The internet is a great resource. It is fast becoming the genealogist’s favorite accessible tool. However, there is still an abundance of information not on the internet OR you need to learn to use the internet. There are many other resources available beyond the internet.
For the genealogist, there are 4 major physical locations worth considering when looking for records of your ancestor.
Other Locations including historical societies, museums, churches, and genealogical societies
Libraries
Notable genealogical libraries in the United States:
Scott County libraries include:
The January 2020 edition of the Scott County Iowa Genealogical Society newsletter The IOWAN includes information about the Bettendorf, LeClaire, Blue Grass, Buffalo, Eldridge, Princeton, and Walcott libraries.
Regional resource libraries include:
Illinois
Belgian Museum of the Quad Cities, 1608 7th Street, Moline IL
Rock Island Genealogical Society, RICIGS library is housed at the Rock Island Historical Society
Rock Island Historical Society, 822 11th Avenue Moline, IL, free to members and $5 per day for non-members
Rock Island Public Library, 401 19th Street, Rock Island, Local History Research Room is open on Thursdays from 1:00 to 4:00 pm
Swenson Swedish Immigration Research Center at Augustana College in Rock Island, call 309-794-7204 for an appointment
Iowa
American/Schleswig-Holstein Heritage Society, 121 W. Bryant St, Walcott, IA, open by appointment only
Burlington Public Library, 210 Court Street, Burlington, IA,
LeClaire Township Genealogical and Historical Society, call 563-289-4236
Clinton County Historical Society Museum, 601 South 1st Street, Clinton, IA
Jackson County Museum, 1212 E. Quarry Street, Maquoketa, IA
Musser Public Library, 408 E. 2nd Street, Muscatine, IA
State Historical Society of Iowa, 402 Iowa Ave., Iowa City, IA, call 319-335-3916
Types of resources at a library:
A researcher who visited a large regional library said “Most people doing genealogical research aren’t academics or scholars, so the help of experts is even more important.” The librarians are your experts. Librarians answer questions, answer queries, and are the best resource for information at a library. Do not expect the librarian to do your research for you. Do expect them to help you find the resources you are seeking.
Many books are available on the internet, but all books are not. Each library has different books and treats books differently.
Examples:
Before visiting any library, check for an online library catalog for materials contained within the collection. Determine if the library has the book(s) you seek.
Specific type of books useful to genealogists:
City Directories
City Directories include more than just the name of your ancestor.
In addition to libraries, books can be found at:
c. Periodicals
Newspapers
They can provide:
Check these locations of some newspapers:
Newspaper & Current Periodical Reading Room, Serial & Government Publications Division. This is part of The Library of Congress. This list includes locations of online newspapers.
Chronicling America, part of the Library of Congress. Some newspapers are online at this site. There is also a list of the location of newspapers
Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs, Newspapers
A number of Iowa newspapers have been digitized and made available by Advantage Preservation.
Advantage partners with communities across the United State to archive & provide practical digital access to local historical content in print that would otherwise be lost to the erosion of time.
Newspaper Archive
All Davenport Public Library branches have free access to Newspaper Archive, a searchable newspaper online resource which provides access to some of Iowa’s newspapers.
Journals and Magazines
Newsletter
Societies, organizations, and institutions share their activities and education resources.
d. Additional Resources
There are other materials found at libraries that are typically non-circulating. The Richardson-Sloane Special Collections Center has maps, archive and manuscript collections, ephemera, videos, oral history recordings, photographs, and archives for the City of Davenport, Scott County, and other government materials. Many libraries have resources in addition to books.
For example, the Scott County Library System, headquartered in Eldridge, is creating a digital collection called the Scott County Community Memory Project. The project is to help different generations connect with their family history.
e. Computers
Public libraries offer the use of computers. In addition to the card catalog, the library’s computer will have access to the internet and may have access to Ancestry Library Edition and other genealogical resource databases. Ancestry Library Edition is available free at home with your Davenport Public Library card through December 31, 2021. Local records and digital materials, such as city council records or photographs, may be available.
f. Microfilm / Microfiche
Family Tree Magazine definition of a repository:
A library is intended for public access to materials.
An archive preserves primary source material, with limited access to records.
A repository is a library, archive, or other places where records are stored.
A repository can be a library, historical society, genealogical society, repository, museum, archive, or special collections library.
National Archives is an example of a repository.
The State Historical Society of Iowa is another example of a repository. It maintains a museum, two research centers, preservation office, and eight historic sites.
County and state courthouses contain records. Some records are online, but a copy or the original document is at the courthouse. Not all courthouses maintain the original document. They may maintain a microfilm of the document. Some courthouse personnel are very helpful. Some courthouses are very restrictive. Most states have a Freedom of Information Act, which may allow you to obtain copies of documents for a fee. The type of records varies from courthouse to courthouse. This may depend upon when the area became a territory or state, or the types of activities in the area. State laws vary, so the availability of courthouse records vary. Review the Vital Records Chart from the DPL packet to see when records were required to be kept.
Historical Societies
Historical Societies may hold records given to them or purchased by them, sometimes from the local courthouse. They may include news articles about area residents. They may hold genealogies or artifacts of local residents. They usually have or have compiled, books about the area.
Museums
A museum is defined as “a building or place where works of art, scientific specimens, or other objects of permanent value are kept and displayed.” A museum may contain records or archives of the area, which may include references to your ancestor. For example, the records for the R. H. Graham Post 312 of the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) of Rock Island are at the Chicago History Museum. If your ancestor was a member of this organization, the membership and meeting information is probably in the museum’s records.
Scott County Museums and Historical Societies:
Churches and Synagogues
Church records may include baptism, marriage, and funeral records. Some records are not necessarily kept locally but are kept at a district, state, or national level. Some records are copied and maintained at local libraries, historical societies, or museums.
Richardson-Sloane Special Collections has records from several denominations of churches in both microfilm and book format. Ancestry Library edition has posted Lutheran church records for our area.
View the following programs on Davenport Public Library YouTube.
Total 52:45 minutes.