In these library collections, family history speaks volumes. Check out their roots riches in our roundup of the top 10 public libraries for genealogists.
Family history probably wasn't on Andrew Carnegie's mind when he championed the creation of public libraries. But today, the local library system he helped create provides the means for millions of people to trace their family trees. Many public libraries now have dedicated genealogy or local history collections, making them an essential destination for every roots researcher. There you'll find not only books, but also rare manuscripts, genealogical journals, census records and CD-ROMs, all full of valuable information you won't find on the Internet.
Some of those local libraries have gone above and beyond to develop incredible family history collections that draw genealogists from well outside their neighborhoods. The Allen County Public Library's genealogy collection has garnered a national reputation and attracts more than 100,000 researchers from across the country each year. But which other public libraries should you try hardest to work into your travel plans? In an effort to identify the 10 best public libraries for genealogists, we weighed factors such as collection size, census records, special collections, accessibility, geographic coverage, special collections and services.
The top 10 public libraries are listed below. Family Tree Magazine Plus members can read more about these libraries'
collections, options to tap their materials from a distance and the
criteria for selecting this list.
- Allen County Public Library
Historical Genealogy Department
900 Webster St., Box 2270
Fort Wayne, IN 46802
(219) 421-1200
fax (219) 422-9686
www.acpl.lib.in.us
- Clayton Library Center for Genealogical Research
5300 Caroline St.
Houston, TX 77004
(832) 393-2600
www.hpl.lib.tx.us/clayton
- Birmingham Public Library
Tutwiler Collection of Southern History and Literature
2100 Park Place
Birmingham, AL 35203
(205) 226-3665
www.bham.lib.al.us
- Dallas Public Library
Genealogy Section
1515 Young St.
Dallas, TX 75201
(214) 670-1424
dallaslibrary2.org/genealogy/index.php
- Denver Public Library
Western History and Genealogy
10 W. 14th Ave.
Parkway, Denver, CO 80204
(720) 865-1821
history.denverlibrary.org/
- Detroit Public Library
Burton Historical Collection
5201 Woodward Ave.
Detroit, MI 48202
(313) 833-1480
www.detroit.lib.mi.us/burton/burton_index.htm
- Los Angeles Public Library
History and Genealogy Department
630 W. Fifth St.
Los Angeles, CA 90071
(213) 228-7400
fax (213) 228-7409
www.lapl.org/central/history.html
- Mid-Continent Public Library
Genealogy and Local History
317 W. 24 Highway
Independence, MO 64050
(816) 252-7228
www.mcpl.lib.mo.us
- The New York Public Library
Humanities and Social Sciences Library
Irma and Paul Milstein Division of United States History, Local History and Genealogy, Room 121
Fifth Avenue and 42nd Street
New York, NY 10018
(212) 930-0828
www.nypl.org/locations/schwarzman/milstein-division-us-history-local-history-genealogy
- Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County
800 Vine St.
Cincinnati, OH 45202
(513) 369-6905
fax (513) 369-3123
www.cincinnatilibrary.org/main/genlocal.html
From the October 2002 Family Tree Magazine