Here are some of the library’s sources that will help you in your genealogy search. See a librarian for further assistance.
http://swan.mls.lib.il.us/search/q?author=abc&title=
For the beginner
929.1 CRO
Unpuzzling Your Past: The Best-Selling Basic Guide to Genealogy by Emily Anne Croom4th ed., 2001

929.1 DOA
Searching for Your Ancestors: The How and Why of Genealogy by Gilbert Harry Doane6th ed., 1992

929.1 KAS
Walking with Your Ancestors: A Genealogist’s Guide ot Using Maps and Geography by Melinda Kashuba2005

929.1 MEL
Family History 101: A Beginner’s Guide to Fining Your Ancestors by Marcia Yannizze Melnyk2005

929.1 MEL
The Genealogist’s Question & Answer Book by Marcia Yannizze Melnyk2002

929.1 MOR
How to Do Everything with Your Genealogy by George G. Morgan2004

929.1 REN
Genealogy 101: How to Trace Your Family’s History and Heritage by Barbara Renick2003

929.1 RIS
The Family Tree Problem Solver: Proven Methods for Scaling the Inevitable Brick Wall by Marsha Hoffman Rising2005

929.1 TAY
Uncovering Your Ancestry Through Family Photographs by Maureen Alice Taylor2005

Books about using the Internet for genealogy
929.1 CRO
Genealogy Online by Elizabeth Powell Crowe7th ed., 2003

929.1 CRU
Plugging into Your Past: How to Find Real Family History Records Online by Rick Crume2004

929.1 HEN
Finding Your Roots Online by Nancy Hendrickson2003

929.1 HOW
Cyndi’s List: A Comprehensive List of 70,000 Genealogy Sites on the Internet by Cyndi Howells2nd ed., 2001

929.1 KEM
Virtual Roots 2.0: A Guide to Genealogy and Local History on the World Wide Web by Thomas Jay Kemp2nd ed., 2003

Magazines
The library subscribes to magazines of interest to genealogists. The most recent issue of each title is located on the “new magazines” shelves in the Reference Department. The back issues are located on the “back issues” shelves in the Reference Department.

Ancestry
Everton’s Genealogical Helper
Family Chronicle
Family Tree Magazine
Illinois State Genealogical Society Newsletter
Illinois State Genealogical Society Quarterly
Review, DuPage County Genealogical Society

CD-ROM resources to use at home
CD-ROM 929.1 FAM
Family Tree Maker Discover, Preserve and Share Your Family History2002

CD-ROM 929.1 HER
Heritage Family Tree Deluxe2002

CD-ROM 929.1 LEG
Legacy 6.01997 – 2005

CD-ROM 929.1 REU
Reunion for Macintosh1988–2002

CD-ROM 977.324 ILL DuPage County
Federal Township Plats, 1804–1891 by Illinois State Archives2002

Online resources
• Databases
Ancestry Library Edition (In-library use only.)
Many genealogy records and sources are found on Ancestry, including the U.S. Federal Censuses, maps and much more.

Chicago Tribune Historical Archive (Available for use in-library as well as from home.)
Contains some of the obituaries and death notices that ran in the Tribune from 1860–1984.

HeritageQuest (Available for use in-library as well as from home.)
Use HeritageQuest to search the U.S. Federal Censuses, as well as genealogy and local history books and periodicals.

• Websites
There are many useful websites on genealogy such as Cyndi’s List, Family Search and USGenWeb. Links to these can be found on the library’s website, under “Databases & Websites—Genealogy.”

Books on using the U.S. Census
929.1 DOL
The Census Book: A Genealogist’s Guide to Federal Census Facts, Schedules and Indexes by William Dollarhide1999

929.1 HIN
Your Guide to the Federal Census for Genealogists, Researchers, and Family Historians by Kathleen W. Hinckley2002

929.1 NIN
The 1930 Census: A Reference and Research Guide2002

Census Records
• Online
Census information (and actual images from census microfilm) may be found using the library’s genealogy databases, Ancestry Library Edition (in-library use only) and HeritageQuest, available on any library resources computer.

• Downers Grove census microfilm owned by the library
If you wish to view census information from the actual census microfilm rolls, the library has the microfilm for all censuses for Downers Grove. Note that the 1890 Census is not available, as it was destroyed in a fire.

