Looking for Previous Research

After you have looked for previous research at FamilySearch.org there are many other places to search. I will attach some links to many of the great places to visit.

First a look at the Library of Congress online catalog found at: catalog.loc.gov. Do a basic search and include the surname and "family" or a location. If a book has been published in the United States about your family and you have found a copy of it at the Library of Congress you may borrow this book through Inter-Library Loan. Inter-Library Loan service is available through many public and university libraries. In order to borrow the book you will need to give the librarian a complete copy of the book information you found at the Library of Congress.

Another great site to search for books is Google Books found at: books.google.com. Google books is a collection of digitized books. You might be surprised to find the book you want in pdf format and available for download.

The Family History Archive at BYU is another large collection of digitized books. The collection can be searched at: Family History Archive. This collection contains over 27,600 digital books and family histories and continues to grow.

Heritage Quest Online has a collection of 24, 000 digitized family and local histories that are searchable through their site. To search the books select the "Books" catagory and enter a surname. Heritage Quest also has an index called Periodical Source Index (PERSI). This is an index of 2.1 million genealogical and local history publications housed at the Allen County Public Library in Indiana. If you get results searching this index instructions are provided on how to order the article where your surname is mentioned. Heritage Quest Online is available through Family History Centers and is also available through many public libraries free of charge.

Looking for Previous Research at FamiySearch .org

I give my students an assignment to look at several databases and websites for previous research. It is important to know what has already been done before we actually begin new research. First begin at FamilySearch.org and search the Ancestral File, the Pedigree Resource File and the International Genealogical Index.

Next search the Family History Library Catalog at FamilySearch.org, choose "Surname" search. Enter the surname you are researching. This search will bring up results of published genealogies and family histories that include the surname you have searched. If you have a large number of results look for the chosen surname with a locality. For example, if I search for the name Youngman and there are too many results I can look for the surnmane Youngman combined with a place name. Maybe I know that the Youngman family lived in Indiana. Any result that includes Youngman and Indiana will be important to examine. Record the call numbers or film numbers of any books or films that you would like to order. Films can be ordered through your local Family History Center.

How Do I Find Previous Research?

It's not time to begin research yet. First you must find out if anybody else has researched your family. You might have a distant cousin that has already collected information that could help you. A great place to begin looking for previous research is at: FamilySearch.org. FamilySearch is an official website of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. There are many searchable databases at this site.

Go to the home page and click on "Search Records" found on the blue menu bar. This will take you to a page where you can see the list of available databases and a form that allows you to fill in first name, last name and other information about the person you would like to find. If you fill in the name and other information, by default all resources or databases will be searched. I prefer searching each database individually. I will describe each database found at FamilySearch.org individually in forthcoming posts.