Archives and Special Collections: An Introduction

A research trip, no matter whether it’s to the local library or traveling to a place where your ancestors lived, requires advance planning. Setting your goals, defining where you will go, and organizing yourself are keys to your research success. Drew Smith provides excellent methodologies to help ensure you make the most of your trip. This webinar was first released 30 November 2022 on the Genealogy Guys Learn website.

The Historical Society of Pennsylvania is the largest genealogy repository in the Mid-Atlantic. Its collections include over 21 million items ranging from manuscript collections to books and photographs—many of which are useful to genealogists with Pennsylvania ancestry, and most of which cannot be found anywhere else.

Local archives of all kinds have records for your female ancestors. Many times, these records are not digitized or available online. Learn from a seasoned archivist how to locate and research female records in local archives.

Church record research is a must for any genealogist. Many of our archives have church records available to researchers. There are also independent church archives for specific religions or denominations that can help you discover your ancestor. Learn from a seasoned genealogist and archivist how to find church records in archives.

The FamilySearch Library is the premier destination for genealogists. Researchers from around the world flock to Salt Lake City to discover and connect with their ancestors in the world's largest genealogy library. The FamilySearch Library boasts more than 600,000 books, tens of thousands of historical maps and published pedigrees, and hundreds of workstations where visitors can access dozens of subscription sites. The best kept secret of the library is its incredible mix of volunteer and paid staff that have been specifically trained to help you in your research and how to help you take full advantage of the library's resources. Whether you are a novice or a professional there is something for everyone at the FamilySearch Library.

The National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution has been collecting research material since its beginning in 1889. Not many people know that their national headquarters and award winning genealogical research library is located in Downtown Louisville Kentucky. Join us on a tour of the research facility and take a deep dive into the rare and expansive collection that awaits national researchers of all skill levels and timeline needs.

MyHeritage Library Edition is one of the largest, most internationally diverse genealogy databases of its kind. Containing more than 19.5 billion historical records from all over the world, MyHeritage Library Edition leverages cutting-edge technology to make research fast and easy even across different languages, making it the most convenient genealogy product for libraries and institutions. Discover the advanced technology behind the scenes and learn how to take full advantage of the search engine’s robust features to explore the lives of your ancestors from your local library or the convenience of your home with your library card. Don’t take our word for it: come to the session and see for yourself!

Discover online records for German-speaking ancestors from Brandenburg, East Prussia, Pomerania, Posen, Silesia, and West Prussia. Despite some record loss for these geographic areas, hundreds of years of church and civil records can be found in archives in Poland, Germany, and the US, using the search strategies in this presentation.

The library holds the world’s largest collection of maps—over 5.2 million maps according to their website. This webinar will describe the collections most valuable for genealogical research. We are going to explore the online resources and how they can help our research. Exploring the phenomenal learning resources is also on the agenda. We will also talk about finding aids, research guides, reproduction capabilities, and alternative ways to access the map collections. Lastly, we will discuss the resources that are only available onsite, such as the cartographic library, cartographic exhibits, and other unique holdings.