There are indexes for the DuPage County censuses for 1840 through1870. Use them to find the location on the roll of microfilm of the individual you are seeking:

*Ref 929.3773 ROB Local History
1840 DuPage County, Illinois Federal Census by Ruth Flesher Robb1978

*Ref 929.3773 ROB Local History
1850 DuPage County, Illinois, Federal Census by Ruth Flesher Robb1976

*Ref 929.3773 ROB Local History
1860 DuPage County, Illinois, Federal Census by Ruth Flesher Robb1983

*Ref 929.3773 ROB Local History
1870 DuPage County, Illinois Federal Census by Ruth Flesher Robb1987

Once you know where to look on the microfilm, ask for the microfilm at the Computer Room and Magazine Desk:

Microfilm Cabinet
Census Microfilm for Downers Grove for 1840, 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880, 1900, 1910, 1920, 1930

• Census microfilm for all other areas
For microfilm for areas other than Downers Grove, use the following sources to help decide which microfilm rolls to order.
• Illinois census rolls may be ordered free of charge by Downers Grove Public Library cardholders through interlibrary loan.
• Out-of-state census rolls may be ordered for a fee by Downers Grove Public Library cardholders through interlibrary loan, or may be ordered directly through the LDS Family History Center in Naperville.
• Rolls for all states are also available to view at the National Archives in Chicago.

Ref 929.1 NIN
Federal Population Censuses, 1790–1890: A Catalog of Microfilm Copies of the Schedules1979

Ref 929.1 NIN
1900 Federal Population Census: A Catalog of Microfilm Copies of the Schedules1978

Ref 929.1 NIN
The 1910 Federal Population Census: A Catalog of Microfilm Copies of the Schedules1982

Ref 929.1 NIN
The 1920 Federal Population Census: A Catalog of National Archives Microfilm1991

Ref 929.1 NIN
The 1930 Federal Population Census: Catalog of National Archives Microfilm2002


Sourcebooks
These titles list the many types of records, sources and organizations available to consult for genealogical information.

Ref 929.1 BEN
The Genealogist’s Address Book by Elizabeth Petty Bentley2005

929.1 CRO
The Genealogist’s Companion and Sourcebook by Emily Anne Croom2nd ed., 2003

929.1 GREAlso in Reference
The Researcher’s Guide to American Genealogy by Val D. Greenwood3rd ed., 2000

929.1 PRIAlso in Reference
Printed Sources: A Guide to Published Genealogical Records1998

929.1 SOUAlso in Reference
The Source: A Guidebook of American Genealogyrev. ed., 1996

Specific topics
Use these books to find helpful information and contacts for specific types of genealogical information.

• Cemetary
929.1 CAR
Your Guide to Cemetery Research by Sharon DeBartolo Carmack2002

• Country/ethnicity/gender
929.1 ANC
Ancestors in German Archives: A Guide to Family History Sources2004

929.1 BAX
In Search of Your German Roots: A Complete Guide to Tracing Your Ancestors in the Germanic Areas of Europe by Angus Baxter2001

929.1 CAR
A Genealogist’s Guide to Discovering Your Female Ancestors by Sharon DeBartolo Carmack1998

929.1 DUM
Finding Your Chicago Ancestors: A Beginner’s Guide to Family History in the City and Cook County by Grace DuMelle2005

929.1 FAM
The Family Tree Guide Book to Europe: Your Passport to Tracing Your Genealogy Across Europe2003

929.1 MIL
A Genealogist’s Guide to Discovering Your English Ancestors by Paul Milner2000

929.1 RAD
A Genealogist’s Guide to Discovering Your Irish Ancestors: How to Find and Record Your Unique Heritage by Dwight A. Radford2001

929.1 SMI
A Genealogist’s Guide to Discovering Your African-American Ancestors: How to Find and Record Your Unique Heritage by Franklin Carter Smith2003

• Court records
Ref 929.1 PFE
Hidden Sources: Family History in Unlikely Places by Laura Szucs Pfeiffer2000

929.1 ROS
Courthouse Research for Family Historians: Your Guide to Genealogical Treasures by Christine Rose2004

929.37 SCH
Guide to Naturalization Records of the United States by Christina K. Schaefer1997

• Land Records
Ref 929.1 HON
Land & Property Research in the United States by E. Wade Hone1997

929.1 HAT
Locating Your Roots: Discover Your Ancestors Using Land Records by Patricia Law Hatcher2003

• Latter Day Saints Library
929.1 WAR
Your Guide to the Family History Library by Paula Stuart Warren2001

