Genealogy is the quest to discover family origins. Depending on the documentation found, it may be possible to view birth, death, marriage, census, immigration, and military records. Any small insight can perhaps resolve questions about identity and family history. The research is quite detailed with often fascinating results. Many resources are offered in this LibGuide. Enjoy the pursuit!
The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) is the nation's record keeper. Of all documents and materials created in the course of business conducted by the United States Federal government, only 1%-3% are so important for legal or historical reasons that they are kept by us forever.
Those valuable records are preserved and are available to you, whether you want to see if they contain clues about your family’s history, need to prove a veteran’s military service, or are researching a historical topic that interests you.
The Library of Congress has extensive collections and genealogical resources online.
Notice: All Library of Congress research centers are closed to the public (including researchers and others with reader identification cards) until further notice to reduce the risk of transmitting COVID-19 coronavirus. All Library-sponsored public programs are also postponed or cancelled until further notice.
Online resources and reference services, such as Ask a Librarian, will continue to be available during this time. For more information, see: www.loc.gov/coronavirus.
National Archives (NARA)