BPL Family History Book Collection Totals Nearly 4,000

 

These recent donations are among 4,000 family history books at BPL's Southern History Department. 

Did you know that the Birmingham Public Library's  Southern History Department has a collection of almost 4,000 printed family histories? Ranging in size from a few dozen pages to multi-volume sets, each one is the culmination of many hours or, in most cases, years of research.

Genealogists tirelessly document their families and in doing so, accumulate items like newspaper clippings, vital records, wills, and more. Often, these are stored and kept for future generations. However, a dedicated few will take that extra step and have a book printed that tells the history of the family. 

Most family histories begin with the ancestor who first came to the United States and trace the line through that person’s descendants. Some include detailed family trees, complicated numbering systems to keep track of the generations, and even photos.

It’s always a good idea to verify the information if you can. A conscientious genealogist includes citations and references in their work, but people make mistakes and once those mistakes appear in print, they are hard to correct. 

Books like these are typically not found in bookstores, and no one is hoping to turn a profit on them. Family histories are printed in small numbers and given away to libraries and interested relatives. 

Thanks to the Birmingham Public Library’s reputation as an excellent genealogy library, family histories are frequently donated to us. Even if the book is not about a family from Alabama, we’re still glad to have it to our collection in the hope that it will fill a need in someone’s research. 

Genealogy books are usually considered reference books and don’t circulate or get loaned via inter-library loan. This ensures access to the collection for our patrons and reduces the chances of damage or loss.

We’re very happy to work with researchers who cannot visit the library if they need something from one of our books. Luckily, more and more family histories are being digitized and are available from sites like FamilySearch, the Internet Archive, or Hathitrust.

If you have any questions about using family histories in your research or have one that you’d like to donate, just give us a call at 205-226-3665 or email at askgenlocal@cobpl.org.

By Mary Beth Newbill|Department Head, BPL Southern History Department