Resources for Genealogical Research
These are not all of the books that we have on genealogy at the University of Delaware, but only a small sampling of them. You can find our books in our Reference Collection (on the first floor) and interspersed in our general collection. To search for titles related to genealogy, use the search bar on the Library's homepage.
The Source by Call Number: CS49 .S65 2006ISBN: 9781593312770Publication Date: 2006-06-01Genealogists and other historical researchers have valued the first two editions of this work, often referred to as the genealogist's bible."" The new edition continues that tradition. Intended as a handbook and a guide to selecting, locating, and using appropriate primary and secondary resources, The Source also functions as an instructional tool for novice genealogists and a refresher course for experienced researchers. More than 30 experts in this field--genealogists, historians, librarians, and archivists--prepared the 20 signed chapters, which are well written, easy to read, and include many helpful hints for getting the most out of whatever information is acquired. Each chapter ends with an extensive bibliography and is further enriched by tables, black-and-white illustrations, and examples of documents. Eight appendixes include the expected contact information for groups and institutions that persons studying genealogy and history need to find. ""
Organizing Your Family History Research by Call Number: Ref CS 44 .C375 1999ISBN: 9781558705111Publication Date: 2000-10-15As genealogists everywhere will testify, few hobbies generate more paper work than genealogy. This guide successfully tackles the process of organising family research, from filing piles of paper to streamlining the process as a whole.'
Red Book, 3rd Edition by Call Number: Ref CS49 .R44 2004ISBN: 9781593311667Publication Date: 2004-06-01You will find both general and specific information essential to researchers of American records. This revised 3rd edition provides updated county and town listings within the same overall state-by-state organization. Whether you are looking for your ancestors in the northeastern states, the South, the West, or somewhere in the middle, ""Ancestry's Red Book has information on records and holdings for every county in the United States, as well as excellent maps from renowned mapmaker William Dollarhide. In short, the ""Red Book is simply the book that no genealogist can afford not to have. The availability of census records such as federal, state, and territorial census reports is covered in detail. Unlike the federal census, state and territorial census were taken at different times and different questions were asked. Vital records are also discussed, including when and where they were kept and how ""
Passenger and Immigration Lists Index by Call Number: Ref CS68 .P36 1981ISBN: 9780810310995Publication Date: 1981-01-01When your patrons ask for published immigration, passenger and naturalization records of individuals who came to the U.S. and Canada between the 16th and mid-20th centuries, direct them to this comprehensive resource. Main entries in Passenger and Immigration Lists Index provide information such as name and age of immigrant; year and place of arrival, naturalization, or other record which indicates person indexed is an immigrant; code indicating the source indexed and the page number in the source which contains the record; and the names of all listed family members together with their age and relationship to the main entry. In addition, it provides cross references for every accompanying passenger to main entry.
Finding a Place Called Home by Call Number: Ref E 185.96 .W69 1999ISBN: 9780375405952Publication Date: 1999-02-09"I teach the kings of their ancestors so that the lives of the ancients might serve them as an example, for the world is old but the future springs from the past." Mamadou Kouyate "Sundiata", An Epic of Old Mali, a.d. 1217-1257 Two major questions of the ages are: Who am I? and Where am I going? From the moment the first African slaves were dragged onto these shores, these questions have become increasingly harder for African-Americans to answer. To find the answers, you first must discover where you have been, you must go back to your family tree--but you must dig through rocky layers of lost information, of slavery--to find your roots. During the Great Migration in the 1940s, when African-Americans fled the strangling hands of Jim Crow for the relative freedoms of the North, many tossed away or buried the painful memories of their past. As we approach the new millennium, African-Americans are reaching back to uncover where we have been, to help us determine where we are going.
Black Genesis by Call Number: Ref CS21 .R57 2003ISBN: 9780806317359Publication Date: 2003-01-01Designed with both the novice and the professional researcher in mind, this text provides reference resources and introduces a methodology specific to investigating African-American genealogy. In the second edition, information has been reorganized by state. Within each state are listings for resources such as state archives, census records, military records, newspapers, and manuscript collections.
Your Guide to Cemetery Research by Call Number: Ref CS21 .C36 2002ISBN: 9781558705890Publication Date: 2002-04-22A guide to the fascinating practice of cemetery research, from determining an ancestor's final resting place to decoding mysterious headstone symbols.
The Researcher's Guide to American Genealogy by Call Number: CS 47 .G79 2000ISBN: 9780806316215Publication Date: 2000-02-01This new 3rd edition incorporates the latest thinking on genealogy & computers, specifically the relationship between computer technology (the Internet & CD-ROM) & the timeless principles of good genealogical research. It also includes a new chapter on the property rights of women, a revised chapter on the evaluation of genealogical evidence, & updated information on the 1920 census.
For additional resources that are available at home, please click on the "Online Resources" tab.
- Ancestry Library Edition This link opens in a new windowAncestry Library Edition provides access to a number of genealogical and historical resources, including images of the decennial U.S. census from 1790-1930. Please note: the University of Delaware's version of Ancestry is different than the paid version you can subscribe to yourself. The records and resources available in Ancestry remain the same, but there are no personalization features that you see in a paid, individual account.
- Digital Sanborn Maps, 18671970 (Delaware) This link opens in a new windowSanborn maps, produced by the Sanborn Map Company, the primary American publisher of fire insurance maps for nearly 100 years, are valuable historical tools for urban specialists, social historians, architects, geographers, genealogists, local historians, planners, environmentalists, and anyone who wants to learn about the history, growth, and development of American cities, towns, and neighborhoods. The maps are large scale and were used to gauge the fire risks for urban structures.
- Artstor Digital Library This link opens in a new windowArtStor has blueprints and collections from the UD Center for Historic Architecture and Design that might help useful for conducting research on historic buildings or property.
- Newspapers.com World Collection (Library Edition) This link opens in a new windowAn online database of 3,000+ historical newspapers from the early 1700s to the early 2000s. Contains a diverse blend of regional and local newspapers in the U.S. and other countries. Please Note! The Library Edition of Newspapers.com only offers a fraction of what is available through the personal account.
- ProQuest Historical Newspapers: New York Times This link opens in a new windowOffers full page and article images with searchable full text of the New York Times back to the first issue. The collection includes digital reproductions providing access to every page from every available issue. Coverage: 1851 to 4 years ago
- ProQuest Historical Newspapers This link opens in a new windowProQuest Historical Newspapers at the University of Delaware offer searchable, fulltext access to 6 major U.S. newspapers, 1 international newspaper, and 7 Black newspapers from the U.S.
- Chronicling AmericaSearch America's historic newspaper pages from 1777-1963 or use the U.S. Newspaper Directory to find information about American newspapers published between 1690-present. This project is sponsored through the Library of Congress and the NEH.
To see a full list of the large amount of journals that the University of Delaware subscribes to, visit the E-Journals page, found under the Research tab from the Library's homepage.