Genealogical Libraries

These days more and more organizations are putting their library catalogues online for all to browse. These can help track down that elusive resource, especially in planning for a research trip. Here are a few of my favourites.

The British Isles Family History Society recently updated the online catalogue for their Brian O'Regan Memorial Library, found here. I see it is up to 1909 items with particular strength in Irish resources. Our partner organization, the Ottawa Branch of the Ontario Genealogical Society, has an online catalogue here for a library with more than double the holdings focusing on Ottawa-area resources.

Although not specifically a genealogical library, in Ottawa Library and Archives Canada is THE place to go for Canadian materials. Find their new amalgamated search here.

Outside Canada the Family History Library of the LDS Church, and their online catalogue, should be one of every serious genealogists' favourite links - start here. In the UK I go first to the Society of Genealogists' Library catalogue, here.

Don't overlook published family histories. Some never get to the large libraries, so look for the catalogue of the local public library, genealogical or local historical society for the area where they lived.