The following news release was received from Cathy Michelsen, Director of Development at the New York Genealogical and Biographical Society:
Members enjoy access to important new digital resources for research on New York families and families with New York connections
NEW YORK, NY, November 1, 2011 — The New York Genealogical and Biographical Society is pleased to announce that it has replaced its website with a brand new one that is easier to use and enriched with expanded content. The address www.newyorkfamilyhistory.org has not changed but visitors will find many new features.
All collections in the eLibrary may now be viewed in a browsable format, which allows the reader to easily scroll through documents and print multiple pages. Numerous unique records and digital publications have been added to the eLibrary. Example: The complete run of The New York Researcher and its predecessor publication The NYG&B Newsletter, which was first published in 1990. New guides to using newspapers, maps, and other resources have been created. Dozens of Research Aid articles have been brought up to date by the original authors. Individual guides to genealogical research in New York counties are in production; thirteen of a projected 62 guides are now online.
Additions to the eLibrary include:
- The family records contained in the American Bible Society Collection and an index to more than 8,000 names
- The complete set of over 500 NYG&B Member Biographies from the early 20th century
- 32 digitized books, including many volumes originally published as part of the series Collections of The NYG&B Society and several entries in the WPA’s Public Archives Inventory, Church Archives Inventory, and Guide to Vital Statistics series for New York City.
- Book two of the 1855 New York State Census for Manhattan’s Ward 17.
The cornerstone of the eLibrary is the full run of The NYG&B Record, which has been published quarterly since 1870 and forms the largest single collection of published material on families that lived in New York State. The collection is every-word searchable and is accompanied by a search engine based on an index to more than 1,000,000 names from the pages of The Record.
While access to the full digital resources of the website is available only to NYG&B members, there are several features available to both members and non-members:
- News You Can Use is updated frequently and references new resources and information pertinent to New York research.
- There are free guides on the following subjects: Getting Started on Your Family History; Finding New York Vital Records; Genealogical and Historical Societies in the New York Region; Heraldry; Heritage and Lineage Societies; and Hiring Professional Genealogical Researchers.
- The Genealogical Exchange allows anyone to submit a specific query about a genealogical question related to New York.
- Information about upcoming programs offered by the NYG&B and the New York Family History School is also available; tickets may be purchased through the website.
About the NYG&B
The New York Genealogical and Biographical Society has been the authoritative source for research on New York families and families with New York connections since 1869. By offering educational programs, scholarly and informational publications, and online resources, the New York Genealogical and Biographical Society helps people of all backgrounds build connections with their families and their communities, especially those linked to New York City, State, and region and to appreciate their families’ experience in the broader context of American history. The NYG&B maintains an eLibrary of digital material, including the entire run of its quarterly scholarly journal The NYG&B Record, for its members at www.newyorkfamilyhistory.org.
