Genealogy: A PCL Pathfinder

Researching one's family history can be a lifelong journey. Uncovering records and documents that help to piece together the past lives of ancestors is a labor of love for many. If you are new to genealogy research this guide will provide you with a great place to start. The resources listed below present the most standard resources in the field. Many of them will point you to even more resources. If you need assistance in locating books that the library does not own the librarian can help you find it at another library. The terms and phrases listed in the subject headings below can be used to search for more materials in the library's catalog and research databases. If you need further assistance, please ask a librarian.

Black genesis : a resource book for African-American genealogy / James M. Rose & Alice Eichholz.-- 2nd ed.-- Baltimore, MD : Genealogical Pub. Co, 2003.
929.1089 ROS

The Genealogist's Companion & Sourcebook, 2nd ed. by Emily A. Croom. Cincinnati: Betterway, 2003. ISBN: 1558706518.
A beyond-the-basics guide to tracing family history. Explains how to research, locate, and use church and funeral home records; government records at federal, state, and local levels, including the U.S. Serial Set and the Territorial Papers of the United States; court records; newspapers; and maps.
929.1 CRO

Genealogy Online: Researching Your Roots, 7th ed. by Elizabeth P. Crowe. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2003. ISBN: 0072229780.
Directory of genealogy Web sites, newsgroups, mailing lists, and commercial services.
929.1 CRO

Guide to the Michigan genealogical & historical collections at the Library of Michigan and the State Archives of Michigan.-- Lansing, MI : The Council, 1996.
REF 929.1 MIC

Index to the United States census of Kalamazoo County, Michigan, 1860, 1870, 1880, and the veterans rolls for 1890 / compiled by members of the Kalamazoo Valley Genealogical Society and the staff of the Kalamazoo Public Library Reference Division ; Catherine A. Larson, editor.-- Kalamazoo, Mich : The Society : The Library : For copies, contact Local History Librarian, Reference Division, Kalamazoo Public Library, 1986.
REF 929.37 IND

Locating lost family members & friends : modern genealogical research techniques for locating the people of your past and present / Kathleen W. Hinckley.-- Cincinnati, Ohio : Betterway Books, c1999.
929.1 HIN

Michigan cemetery atlas.-- Scale [ca. 1:126,700].-- Scale (Oakland and Wayne counties) [ca. 1:169,000].-- Lansing, Mich : The Library, 1991.
MICH 929.5 MIC

Michigan cemetery source book.-- Lansing, MI : Library of Michigan, n.d.
267 p. Summary: Companion volume to the Michigan Cemetery Atlas.
MICH 929.5 MIC

Printed Sources: A Guide to Published Genealogical Records by Kory L. Meyerink. Salt Lake City, UT: Ancestry, 1998. ISBN: 0916489701.
Focuses on secondary sources, including encyclopedias, gazetteers, indexes, abstracts, histories, biographies, military sources, and periodicals. Appendixes include CD-ROMs for family historians, major genealogical libraries in the United States, and a list of genealogical publishers and booksellers.
929.3 PRI

Public Records Online : The National Guide to Private and Government Online Sources of Public Records by Michael L. Sankey and Peter J. Weber. Tempe, AZ : Facts On Demand Press, 2004. 5th ed. ISBN: 1889150428.
352.387 SAN

The Researcher's Guide to American Genealogy, 3rd. ed. by Val D. Greenwood. Baltimore: Genealogical, 2000. ISBN: 0806316217.
First part provides the foundation of genealogical research; the second part covers records and their use.
929.1 GRE

Toni's list : a bibliography of Southwest Michigan local/family history resources and their repositories / compiled by Toni I. Benson, family historian.-- Decatur (Mich.) : Toni Benson, Johnson's Graphics, 2003.
REF 929.1 BEN

U.S. military records : a guide to federal and state sources, Colonial America to the present / by James C. Neagles.-- Salt Lake City, UT : Ancestry, c1994.
REF 929.3 NEA

Parchment Community Library -- Veva Abrahamson Local History Room

We have the Parchment News newspaper on microfilm from Feb. 1924 through May 1952 (missing Sept. 1924-April 1928), and most issues in paper format.

We have the Parchment Journal newspaper on microfilm from May 1954-1955, and most issues in paper format.

Kalamazoo Public Library - Local History Room
http://kpl.gov/local-history/

"The History Room maintains an extensive collection of materials about all aspects of the history of Kalamazoo County, including businesses, institutions, buildings, and biographical and genealogical information about county residents. To a lesser extent, we also collect information about Michigan, and the areas from which Kalamazoo drew its original settlers. In addition, KPL's award-winning Local/Community Information Database combines indexing of local newspapers, magazines and historical materials with current information about human service agencies and non-profit organizations." --from the web site.

Portage District Library - Heritage Room
http://portagelibrary.info/LocalHistory.aspx

"The Portage District Library's Heritage Room is a repository of historical information pertaining to the City of Portage and surrounding communities.  It is also home to an ever-growing number of genealogical reference materials.

If you need help, our local historian is available to assist you.  This page has many interesting and helpful features, including historical photographs of the area, several online guides to help you start your research, and a short history of Portage and the library." --from the web site.

Western Michigan University - Archives and Regional History Collection
http://www.wmich.edu/library/archives/

The Western Michigan University Archives and Regional History Collections consists of historical University, regional, and local governmental records. The holdings total over 17,000 linear feet, making the WMU Archives the largest facility of its type in southwestern Michigan and one of the largest in the state. Detailed finding aids exist for the manuscript collections. In addition to the manuscript collections, the unit has oral histories, census records, a research collection of books, magazines, and newspapers, and several large photographic collections.

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Ancestry.com Genealogy and Family History Records
www.ancestry.com
Provides many genealogy databases, worldwide resources and the Eastman Online Genealogy Newsletter. Some information available by subscription.

Cyndi's List of Genealogy Sites on the Internet
www.cyndislist.com
Comprehensive list of genealogy Web sites with thousands of links according to categories for easy reference. Includes such topics as “How to Begin,” “Tools for Research,” and “Publishing Your Family History.”

The Family TreeMaker Online
www.familytreemaker.com
Offers professional research services, message boards for genealogists, and searchable databases. Requires a subscription fee.

FamilySearch Internet Genealogy Service
www.familysearch.org
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints provides this site, which lets you search their “Ancestral File,” “International Genealogical Index,” “Pedigree Resource File,” and Web sites (by last name only).

The Genealogy Home Page
www.genhomepage.com
Organized into topics such as “Genealogy Help and Guides,” “Libraries,” “Maps,” “Newsgroups and Genealogy Societies.” The Genealogy Home Page also has a list of new genealogy links that is updated daily.

Heritage Quest Online - free to Michigan residents
http://www.mel.org/
Made available through the Michigan Electronic Library.
Select "Mel Databases." Click either "see databases from home" or "see databases from work." Choose the "Heritage Quest " link from the database list.

RootsWeb Genealogical Data Cooperative
www.rootsweb.com
Many databases, services, and downloadable files are available only through subscription.

The U.S. Genealogy Web Project
www.usgenweb.com
Volunteers working to create a center for genealogical research for every county in the United States. All counties have an area for you to post queries and links to the state page and archives.

Finding People