Holiday Closing
All Palm Beach County Library System locations will close at 5:00 pm on Wed, Nov 25 & remain closed on Thu, Nov 26 & Fri, Nov 27, for Thanksgiving. No materials will be due on these days.
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Trusted Information for Your Research Needs
The Palm Beach County Library System’s Genealogy Research information site is provided as a public service by the Library’s Government Research Service (GRS) and research services staff. Its mission is to promote the wealth of family history resources available through the Library System, local organizations and the internet, and to assist the public in its use. GRS section staff was awarded the 2006 Genealogy Outstanding Achievement Award by the Florida Genealogical Society in recognition of contribution in the field of Florida genealogy and local history. Please submit local genealogy requests to: grs@pbclibrary.org.
Family History Databases
- Find out about your history. Includes over one billion records from Social Security Death Index, U.S. Federal Census Images, Military, and Immigration and Naturalization Records. (NOTE: Database access from Main Library and 16 branch locations.)
- Database contains more than 600,000 biographical profiles and photos.
- Official site of the LDS Library.
- Search more than 25,000 family and local histories, census records, and more.
- Online gateway to over 1,300 newspapers with archives going back to the 1980's. For an obituary search, select the advanced search option and choose "obituary" under "document type".
- Digital access to historic maps of nearly 150 Florida towns and cities.
Archives & Records Centers
- Canadian biographies from the year 1,000 to 1930.
- Maps and genealogical record sites.
- Archives Portal Europe site.
- Historical guides and documents, includes colonial Spanish Land Grant records and World War I service cards.
- LANIC provides links to archives in Latin America and the Caribbean.
- The official U.S. archives site.
- Genealogy and Family History.
- African archival and library sources.
- Repositories of Primary Sources.
- Access Middle East archives, libraries and museum records using Cyndi's List.
- A list of contact information for State Archives in all 50 states.
- The University of Florida Digital Collection provides free access to over 300 digital collections that include maps, photographs, oral histories, and more.
Local Organizations
- Florida Chapter sites include Boca Raton, Lake Worth, Palm Beach, Tequesta, West Palm Beach and Wellington.
- GSPBC Collection located in the lower level of the County Library's Main Library
History Books & eBooks
- Access biographical and history e-books.
- One of the largest online resource for digitized genealogy and local history books.
- View full-text online Florida historical documents and e-books provided by the State University System (SUS).
- County Library's digital catalog of family history book titles in collection.
- Submit questions about local obituaries, cemetery listings and residences. Select Genealogy on the "Type of Inquiry" menu and enter request.
Newspapers & Magazines
- Belle Glade Herald (1949-1952).
- Provides access to information about historic American newspapers
- The Ethnic Newspapers from Florida collection includes newspapers, newsletters and magazines produced by and for immigrant, ethnic, racial, and linguistic minorities, as well as indigenous groups living in Florida.
- Archival editions of Florida newspapers and news accounts pertaining to Florida.
- Florida State Genealogical Society
- Preservation Foundation of Palm Beach County
- Ancestry Journal Index
- Pahokee News (Jan. 1932 – Dec. 1953) Everglades News (March 1924 – Sept. 1967) Belle Glade News (Jan. 1939 – Dec. 1941) Belle Glade Herald (July 1941 – July 1949) Glades Observer (Jan. 1954 – Dec. 1965) Glades Observer/Everglades Observer (Jan. 1966 – Dec. 1967) Everglades Observer (Jan. 1968 – Dec. 1978) Everglades Observer/Herald Observer (Jan. – Dec. 1979)
- University of Florida Digital Collection.
- Main Library: Palm Beach Daily Business Review,6/4/1993--; Palm Beach Post,1916-1923, 1925, 1928--; New York Times; Sun-Sentinel,1/1985-- (Classifieds not on microfilm). Glades Road Branch Library: Boca Raton News .
- National Archives and Records Administration
- National Archives of Canada journal
Genealogy Internet Links
- U.S., UK, State, Native American records.
- Family History and Genealogy records