WorldCat and the Family Tree:

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WorldCat and the
Family Tree

• A lesson in creative catalog searching.

Presentor Tina Beaird
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Searching WorldCat for Newspapers

• ? Title Searches can be conducted by title or
  keyword (Dziennik Chicagoski)
• ? Location Where was the material published?
  (Chicago, Illinois)
• ? Language Is it a newspaper published in a
  foreign language, or was the paper printed for
  English-speaking nationals? (Polish)
• ? Type of Material Original papers,
  microfilm/fiche or published monographs? (Serial
  Publications)
• ? Year Be sure to include a year range,
  especially when looking for obituary indexes
  (1900-1930)
• ? Item Location What facilities have the
  newspapers you are researching? (Center for
  Research Libraries, Wisconsin Historical Society)

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Newspaper Im researching
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Libraries in Illinois that own the item
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Description and catalog information
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Requesting Books and Microfilm

• When searching WorldCat for genealogical records
  you must click on the ? next to the library
  name under Libraries Worldwide That Own Item.
  This will tell you right away if that particular
  library will lend genealogical materials.
• If you are looking for newspapers, check to see
  if the library will lend microfilm/fiche. In this
  case, The Center for Research Libraries will lend
  newspapers on microfilm.
• Wisconsin Historical Society has a massive
  historic US newspaper collection on microfilm
  that is available through ILL.
• Other libraries that charge a fee for newspapers
  include the South Dakota State Historical Society
  and the State Historical Society of Iowa.
• University of Chicago (CGU) has a large
  circulating collection of County Histories and
  City Directories for the United States.

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Does not mention maps or microfilm. Call the
library to verify.
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Requesting Photocopies and Faxes

• Many libraries are happy to make photocopies for
  patrons for materials that do not circulate. If
  needed quickly, they are usually very
  accommodating and can fax requests within a
  couple of business days. Be advised that
  photographs DO NOT fax well.
• Check with the library for their fee schedule if
  requesting large numbers of photocopies and be
  sure your patron would be willing to pay for
  these.
• Many libraries will make photocopies for you for
  free, depending on the total number of pages
  requested and the depth of the research.
  The Newberry Library in Chicago,
  IL, will copy up to 5 free pages.
  The Urbana Free Library in Urbana,
  IL, will copy up to 20 free pages.
• Each librarys policy is different. Some
  libraries charge
• a flat, non-refundable fee for genealogical
  look-ups.

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Obtaining Materials

• Once you have requested materials, be sure to
  check for any conditions on circulating the item.
• Materials are available through the Library of
  Congress either directly, through their website,
  or through WorldCat. If you request materials
  through OCLC, you have to put DCA in all five
  request spaces. Their materials are available
  for free, but require in-library use only!

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Open Stack Researching

• Research libraries and academic libraries require
  researchers to register for a temporary library
  pass to access the collections. Be sure to have
  photo identification with you when you go.
• Libraries such as the Abraham Lincoln
  Presidential Library and the University of
  Chicago Regenstein Library have open stacks. By
  using WorldCat in advance of your arrival, you
  will have the call numbers you need to locate
  items on the shelf and browse for additional
  titles of interest. Floor maps are usually
  available to help locate items.
• Larger libraries have multiple locations for
  useful genealogical materials. Be sure to check
  for map collections, special collections, and
  archives. These items may not be included in the
  librarys computer catalog.
• Temporary library passes are not eligible to
  check out books, so bring plenty of change for
  photocopies.

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Closed Stack Researching

• Research/genealogy libraries like the Newberry
  Library in Chicago and the Library of Congress
  have closed stacks. You will give your call
  numbers to the circulation desk and they will
  pull the books and bring them to your assigned
  table.
• You will not have the opportunity to browse the
  shelves for similar titles, so be sure to use
  WorldCat to search for every possible combination
  of words for the area you are researching.
• Some closed stacks do not allow you to make your
  own photocopies, be sure to allow extra time in
  case staff are backlogged.

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ArchiveGrid

• ArchiveGrid gives librarians the opportunity to
  key word search thousands of archival, museum,
  and library manuscript collections nationwide.
• Multiple word searching and proximity searching
  yields the best results.
• Materials listed on ArchiveGrid are not available
  through ILL, you would have to visit the owning
  archives, museum or library in person.
• I searched on Foster, Plainfield, and
  California, receiving numerous hits. These
  records helped give me approximate birth and
  death dates of Foster family members to help
  guide my search.

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Conclusion

• Newspapers are available from a variety of
  libraries, most of them for free, through
  interlibrary loan.
• Be sure to check the WorldCat records carefully
  to avoid wasting time requesting materials that
  will not circulate.
• Libraries can fax requests to you depending on
  the number of pages and difficulty of the
  request.
• Be sure to check if the library you are visiting
  is an open or closed stack facility and make
  plans accordingly.
• ArchiveGrid is an extremely useful tool in
  discovering materials housed in special
  collections across the country.