Genealogy & Local History Room Hours

The Genealogy & Local History Room is now open on Thursday nights and one weekend a month! View our schedule here.

Online Genealogy Resources For Free!

Join us this Wednesday at 10 AM for a class on online genealogy resources. Discover free genealogy websites to help you build your family tree and break down your “brick walls.”

Register online or call the Reference Desk at 847-729-7500.

Best Websites 2016

Every year Family Tree Magazine announces it's 101 Best Genealogy Websites. Here are a few of my favorites from this year's list.

AccessGenealogy 
An aggregated collection of databases and links. It's a nicely designed website and easy-to-use.

Atlas of the Historical Geography of the United States
Charles O. Paullin and John K. Wright’s classic historical atlas is updated with 21st-century technology.

Chronicling America
This Library of Congress site allows you to search newspapers from 1836 to 1922.

CSI: Dixie
Nineteenth century coroners' inquests from South Carolina. There's a relatively small number of inquests but the information provided here offers a fascinating glimpse into death (and life) in the nineteenth century.

HathiTrust
A digital library of more than 14 million volumes. Search for local and family histories, archival documents and more.

International Society of Genetic Genealogy Wiki
Get all of your DNA and genetic genealogy questions answered here.

Unknown No Longer
A database by the Virginia Historical Society that hopes to record the names of all of the enslaved Virginians that appear in the Society's documents.

WeRelate
A genealogy wiki. Collaborate with others to create a unified family tree.

Genealogy Research Day

Celebrate Family History Month with us this Saturday! Have you hit a brick wall or do you need help getting started with genealogy? Drop in at the Technology Lab or the Genealogy & Local History Room between 1-4 PM to get individualized help.