Lesson 5 – Accessing Records

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Lesson 5

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In this lesson, we are going to figure out where the records are and record that information on our Genealogy Research Plan. Then we’ll be ready to begin our research project!

Set the Parameters

After doing some brainstorming, you now have a prioritized “shortlist” of records. For each record, you’re going to fill in the basic parameters of that record if you haven’t already. You may not have all the answers, so just do the best you can.

The parameters include:

• The years that the record needs to cover.
• The locality where the event occurred.
  Be as specific as possible and make sure you have the name of the locality as it was known during the years you specified.
  Ex. Kotten, Kreis Ortelsburg, East Prussia (Germany. Now located in Poland)
  Ex. Gillespie, Macoupin County, Illinois, USA.
  If you need help identifying the correct county in the United States, the Atlas of Historical County Boundaries at the Newberry Library website can provide the answer.
• The creator of the records. Ex. Evangelical Lutheran Church.
• Where you think the record may be found. Ex. Online databases, archives, local offices, etc.

 

Understanding the Locality at that Time

If you’re not familiar with the location where you will be researching, I would strongly recommend you stop at this point and locate or create a Locality Guide for the area, also known as a Location Guide. Locality guides cover the essential information you need to know for researching in that specific location. It provides historical background, reveals if there have been record losses, and directs you to some of the best resources for finding your ancestor in that area.

Here are resources that can help:

START: Google Search
A great place to start is just a simple Google search.
Ex. Kreis Johannisburg location guide for genealogy research.
AI often does a decent job giving you a simple rough overview of the area.

GO DEEPER: Generative AI
You can take it further by using your favorite AI chatbot to develop a comprehensive location guide. Most chatbots now have the ability to search the web in real time as well as write and format a guide that you can then save and use for reference. If you haven’t done that before, watch my video Location Guides Turbo Charged with AI.

 

Searching for Accessibility Answers

Now that you have a better understanding of the area, it’s time to search for how to access the records. In addition to the guidance provided in your location guide, let’s head back to the FamilySearch Wiki and fill in any blanks that we may have left after our first visit there.

FamilySearch Wiki
As we saw in lesson 4, the wiki has a page (or wiki entry) for nearly every imaginable location.

Again, to find the FamilySearch Wiki locality page, use the map to drill down. And if you use the search box, be sure to select from the drop-down options.

Most FamilySearch Wiki locality pages can shed a lot of light on important information about accessing the records you want to find. Again, you’ll find information on:

• the county courthouse
• the dates when records were created
• record loss
• boundary changes
• links to pages about cities and towns
• research facilities (archives, Family History Centers, libraries, and societies
• research guides

As you add information to your plan, make notes about what form the records are in (digitized online, book, microfiche, etc.) website addresses, archive location addresses and phone numbers and anything else you find helpful. Also, continue to prioritize the records by ease of access, cost and any other factors that are important to you.

 

Expanding the Search

By this point you very likely have already figured out where to get the records you need. But if you still need some help, here are additional large-scale resources, many of which include research guides.

ArchiveGrid

ArchiveGrid includes over 7 million records describing archival materials, historical documents, personal papers, family histories, and more. It helps researchers who are looking for primary source materials held in over 1400 archives, libraries, museums and historical societies.

American Ancestors by New England Historic Genealogical Society

American Ancestors is known for New England research resources, but they also offer location and heritage-focused research guides.

Library of Congress

Offers a large collection of genealogy research guides.

National Archives

Resources for genealogists wanting to utilize their records. You’ll find a link to Research Guides at the bottom of the page.

WorldCat

A global library catalog where you can search for items and filter the results to find the copies closest to your location.

 

Cost-Saving Strategies

Many, if not most, of the resources we’ve discussed are free of charge. Inevitably, some records will only be available with paid access. Before you pass on records that have fees-associated with them, I’ve got some cost-saving strategies for you.  Instead of buying the whole cake, let’s see if we can’t just get a slice.

1. If you don’t have a subscription to a website, or don’t want to buy one for just the one record, see if they have a free trial. If it’s not obvious on their website, Google the name of the website along with the phrase free trial.

2. Search the catalogs of the big genealogy subscription websites even if you don’t currently subscribe. If you find they have the records you need, open a new browser tab and head to Google. Try Googling the name of the record or collection. You might find that another website (such as the National Archives or a state archive) offers the same record at no cost. This is more common than you might think.

3. Check with your local library to see if they provide free access to the genealogy website you need. Some libraries even allow home access with a library card. It’s worth asking.

4. Check with your local FamilySearch Center. You can find the center closest to you at https://locations.familysearch.org/en/search. The center may provide free access to websites, and their knowledgeable staff may be able to help you find other ways to access the records.

5. If you found something on WorldCat, ask your local reference librarian about making an interlibrary loan request.

6. Contact repositories such as archives, libraries and societies directly to ask if they offer lookups, or if you can order a copy of the record for a small fee.

 

If Unavailable, Look for Alternatives

There may be times when you find out that the records you want are unavailable or missing. Don’t stop there! Brainstorm other types of records that might also have similar information. This is the time to review the records checklists we discussed in our last lesson, and you can also ask AI for a list of alternatives records.

For example, it may be that the state civil birth records don’t exist for the period you need. In that case you could look for church baptism registers, newspaper birth announcements, or family Bibles.

If you’d like more help with a specific type of record or records website, we very likely have an in-depth video on the subject. Visit the Genealogy Gems Videos page and click a category such as Records or Websites.

 

Exercise

It’s time to grab the research plan template and customize it to suit your needs. You can copy and paste the fill-in-the-blanks area as many times as you need. Then start tracking down where those records are hiding and fill in the details.

Got a Question? I’m here to help! Visit the Q&A Forum.