Doing research at the Windsor, Ontario, Public Library

     Well we all know that not everything is available on line; despite what some may believe. When doing research on the family you often need to go to the cities, towns, counties or even countries they came from. Once there you have to visit the local records office, genealogy society/group or in our case Library.  My local main library is the monthly meeting place for the local chapter of the Ontario Genealogical Society (The Essex County Branch). While I am interested in joining this group there are some personal issues that have kept me from doing so. I won't go into those here. However the library has a large collection of local Geneologies donated by people over the years. They have the local newspapers on Micro Film, local grave yard info., maps, a large collection of yearbooks from most of the schools (including ones that no langer exist), the city Directories and local history books. One of the coolest things is that most of this is located on the second floor inside a Local Research room. It is a seperate glassed in room with tables & chairs for the researcher, a Micro Film viewer, and there is a desk with a Librarian on staff at all times. They are there to assist you if you are looking for anything and or to direct you to the best source available. They also can also go and get you books or documents that they have in their holdings that may not be readily available on the shelves. Some of these are in ill repair and so more delicate and they don't leave them on the shelf there fore. However if you inquire and they have it they can bring it in and you can use it. Then they will take it back to the hoding area. You also cannot put things back on teh shelves for yourself. They insist that you leave it on the table when you are finished with it. They will re-shelf it after they record the use of that specific book or document. To show that the room and resources are being used.  The room was built about 2-3 years ago. Up until then everything was just up on teh second floor more or less together and a lot of the things where in the holdings area and hard to get your hands on. Now a lot of it is available on the shelves and only a little is still locked away. I go in about once every 3-4 months and have ment to blog about this a few times. However I kept forgetting to take photos to go with the blog. Yesterday, I finally remembered to do so. If you are interested in researching your family and are in the Windsor area; I would encourage you to use this resource. If you aren't; but can make the trip it is worth while. The other thing is that if you have a quick question about someone from the area; lets say you know that your grandfather lived here in 1956 or so and have his full name you can call and speak with that librarian that is on duty and they will look in the local city directories for that year and or the ones around it to see if he his listed and where he lived. The directory will also tell if he is living with a wife and where he worked. All just a phone call away.  So if you need help to Remember When, then check out the Library.

The view at the door to the second floor research section of the Windsor, Ontario, Public Library, Main Branch.

Local School Year Books.

Local donated Family Histories.

The CIty Directories (this is where I am focused at the moment, copying the info. on my family).

This is the stack of City Directories I left on the table after my 4 hour visit.

The Local History section. 

Micro Film of the Newspapers (The Windsor Star & it's predecessor (Locally)) & the Toronto Globe & Mail.

Census, Death, Cemetary, Land Grant Micro Films.