Genealogy Resources Available at the University of Minnesota Libraries

While there is no collection or staff specifically dedicated to genealogy in the University Libraries, the approximately 5 million volumes, a nationally-acclaimed map library, several thousand newspapers, and well over a million government documents constitute a rich resource for genealogists. However, genealogists often come to Wilson Library with unrealistic expectations of what they will find and go away disappointed and frustrated.

Much of your basic research should be completed before you come to the library. You will need to bring with you the correct spelling and spelling variations of individuals' names and place names (foreign characters, e.g, ä, é, and Å are very important). Pinpoint the time period in which these people lived; exact death dates will help you find obituaries, if they are available. Remember, the more organized you are when you come to the library, the more likely it is you will find what you are looking for.

• University of Minnesota Libraries' Genealogy Web Pages
• Wilson Library General Information
• Collections Located in Wilson Library
• Other Collections of Interest to Genealogists

University of Minnesota Libraries' Genealogy Web Pages

While the library does not have a specialized genealogy collection, it does have books of interest to the genealogist. The following is a list of web pages containing information for genealogist doing research at the University of Minnesota Libraries:

General Topics

• Genealogy
• Beginning to Research Your Family's History
• Census Records
• Civil War Genealogy: Resources Available in the University of Minnesota Libraries
• Minnesota Genealogy
• Locating Military Records
• Ship Passenger Lists

Specific Ethnic Groups

• Ethnic Genealogy
• African-American Genealogy
• Canadian Genealogy
• English and English-American Genealogy
• German and German-American Genealogy
• Irish and Irish-American Genealogy
• Jewish Genealogy
• Native-American Genealogy
• Norwegian and Norwegian-American Genealogy
• Norwegian Bygdebøker or Local Histories Held at the University of Minnesota Libraries
• Libraries and Resource Centers for Norwegian Historical and Genealogical Research in the Upper Midwest
• Finding Norwegian Bygdebøker Held at the University of Minnesota Libraries
• Norwegian Geographical and Administrative Divisions
• Scottish and Scots-American Genealogy
• Swedish and Swedish-American Genealogy

Wilson Library General Information

• Location. Wilson Library is located at 309 19th Avenue South, on the west bank of the University of Minnesota's Minneapolis campus. Public parking is available on a first-come, first-served basis at the West Bank Ramp on 21st Avenue, one block from the library. For parking information, please call (612) 625-3337.
  
  
• Hours. Library hours change each semester intersession.
  Please call ahead to make sure that the service you need will be open when you come in: (612) 624-0303.
  
  
• Borrowing Library Materials. The University of Minnesota Libraries maintains a major research collection and offer services in support of the academic functions of the University of Minnesota. Direct borrowing privileges are limited to students, staff, and faculty of the University. All others have access to the collection through use of materials within the library or through local public library interlibrary loan systems.
  
  
• Photocopy Service. Basement, Wilson Library, (612) 624-4043. The Photocopy Service can make copies from books, periodicals, microfilm, and microfiche. Service hours vary depending on whether classes are in session. Copy machines are available on each floor for copying from books and periodicals. Some copy machines will take coins; however, most will require a copy card, available at the Photocopy Service.

Collections Located in Wilson Library

Reference Services and Collection

The Reference Room, located on the first floor of Wilson Library, is the best place to start your search for information. Staff members can acquaint you with MNCAT, help you formulate a search strategy for your particular topic, and assist you in locating specific materials in the collections. Staff members will refer you to other sources and units within the library system, depending on your needs.

The reference collection itself contains a number of tools of particular interest to genealogists as well as materials useful for identifying background information on persons, places, and historical periods.

Wilson Library General Collections

Wilson Library has research-level collections which have been developed over the past one hundred years to support the needs of historical study and research at the University. As a result, genealogical researchers may expect to find both foreign-language and English-language materials to support their historical research. Special strengths include British, Austrian, American, German, and especially Scandinavian history and related subjects.

