denver Public Library can tell when great-great-grandma married great-great-granddad and where they lived and how their frontier neighborhood developed.

Now these fragile books, dating from 1859 to 1900, are being digitized for "an excellent resource for our genealogy and house history customers," said Jim Kroll, the manager of the library's Western History/Genealogy Department.

The digital "repository of private and public records" will detail the stories of each Denver community, he said. The digitized records will be accessible through the library's web site. The records I need between 1939 to the present have been harder than hen's teeth to acquire through the county, so I have looked to the marvelous Denver Public Library and have great interest in their continued efforts.

Digitzing in the Library World, Part 2

To genealogists, the promise of individual libraries digitizing their holdings is exciting to consider. This week, Larry Naukum continues his series, "Digitizing in the Library World, Part 2." The article provides the insider point of view on library digitizing decisions, and along the way, points to some useful resources.

Revisiting the Research Library

Genealogy may be a whole new experience for those who have not visited a research library recently. "You may be surprised," says Judy Rosella Edwards in her article, "Revisiting the Research Library." Noting some of the changes in her own area in Illinois, the author also offers a few tips on what you can do before you visit to save time.

Midwest Genealogy Center set to open May 11

An article in the the Fort Worth's Star Telegram, "Site for Genealogy Buffs," announces the new $8 million Midwest Genealogy Center, set to open May 11 in Independence, Missouri. The new center houses microfilm and microfiche with Civil War histories, American Indian records, black family history records, passenger lists, plantation records and more.

Researching Newspapers, an update

Newspapers chronicled our ancestor's lives, their friends and neighbors and their community. Researching newspapers can provide us with much more information than a simple obituary. In her article, "Researching Newspapers," Gena Philibert-Ortega brings us up to date on this valuable resource.

Researching Libraries From Home

It is no secret the Internet has revolutionized genealogy, making it easier for researchers to locate records in far-flung places. In her article, "Researching Libraries From Home," Gena Philibert-Ortega explores online access to library holdings, showing it is now possible to "conduct research virtually anytime and, with a laptop computer, anywhere." The article provides links to key resources for accessing books and information at libraries worldwide.

Pennsylvania State Library Hosts Genealogy Event, Sep 29

Announced in a press release yesterday, the State Library of Pennsylvania will celebrate Genealogy Day on Saturday, September 29, with exhibits and information sessions. This free event will bring genealogists together from throughout central Pennsylvania for a day of learning and independent research. Genealogy Day will feature information sessions on various subjects. There also will be an exhibit area where local societies can share their information. The State Library is located in the Forum Building, Commonwealth Avenue and Walnut Street, in Harrisburg. For additional information, contact Marc Bender at the State Library at (717) 705-6272 or marbender@state.pa.us. For more information on Pennsylvania libraries, visit the Department of Education web site.

Footnote.com announces partnership with Allen County Library

In a press release today, Footnote.com announced a new partnership with Allen County Public Library (ACPL), the largest public genealogy library in the United States, to digitize millions of historical records, making them available online for the first time at Footnote.com. The ACPL collections feature unique American and international records including family histories, city directories, military records and historical newspapers.

As part of the partnership, all ACPL records digitized by Footnote.com will be made available at the library for free. For those that cannot travel to the library, these records can be accessed from a personal computer with a Footnote.com membership.

“We’re excited to partner with the Allen County Public Library and are fortunate to be working with some of the finest archives in the United States,” said Roger Bell, president of Footnote.com. “The content from ACPL is a valuable addition to the millions of records we currently have on our site.”

In addition to the ACPL, Footnote.com has agreements with The National Archives and Records Administration, the Pennsylvania Archives, FamilySearch, the Center for Research Libraries, and local archives in Goffstown, N.H., South Boston, Va., Harris County, Texas, and others.

Using State Libraries & Archives

At your fingertips, access to most U.S. state libraries and archives web sites. A great opportunity to browse this valuable resource. In her article, "Using State Libraries and Archives," Gena Philibert-Ortega compares the two resources, offers a review of holdings, and provides current links to many, if not all, state web sites.

Ancestry.com Library Editon granted to BYU Library

According to an article at EarthTimes.org, The Generations Network, parent company of Ancestry.com, today announced it is providing Brigham Young University, BYU Idaho, BYU Hawaii and LDS Business College with free access to Ancestry Library Edition.

"In an effort to recognize the tremendous influence the BYU Library and its unmatched faculty has had in transforming the genealogy landscape through technology-based education, we are pleased to offer the students and faculty free on-campus access to Ancestry.com," said Tim Sullivan, CEO of The Generations Network.

"As the only university in the United States to offer an undergraduate degree in the field of family history, BYU is dedicated to providing our faculty and students with premier resources," said Robert Murdoch, BYU Assistant University Librarian for Collection Development and Technical Services. "Ancestry.com plays a leading role in family history research. At BYU, Ancestry.com helps more than 600 students each semester with their coursework. . . . We appreciate the generosity of The Generations Network, recognizing the major multi-million dollar investment they have made in transforming family history category for everyone. We look forward to continuing our long-term collaboration and breakthroughs in this great endeavor."

Allen County Library closes, Grand Opening Jan 27

In preparation for a move to its new location, the main library of the Allen County Library, 200 E. Berry St., Fort Wayne, IN closed to the public at 6 p.m. on Friday, January 5, two days earlier than had been scheduled. The Genealogy Department closed earlier, on December 23. The Library will host a Grand Opening at its new location, 900 Library Plaza (the former Webster Street site), at Noon on Saturday, January 27, 2007. The event marks the conclusion of a $66 million renovation and expansion project. The Allen County Library holds the second largest collection of genealogy materials in the country. For more information, visit the Library's web site at http://www.acpl.lib.in.us/.