• Military records
929.1 MAC
Civil War Research Guide: A Guide for Researching Your Civil War Ancestor by Stephen McManus2003

929.3 KNO
WWII Military Records: A Family Historian’s Guide by Debra Johnson Knox2003

929.3 NEAAlso in Reference
U.S. Military Records: A Guide to Federal and State Sources, Colonial America to the Present by James C. Neagles1994

• National Archives
929.1 UNIAlso in Reference
Guide to Genealogical Research in the National Archives by United States. National Archives and Record Administration3rd ed., 2000

• Organizations and genealogical societies
Ref 929.1 DIR
Directory of Historical Organizations in the United States and Canada2002

Ref 929.1 GUI
A Guide to Illinois Area Genealogical Societies and Illinois Researchers2nd ed., 2003

• Passenger arrivals
Ref 929.3 UNI
Immigrant and Passenger Arrivals: A Select Catalog of National Archives Microfilm Publications by United States. National Archives and Records Service1983

929.1 CAR
The Family Tree Guide to Finding Your Ellis Island Ancestors by Sharon DeBartolo Carmack2005

929.1 COL
They Came in Ships: A Guide to Finding Your Immigrant Ancestor’s Arrival Record by John Philip Colletta3rd ed, 2002

• State-by-state sourcebooks with contact information
929.1 EVEAlso in Reference
The Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America by George B. Everton10th ed., 2002

929.1 FAM
The Family Tree Guide Book: Everything You Need to Know to Trace Your Genealogy Across North America2003

929.1 REDAlso in Reference
Red Book: American State, County and Town Sources3rd ed., 2004

• Tips on reading records
929.1 JAC
A Field Guide for Genealogists by Judy Jacobson2nd ed., 2003

Downers Grove genealogy information
The library’s local history collection is located at the end of the reference collection. The books have call numbers preceded by *Ref or * and ending with “Local History.” Among the books in the collection are histories of Downers Grove and DuPage County and various historical Downers Grove telephone books

Ref 929.3 STO
Du Page County, Illinois Genealogical Records: Located in Du Page County Repositories, Libraries, Historical Societies, Colleges, Etc. by John H. Stoddard1992

*Ref 977.324 INDLocal History
Index to the Naturalization Records of DuPage County, Illinois1999

Local newspapers are on microfilm. Holdings include:
Downers Grove Journal. Aug. 31, 1939–Jan. 16, 1941
Downer’s Grove Press. various issues 1891–1893
Downers Grove Reporter. 1895 to present

A Downers Grove local history collection is housed at:
Downers Grove Park District Museum
831 Maple Ave., Downers Grove, IL 60515, (630) 963–1309
www.dgparks.org
Archives include documents such as birth and death certificates, published genealogies, letters, photographs, etc.

• Cemetary records
*Ref 929 DAULocal History
Cemetery Records of DuPage County, Illinois1962

*Ref 929.3773 CEMLocal History
Cemetery Inscriptions of Lisle Township, DuPage Co., Illinois1989

*Ref 929.3773 DOWLocal History
Downers Grove & Lisle Townships (DuPage County, IL) Combined List and Index1996

*Ref 977.324 NARLocal History
Main Street Cemetery by Lisa Narjes19?

Chicago area genealogy collections
Family History Center of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints
1320 Ridgeland Ave., Naperville, IL 60563, (630) 505–0233

National Archives and Records Center
7358 South Pulaski Rd., Chicago, IL 60629, (773) 581–7816

Newberry Library
60 W. Walton St., Chicago, IL 60610, (312) 943–9090

Wheaton Public Library
225 N. Cross St., Wheaton, IL 60187, (630) 668–1374
Houses holdings of the DuPage Genealogical Society

Genealogical and historical societies
Ref 929.1 GUI
A Guide to Illinois Area Genealogical Societies and Illinois Researchers2003

Downers Grove Historical Society
P.O. Box 663, Downers Grove, IL 60515, (630) 541–6276

DuPage County Genealogical Society
P.O. Box 3, Wheaton, IL 60189

Fox Valley Genealogical Society
P.O. Box 5435, Naperville, IL 60567

Illinois State Genealogical Society
P.O. Box 10195, Springfield, IL 62792, (217) 789–1989

Prepared by Bonnie Reid, November 2006