On an international level, former librarians in Tokyo, Japan are collecting and preserving historical maps that plot out U.S. air raid damage from World War II. One of the former librarians, Gen Yamazaki has both a professional and personal connection to these maps. As a library professional during the war, he was responsible for guiding patrons to safe locations during air raid strikes. On more than one occasion, he witnessed death, tragedy, and loss of land and personal property due to these air raids.

In an effort to preserve these rare documents, he also hopes that young people will “see the discovery of such maps as a ‘milestone’ toward peace and a ‘lesson’ about the misery of war.” [1] Throughout political and social changes, history is being created within our very communities and within our library collections without even realizing it. Future generations of patrons will form their own conclusions of their community’s history based on these documents.

In my own library, we are currently working toward organizing and preparing documents for digitization so that members of the public can have equitable access to newspapers, maps, photographs, and other documents that give insight into their collective history. As anyone who has performed genealogy or local history research can attest, there are often realms of the past that we did not know about, have forgotten, or simply do not understand. Nevertheless, it is imperative to determine how this type of local-level information can be stored and made accessible.

While my library’s local history collection clearly differs from the local historical map collection that Mr. Yamazaki is preserving, it is important to for professional librarians to understand the significance of community stories and histories, as well as determine where the public library fits into the conversation.

^[1] Iwakiri, Nozomi. “Ex-librarians Collect Tokyo Air Raid Maps in Effort to Promote Peace.” The Japan Times. (2015). Web. 22 Nov. 2015. http://bit.ly/1I8l63

The post Preserving History first appeared on Public Libraries Online.

What is historical context? Historical context is the elements that permeate the lives of every living person; the local history of where they were born, the events that may have shaped their lives, and the living conditions that often can provide some measure of explanation about who they were as people. For example, if you know in advance that the local county courthouse burned down and that many records were destroyed, you will know that you will have to find other avenues to locate records and documents that you might need.

So how do you situate your ancestors in historical context? Start with your local public library. Many public libraries keep reference materials about the location in which they are found that can include history, prominent citizens, city directories, genealogy books about first families in the area, and many other tidbits that can be of use to your research. Don’t forget to keep records of what sources you have looked at as you go! Make notes of where you found the book(s) so you can always retrace your steps should the unthinkable happen and your research gets lost or destroyed.

If you don’t have access to the public library in the area you are researching, try the local historical societies. These treasure troves of information can lead to resources you never knew existed! A simple Google search can reveal numerous historical societies. Do not be afraid to reach out to them for assistance, especially if you are working in the South. The United States South can prove to be quite difficult to conduct research in beyond a certain point. Due to the widespread destruction caused by the American Civil War, many sources of records were lost. This can be quite a frustrating experience, but by using local historical societies you can begin to piece together the history of the area. Many small historical societies are run by individuals with direct connections to the people, places, and things that you may want to know, so do not be afraid to ask questions. You never know when someone will tell you that they knew so-and-so who happened to know your grandfather. This happened to me during my own genealogical research, and the resulting information proved to be quite useful indeed. Genealogy research is a lot like detective work—you have to piece together the past in order to understand the motives and actions of your ancestors. While this can be a painstaking process, the rewards are worth it.

In my next article, we will be looking at the United States Census records including what they show, how to read them and where to find them. Keep researching—the answers are out there!

The post Historical Context for Genealogy Research: What Your Ancestor’s Surroundings Say About Them first appeared on Public Libraries Online.

Let’s begin with the basics.

You may not know it, but your home is filled with historically valuable genealogical evidence and items. From scrapbooks to photographs, to family bibles to legal records, there are scores of information waiting to be found and collected lying about in your closets, offices and safes. The first step in any genealogical research project is to gather what you already have or know. You will want to purchase some clear sheet protectors and a three-ring binder; this will help you keep all of the relevant information easily at your fingertips. As you find an item, it is important to keep track of what you have already seen, and to place it in a sheet protector in the three-ring binder. Keep a sheet of paper and write or type out what kind of document it is, who it pertains to, and the date that you examined the item.. Keep this sheet of paper with your research: it will help keep you from running in circles wondering if you’ve already seen an item and it can save time when conducting research down the line. We will discuss citation formats later on in the series, but for now just keep a simple list of items that you have already reviewed.

Next, you will want to begin creating your immediate family tree. This includes you, your children if you have any, your parents, your siblings and their families. You need not worry too much about the younger children just yet; the important thing is to get all of the important information down on paper. Write down as much as you know about each person including dates of birth, death, marriage (not just the current, but all marriages) and any other information you may come across during your sweep of your personal items.

Once you have all this information assembled, you will begin to to see where there are holes. Say, for example, you don’t have a birth or death certificate for your parents. How do you find it? For your parents, it’s simply a matter of contacting the Office of Vital Statistics in the state where the person was born or died. Most states have a form to fill out, and in some cases, you will have to prove who you are in relation to the person you are requesting. There is usually a nominal fee (in my personal experience it can range from ten dollars to twenty-five dollars) for processing your request, and it varies by state. Marriage certificates can be located in the Clerk’s Office of the county where the marriage took place in most cases, though there are exceptions (we will look at possible exceptions in future posts).

This is just the beginning of your genealogical journey through the past. In future posts, we will discuss other types of documents, places you can look for hard to find items, and challenges that come about when conducting research. In our next article, we will discuss the importance of historical context and what it can tell you about your family.

The post Introduction to Genealogy for Librarians and Patrons first appeared on Public Libraries Online.