“Reference Sources and Services for Genealogists:
A Graduate Library School Course Outline and Bibliography”
Certificate of Advanced Study (C.A.S.) Project
By:
Irene Hansen
1995
C.A.S. Committee: Donald W. Krummel, Project Advisor
John Hoffmann
Michele McNabb
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Table of Contents
Introduction.................................................................................................................................................... p. 1
Course Objectives.......................................................................................................................................... p. 2
Course Assignments....................................................................................................................................... p. 3
Course Bibliography....................................................................................................................................... p. 4
I. Genealogical Research................................................................................................................................ p. 4
A. Introduction: What is Genealogy, Who are Its Users, and How do They Use this
Research? What is Its Relationship to History, Scholarship, and the Latter-day
Saints Church? Why is Genealogy Important to Librarians?...................................................... p. 4
1. Objectives of Genealogy.................................................................................................. p. 4
2. History and Scholarship................................................................................................... p. 4
3. Latter-day Saints Church................................................................................................. p. 6
4. Role of Librarians in Genealogy...................................................................................... p. 6
5. Miscellaneous Issues........................................................................................................ p. 7
B. Evidence....................................................................................................................................... p. 8
C. Handwriting.................................................................................................................................. p. 8
D. Research Practice......................................................................................................................... p. 8
1. Organizing and Documenting One’s Research................................................................ p. 8
2. Charts and Forms............................................................................................................. p. 9
E. Writing and Publishing................................................................................................................. p. 9
II. Genealogical Organizations...................................................................................................................... p. 10
A. General........................................................................................................................................ p. 10
B. Archives and Manuscript Repositories....................................................................................... p. 10
C. Family Associations.................................................................................................................... p. 11
D. Genealogical and Historical Societies........................................................................................ p. 11
E. Hereditary Organizations............................................................................................................. p. 12
F. Libraries....................................................................................................................................... p. 12
G. Publishers and Book Dealers...................................................................................................... p. 13
1. Publishers........................................................................................................................ p. 13
2. Book Dealers................................................................................................................... p. 13
III. Genealogical Reference Services............................................................................................................ p. 14
A. Entire Issues of Library Journals Devoted to Genealogy........................................................... p. 14
B. Children’s and Young Adult’s Genealogy (see also Extension Services Including
Teaching Genealogy).................................................................................................................. p. 14
C. Circulation and Interlibrary Loan................................................................................................ p. 14
D. Collection Development............................................................................................................. p. 15
E. Extension Services Including Teaching Genealogy (see also Children’s and
Young Adult’s Genealogy)......................................................................................................... p. 16
1. General Extension Services…………............................................................................ p. 16
2. Teaching Genealogy....................................................................................................... p. 17
F. Indexing and Organization........................................................................................................... p. 17
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G. Preservation................................................................................................................................. p. 18
H. Professional Development and Education.................................................................................. p. 18
I. The Reference Interview and Reference Services........................................................................ p. 19
IV. General Genealogical Sources................................................................................................................ p. 21
A. Guides and “How To” Books...................................................................................................... p. 21
B. Computer Genealogy................................................................................................................... p. 25
C. Library and Archives Catalogs and Research Guides (see also Family Histories
and Genealogies)......................................................................................................................... p. 25
V. Specialized Genealogical Sources........................................................................................................... p. 30
A. Adoption...................................................................................................................................... p. 30
B. Bibliographies, Directories, and Indexes (General).................................................................... p. 30
1. General Bibliographies................................................................................................... p. 30
2. General Directories......................................................................................................... p. 31
3. General Indexes.............................................................................................................. p. 31
C. Biographies, Autobiographies, and Obituaries (see also Family Histories and
Genealogies; and Immigration, Emigration, and Ship Passenger Lists)……............................. p. 31
1. Biographies and Autobiographies................................................................................... p. 31
2. Obituaries........................................................................................................................ p. 34
D. Cemetery Records, Tombstone Inscriptions, and Epitaphs........................................................ p. 34
E. Census Records........................................................................................................................... p. 34
F. Dictionaries.................................................................................................................................. p. 36
