As a family history enthusiast, you’re probably familiar with powerhouse genealogy-focused libraries. Perhaps you’ve visited the FamilySearch Library (formerly the Family History Library) in Salt Lake City <www.familysearch.org/en/library/visit>. Or maybe you’ve found valuable information at the Allen County Public Library in Fort Wayne <www.acpl.lib.in.us>, which has an incredible genealogy center with global records, or the Library of Congress in Washington, DC <www.loc.gov>, with its US-focused archives.
But large repositories don’t always have the specific records you need, especially if your family hails from a small town.
Fortunately, that’s where local libraries come in. Focusing on localized resources—those elusive puzzle pieces specific to your ancestor’s hometown—can be the answer to your most pressing genealogy questions.
You might be surprised by what you find in local libraries: historical information, vintage photographs, and genealogical records with a strong focus on your own area. You learn about your own ancestors, but information about their hometown or even the family who originally owned the house you live in can still be valuable and interesting. And while this research may not be directly helpful if your ancestors settled elsewhere, studying materials at local libraries can sharpen your skills for future visits to a library in an ancestor’s