Government Publications Library
Basement, Wilson Library, (612) 624-5073
The Government Publications Library collects the printed publications of the decennial and non-decennial periodic federal censuses. The Bureau of the Censuses Publications Catalog lists all titles published. In general, few personal names are included in the printed census compilations.

The U.S. decennial manuscript censuses on microfilm are owned only for Minnesota, and no SOUNDEX access is available. The GPL owns the entire 1920 U.S. census; however, an index is not available in the collection. Some passenger lists and indexes are held in the General and Reference collections. These sources are also available at the Minnesota Historical Society.

John R. Borchert Map Library
S76 Wilson Library, (612) 624-4549
The Borchert Map Library is rich with resources to aid genealogical research. Of particular value is the comprehensive collection of gazetteers giving locations of towns and the large-scale foreign maps, detailed enough to show even the smallest village. Strengths include Scandinavia, Austria-Hungary, Great Britain, and Prussia, but all areas are well represented.

Closer to home, the Borchert Map Library's collection of Minnesota plat atlases document the change of land ownership during the past century.

Newspaper Collection
Reserve/Periodical Room, Basement, Wilson Library, (612) 624-6576
The Newspaper Collection includes the major newspapers of Minneapolis and St. Paul and a wide selection of newspapers from major cities elsewhere in the United States and throughout the world, some in long runs extending back into the nineteenth or eighteenth century. A complete collection of Minnesota newspapers is held by the Minnesota Historical Society.

A card catalog located in the Reserve/Periodical Room gives information about newspaper holdings by country and state. Newspapers are also listed in MNCAT by title. Indexes to newspapers, where they exist, are available for the most part in the reference room on the first floor of Wilson Library. However, genealogical researchers need to be especially aware that few newspapers have indexes and for the most part, items such as official death, birth, and marriage notices are not included in most newspaper indexes.

Other Collections of Interest to Genealogists

Immigration History Research Center
311 Andersen Library, (612) 625-4800
The Immigration History Research Center is a University resource sometimes used by genealogists who wish to make useof its manuscript and archival collections of records of selected ethnic groups and organizations from throughout the United States. For Minnesota genealogists, its Finnish and South Slavic collections may be especially relevant. For the most part, its holdings are not listed in MNCAT. Contact the Center before planning a trip to use its materials.

Minnesota Historical Society Library
345 Kellogg Blvd. West, St. Paul, MN 55102-1196, (651) 296-2143
The Minnesota Historical Society Library is the most complete genealogical resource in the area. Included in its collections are Minnesota state and federal census records, 1850 through 1910, and SOUNDEX indexes, when available, on microfilm; history of Minnesota, its counties, cities, towns, communities, and churches; city directories; family histories; and publications of state and local historical societies.

Minnesota Genealogical Society Library
5768 Olson Memorial Highway in Golden Valley MN 55422, (763) 595-9347
Staffed by volunteers from the Minnesota Genealogical Society, this library has a growing collection of genealogical materials, including CD-ROM resources. As part of its service through the library, the Society conducts classes in beginning and more advanced areas of genealogy research. This is the first place you should contact if you are beginning your research. Call ahead for library hours.

Family History Centers, Library of the Latter Day Saints (Mormons)
Call ahead for current hours

Minneapolis branch.
2801 North Douglas Drive, Crystal, MN, (763) 544-2479

St. Paul branch.
2140 N. Hadley, Oakdale, MN, (651) 770-3213

Bloomington branch.
9700 Nesbitt Avenue, Bloomington, MN, (952) 893-2392

Brooklyn Park branch.
4700 Edinbrook Terrace (86th and Noble), Brooklyn Park, MN, (763) 425-1865

These family history centers have small local genealogical collections with access to the extensive resources found at the library in Salt Lake City. The centers are open to the public. Be sure to call ahead for hours.

Page comments: Janet M. Roseen