G. Diaries......................................................................................................................................... p. 36
H. Ethnic Groups and International Research (see also Immigration, Emigration,
and Ship Passenger Lists)........................................................................................................... p. 36
1. General Guides............................................................................................................... p. 36
2. Directories....................................................................................................................... p. 37
3. Specific Ethnic Groups................................................................................................... p. 37
a. African-American.............................................................................................. p. 37
b. Asian.................................................................................................................. p. 38
c. Austrian.............................................................................................................. p. 39
d. British (see also English; Irish; Scottish; and Welsh)....................................... p. 39
e. Canadian (see also French and French-Canadian)............................................. p. 40
f.. Czech and Slovak.............................................................................................. p. 40
g. Danish................................................................................................................ p. 40
h. Dutch.................................................................................................................. p. 40
i. English (see also British; Irish; Scottish; and Welsh)........................................ p. 40
j. French and French-Canadian (see also Canadian)............................................. p. 41
k. German............................................................................................................... p. 41
l. Hispanic and Latino............................................................................................ p. 42
m. Icelandic............................................................................................................ p. 42
n. Irish (see also British; English; Scottish; and Welsh)....................................... p. 43
o. Italian................................................................................................................. p. 43
p. Jewish................................................................................................................. p. 43
q. Native American................................................................................................ p. 44
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r. Norwegian.......................................................................................................... p. 44
s. Polish.................................................................................................................. p. 45
t. Russian................................................................................................................ p. 45
u. Scottish (see also British; English; Irish; and Welsh)....................................... p. 45
v. Swedish.............................................................................................................. p. 45
w. Swiss................................................................................................................. p. 45
x. Welsh (see also British; English; Irish; and Scottish)....................................... p. 46
I. Family Histories and Genealogies (see also Biographies, Autobiographies, and
Obituaries; Immigration, Emigration, and Ship Passenger Lists; and Library
and Archives Catalogs and Research Guides)............................................................................ p. 46
J. Geographical and Local History Sources .................................................................................... p. 49
1. City Directories............................................................................................................... p. 49
2. County Histories and Boundaries................................................................................... p. 49
3. Land Records, Maps, and Atlases................................................................................... p. 50
4. Local History.................................................................................................................. p. 52
5. Place Names and Gazetteers........................................................................................... p. 54
K. Government Documents (see also Geographical and Local History Sources;
and Military and Pension Records )............................................................................................ p. 55
L. Heraldry....................................................................................................................................... p. 57
M. Historical Records Survey (W.P.A.).......................................................................................... p. 60
N. Immigration, Emigration, and Ship Passenger Lists (see also Biographies,
Autobiographies, and Obituaries; Ethnic Groups and International Research;
and Family Histories and Genealogies)...................................................................................... p. 60
1. Immigration and Emigration........................................................................................... p. 60
2. Ship Passenger Lists....................................................................................................... p. 63
O. Medieval and Biblical Genealogy (see also Religious Records)................................................ p. 66
P. Military and Pension Records (see also Government Documents)............................................. p. 66
1. General............................................................................................................................ p. 66
2. Colonial Wars................................................................................................................. p. 68
3. Revolutionary War.......................................................................................................... p. 68
a. Patriots............................................................................................................... p. 68
b. Loyalists............................................................................................................. p. 70
4. War of 1812.................................................................................................................... p. 71
5. Civil War......................................................................................................................... p. 72
6. Pension Records.............................................................................................................. p. 74
Q. Names, Personal.......................................................................................................................... p. 75
R. Newspapers, Periodicals, and Periodical Indexes....................................................................... p. 79
1. Newspapers..................................................................................................................... p. 79
2. Periodicals and Periodical Indexes................................................................................. p. 80
S. Oral History................................................................................................................................. p. 83
T. Photographs................................................................................................................................. p. 85
U. Religious Records (see also Medieval and Biblical Genealogy)................................................ p. 85
V. Vital and Courthouse Records.................................................................................................... p. 85
1. Vital Records: Birth, Marriage, Divorce, and Death...................................................... p. 85
2. Courthouse Records........................................................................................................ p. 86