Many Americans share a piqued curiosity when it comes to learning more about their personal heritage; in fact, genealogy is commonly cited as one of the most popular hobbies.
Are you interested in learning more about your family history, but not sure where to start? Good news! The Upper Arlington Public Library is constantly updating its genealogical resources available for patron use. In this guide, we have sorted some of the most useful resources to help you get started on your journey.
And don’t forget, you can always contact a Research Librarian by phone, email, or in person for assistance in using our databases and eBooks.
Indexes / Databases
The library’s Online Databases in most cases are available for use at home with your UAPL library card number and PIN. Please note: Links to our databases open in a new window or tab in your browser.
Ancestry Library Edition – In-Library Use Only – If you are in a UA Library location, you can access Ancestry through our Research Tools page. Ancestry features comprehensive information for conducting genealogical and local history research. It is particularly good for searching birth, death, and marriage records.
Fold3 – Available to UA Library patrons from home with a library card number and PIN. Search historic and archived US military records, including photos and documents.
African American Heritage – Available to UA Library patrons from home with a library card number and PIN. Provides records and resources for African American family history research.
Heritage Quest Online – Available to UA Library patrons from home with a library card number and PIN. Search census records as well as other sources like genealogy and local history magazines, family and local history books, Revolutionary War records, and Government reports and documents with this database.
Research Resources
These books and other materials are available for use in the Research Department of the Tremont Branch. Click on the links for more location information:
- Family Photo Detective: Learn how to find genealogy clues in old photos and solve family photo mysteries
- The Family Tree Guide to DNA Testing and Genetic Genealogy
- The Official Guide to Ancestry.com
- The Oxford Companion to Family and Local History
- The Source: A Guidebook of American Genealogy
- The Family Tree Resource Book for Genealogists
- Family Tree (magazine)
Archives / Special Collections
The Ohio Room in the Tremont Branch’s Research Department houses some useful collections for local genealogy research, including:
- County Histories
- Cemetery Records for Franklin County
- City and Suburban Directories dating back to the 1950s (some volumes may be missing; see a librarian to access this collection).
Websites
These are chosen and recommended by our Research Librarians for help with genealogy research:
Genealogy Research Sites
- Cyndi’s List of Genealogy Sites on the Internet
- Family Search
- US GenWeb Project Home Page
- U. S. National Archives
Local Genealogy and History Resources
- Franklin County Genealogical & Historical Society
- Ohio Genealogical Society
- Ohio Historical Society
- Western Reserve Historical Society: Family History and Genealogical Research
Obituaries and Graves
Search Starters
Get started with your research by seeing what the library has available on the subject of genealogy: