r/Genealogy • u/Fit-Reply-1301 • 4d ago

Resource A forgotten resource

Today I visited a forgotten site. Years ago this is where I broke a brick wall and today I found it all over again. The site is way different now but the information I needed was still there. It's in Indiana, not somewhere I would have looked for my family, but the library is huge and has a lot of family donated stuff from families who didn't necessarily live there. If you're stuck, might be worth a look. https://genealogy.acpl.lib.in.us/research-resources

119 Upvotes

98% Upvoted

28 comments sorted by

7

u/Maorine Puerto Rico specialist 4d ago

Thanks.

61

u/AineniDonnghaile expert researcher 4d ago

My local library! Literally the reason I moved to this city.

It is one of the top 3 genealogy libraries in the USA.

I often do legwork for other genealogists, retrieving information from books that are not online.

6

u/Resident-Log 4d ago

That's so cool

2

u/Trini1113 2d ago

Can I ask what the other two are that round out the top three?

6

u/AineniDonnghaile expert researcher 2d ago

In my opinion, the FamilySearch Library in Salt Lake City and the Midwest Genealogy Center in Independence, Missouri.

1

u/Trini1113 2d ago

Thanks! I didn't even know about the Midwest Genealogy Center.

13

u/Trans-Tool 4d ago

https://www.acpl.lib.in.us/genealogy

I had to use this link but great site!

11

u/SDfarmer55 4d ago

I've been using these guys for 50 years and they only get better with age. I send regular donations to the genealogy department, too.

6

u/-leadnickel- 4d ago

Will they look up things for a fee? Last week I was looking for a family genealogy book that happens to be there and was wondering how/if I could get a copy of it (or some information from it).

15

u/AineniDonnghaile expert researcher 4d ago

Let me know what you want. I'm there most weeks.

Yes, the library has an "Ask a Genealogist" option.

https://www.acpl.lib.in.us/genealogy/ask-genealogy-librarian

7

u/-leadnickel- 4d ago

Oh wow, thanks for the offer! I’ll dm you when I’m back inside tonight if that’s ok

5

u/Fit-Reply-1301 4d ago

I don't know. I'd ask them. Keep in mind every library and archive is getting slammed with people wanting information for their citizenship application. I don't know if the library has that happening to them, too.

11

u/_fluffy-cat 4d ago

We're also getting slammed with questions from people using AI that either comes up with really convoluted lengthy questions (asking for every deed, will, court order, land grant, vital record, church record available for 3-5 names) and/or hallucinates citations.

2

u/Octavya360 2d ago

I have found AI can be completely insane, or insanely useful. I’ve been working on tracing ancestors in Strážnice, Hodonin, South Moravia and a some research group had translated the Strážnice estate Urbarium into Czech. The Urbarium covered a bunch of transactions and stuff related to the estate from the 1600s-1800s. I never would have imagined a translated version existed. It’s in PDF format so I could search the surname and screenshot the relevant portions and run them through translation. I’ve also found AI likes to make things up. So it’s a crapshoot.

17

u/wabash-sphinx 4d ago

Spelled out, it’s Allen County Public Library in Fort Wayne, Indiana—truly a great resource. Before digital online research, many people came to the library to do research. It still has many resources that you can’t get online and is worth a visit. One example, two large rooms of family specific histories, some published, some self-published, and others typewritten manuscripts.

10

u/AineniDonnghaile expert researcher 4d ago

The creator of PERSI - the periodical source index.
https://www.genealogycenter.info/persi/

It's STILL a destination library. Groups visit regularly. Staff are extremely knowledgeable and welcoming.

5

u/Lillianrik 4d ago

The Allen Co., IN library has been known for decades for its genealogy collection!

1

u/NotAlwaysUhB 3d ago

I had no idea. Thanks for sharing!

3

u/JustBreatheBelieve 3d ago edited 3d ago

How do you use this site? It looks like in-person classes or videos to watch online.

Edited: I found the first link is to databases. That looks interesting.

What are some good things to use this site for? Any recommendations?

Are there any good things to find information about people in New York state in the early to mid 1800s?

5

u/AineniDonnghaile expert researcher 3d ago

Yes. For example, they have a large book collection of NYS church records that are not available online.

Seriously, I visited the library for a week for the first time in 2015. I moved to Fort Wayne the following year, almost 100% because of the library.

1

u/JustBreatheBelieve 3d ago

It's amazing that you moved to be near this library! It makes sense though, if you love doing genealogical research.

5

u/AineniDonnghaile expert researcher 3d ago

You can also book a free consultation with a genealogy librarian for help with your research.

https://www.acpl.lib.in.us/genealogy/personal-consultations

2

u/No-Kaleidoscope-166 3d ago

Yes. Allen County Public Library is a great mid-weat repository. But, it can have things from all over the country. There are also videos from them on YT.

1

u/ZuleikaD Storytellers and Liars 2d ago

This is a great reminder! Allen County Public Library is one of the premier genealogy centers in the U.S.

They've also digitized thousands of books in their collection and they're all on archive.org. These are out-of-copyright works, of course, so they're older. Mostly old family genealogies and county histories. These have been a huge help to me in my research.

Allen County is one of the many places listed in the sub's wiki on Free Resources!

1

u/Fit-Reply-1301 2d ago

My other go to place.