Visit the Toledo Lucas County Public Library’s Local History and Genealogy Department

The Local History and Genealogy Department houses a book and microfilm collection of over 35,000 volumes. The collection, national in scope, offers researchers an assortment of maps; journals; town and county histories; military records (such as the 1890 U.S. veteran schedules); vital records; church and cemetery records; family histories; newspapers and newspaper indexes. Also included is a comprehensive collection of materials -- including census records -- for Ohio and the surrounding states, and the original 13 American colonies.

The department is a reference collection; materials are not checked out. It is located on the third floor of the new Main Library, 325 Michigan St, Toledo, OH 43624. For more information, please visit the department or call us at 419-259-5233.

Cyndi’s List: www.cyndislist.com -- Over 260,000 links to genealogical sites categorized by subject, including the census; libraries and archives; military records; adoption; land records; newspapers and obituaries; and passenger lists and immigration.

RootsWeb: www.rootsweb.com -- Millions of online genealogists share their research, and message boards enable users to ask questions and post replies. Databases include RootsWeb Surname List, Social Security Death Index, and State and County Index.

FamilySearch: www.familysearch.com -- The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints provides access to enormous genealogy databases—including the Vital Records Index and the Ancestral File -- and offers detailed guidance helpful for the beginner and the experienced genealogist.

Ellis Island: www.ellisislandrecords.org -- Users may search through the 22 million passenger records of immigrants arriving at the Port of New York between 1892 and 1924, with the option of viewing the original manifests.

New England Ancestors: www.newenglandancestors.org -- Explore the manuscript collections and library catalog of the oldest genealogical organization in the United States.