Into the Pool: A Dive into Genealogy Resources at the Library
How far back can you trace your family line? Your parents, grandparents, greats or great-greats? How about farther back? Can you say, with certainty, that you know where you come from?
These are just some of the questions that those getting into genealogy research set out to answer and it’s the kind of work that people from all walks of life have been doing for ages.
Genealogy is just one area under the umbrella of family research, and focuses on using a variety of sources such as census records, military documents, photographs, and oral interviews, to name a few, in order to track family lines and history. Public interest in genealogy exploded in the United States in the 1970s with the airing of the television miniseries Roots, based on the novel, and has only increased in the years since due to digital advances and easier access to information.
One of the best starting points to someone’s foray into genealogical research is right here in the public library. The Citrus County Library System boasts a variety of digital and physical resources for research, as well as multiple avenues of programming for someone who wants more in-person guidance. These offerings can be found on the library system’s website at https://www.citruslibraries.org/ in the section labeled “Genealogy”, which can be found by clicking on or hovering over the “Services and Resources” tab.
Four of the five Citrus County library branches include some manner of genealogy section, which is able to be searched within the catalog using the advanced search filters. Cataloged resources are divided up between regular genealogy items, which are able to be checked out and are marked with “GEN” in their call number, and reference genealogy, which cannot be checked out and are marked with “R GEN” in the call number. These catalogued resources include guides that range from how to start genealogy research, how to advance your research, how to utilize the various types of records in your research, to books that contain specific records such as marriage records from specific locations and dates. You can also find lineage guides, immigration lists, passengers manifest, letters, or census records.
These types of records are known as primary sources, and act as a concrete way to prove that a certain person was in a certain place at a certain time. Primary sources are firsthand accounts of a topic from someone who was there at the time and are critical when it comes to genealogy research.
Along with catalogued books, some other physical resources provided by the library system include periodicals, magazines, and newsletters. These items can be found exclusively at the Lakes Region Library in Inverness and consist of titles such as The New England Historical and Genealogical Register and The Florida Genealogist, as well as the monthly newsletters from the Citrus County Genealogical Society and some specialized local family documents.
For the beginning researcher, one of the best places to get started is through a digital service. The library system offers several different database options depending on your needs. Ancestry.com is available for all patrons while inside any branch, while HeritageQuest Online can be accessed remotely with a library card. These databases consolidate huge amounts of information as well as public forums to ask questions and other helpful areas to make your research easier, like downloadable forms and charts to fill in yourself. A basic search can be performed with just a name and living place, with options to narrow down the results by birth or death date, which makes these databases an incredible resource for anyone regardless of experience, skill level, or leg of their research journey.
The Lakes Region Library also hosts issues of the Citrus County Chronicle dating back to 1939 and going up to 2004. These issues are available for public viewing through use of the microfilm reader; calling ahead can ensure that a staff member will be available to walk you through the process of using this machine.
By far the most important resource offered by the Citrus County Library System is the human element. Four of our five branches offer a weekly Genealogy 1-on-1; registration for these programs is required and can be done in person, over the phone or online. These appointments are with volunteers from the Citrus County Genealogical Society who generously give their time and expertise to help attendees with their research.
For further information on these programs and others, please visit your local branch of the Citrus County Library System and ask about our monthly offerings, pick up a monthly activity guide, or sign up for a one-on-one appointment with one of our librarians! Library programming and services are free and available to everyone. For additional information about programming, please call your local library branch, go to the library’s website, citruslibraries.org, or follow @CitrusLibraries on Facebook and Instagram.
