Online resources for beginning Genealogists
RootsWeb
A free genealogy site sponsored by Ancestry.com designed to connect people so they can share genealogical research. Find links to the Social Security Death Index, regional and surname mailing lists, download free blank charts, forms, and more.
The U.S. Gen Web Project
Consists of a group of volunteers working to provide Internet websites for genealogical research throughout the United States. It is a great portal to accessing state and county-level genealogical societies.
Cyndi’s List of Genealogy Sites on the Internet
Tips for beginners and links to nearly 300,000 genealogical websites.
Family Search
An excellent resource created and maintained by the Church of Latter-day Saints. Manatee County Public Library is a FamilySearch Affiliate Library, which means that you can access millions more of their records at all library locations using our public computers. Just click on the FamilySearch icon and log in with your free account.
Ellis Island Passenger List
Search passenger arrival records, ship names (and their passengers), and browse historical photos. The site also has a very good genealogy section that includes printable charts once you register. (Registration is free.)
Genealogy Buff
Offers links to helpful resource sites pertaining to areas such as obituaries, cemeteries, census, immigration, ethnic emigration and more.
National Genealogical Society
Offers an interesting variety of resources including an online database of their book collection and research forums and services. The NGS is a non-profit that was founded in 1903.
National Archives and Records Administration
Includes extensive resources for genealogists: research tips, tools, and more.
Manatee Genealogical Society
The
Manatee Genealogical Society was formed to promote individual and community awareness in
genealogy, family history and allied fields of study, conduct
genealogical meetings, workshops and seminars, and sponsor projects to
promote and preserve genealogical knowledge. MGS holds regular meetings during season at the Central Library. Website: mgsfl.org/index.php Email: [email protected]
Library resources for beginning Genealogists
The Manatee County Library System has an excellent genealogy collection which is available to the public for in-house use. In addition, the library also has a very good collection of genealogy materials in the non-fiction collection which can be checked out. The genealogy collection’s scope is on research materials for states east of the Mississippi River, concentrating on the colonial states.
Books
929 Genealogy how-to’s, names, insignia
929.1 Genealogy
929.2 Family histories
929.3 Genealogical sources
929.4 Personal names
929.5 Cemetery records
929.6 Heraldry
929.7 Royal houses, peerage, gentry, orders of knighthood
929.8 Awards, orders, decorations, autographs
929.9 Forms of insignia and identification
Periodicals
The library subscribes to the following popular genealogy periodical:
Family Tree Magazine
and numerous state and county genealogical societies’ newsletters
Computer Databases
The Manatee County Library System subscribes to the following genealogical databases:
Heritage Quest Online (powered by Ancestry.com)
Search U.S. Census records (1790-1930), books, periodical articles, Social Security Death Index, historical military records, and more