Databases

The library  provides access to various genealogical databases for use by our customers:

Heritage Quest – Provides access to U.S. Federal Census records, local histories, PERSI, Freedman’s Bank, Revolutionary War Era Pension & Bounty Land Warrant Application files, and the U.S. serial set.

Ancestry Library Edition (available for use only on library computers) – The library edition of the popular genealogy website Ancestry.com. This is our most popular database.

FamilySearch.org – Patrons may freely access the resources and service online (hundreds of collections—including birth, marriage, death, probate, land, military, IGI extracted, and more), or through over 4,500 family history centers in 70 countries, including the renowned Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Newspapers

Granite City Press-Record: The library has all issues of the Granite City Press-Record from 1912 to present. These issues have been digitized and are in the process of being uploaded for free, public access. The Press-Record is currently unavailable in microfilm format. Copies printed from digitized Press-Records have the normal rate of $.15 per page.

Belleville News Democrat: 2000 – Today. Find full-text articles on local news, issues, events, people and much more from current and archived issues of the BND. Includes obituaries, editorials, announcements, sports, real estate and other sections.

St. Louis Post Dispatch: Explore St. Louis area history through local news, events and people with the St. Louis Post-Dispatch Collection. Search current and archived issues with full-color newspaper pages, full-text articles and content only published online. Available remotely 24/7 on any device.

Obituary and Information Requests: The library can accommodate obituary and information requests from the Granite City Press-Record Archives. Our charge for an obituary or other information from the Granite City newspaper is $3.00 each when the exact date of death or event is known. If you do not have an exact date for an obituary, you may search for a death date using the Social Security Death Index.

We will search no more than 3 issues after the date of death or event. If an obituary or information about an event was published, it would very likely be during that time period since the local paper has never been published more than 2-3 times a week.

The library staff will send these documents to you through U.S.Postal Service.  The cost of this is $3.00 per information request. This fee will reimburse the library for staff time, cost of one or two copies, and postage. Payment must be received before a search of the microfilm can be made.  Please email [email protected] or call us at 618-452-6238 ext. 730 to have a form sent to you.

Print Materials

Visit our History Room at our Delmar Avenue location to explore the print resources available. We have a number of resources focusing on the region. Call 452-6238 ext 730 if you have questions regarding specific materials.

Records

In Illinois, vital records such as birth, death, and marriage certificates are general kept at the office of the county  or circuit clerk in which the event occurred.  For copies of these certificates, please visit the Madison County Clerk’s office either online or in person at 157 N. Main Street,  Ste 109, Edwardsville, Illinois.

If you need copies of different vital records (ex. adoption, divorce) or vital records for Illinois counties other than Madison, visit the State of Illinois’s guide to vital records.

If you need copies of vital records from other states, visit the CDC’s guide to vital records.

Online Resources

Illinois Digital Archives – A repository for the digital collections of libraries, museums, historical societies and other cultural institutions in Illinois

Illinois State Archives – Information about the archives in Springfield and useful links for genealogy

FamilySearch.org – Patrons may freely access the resources and service online (hundreds of collections—including birth, marriage, death, probate, land, military, IGI extracted, and more), or through over 4,500 family history centers in 70 countries, including the renowned Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah.

ANCESTORS – Ancestors demonstrates to viewers how to use a wide variety of records for family history research.

Cyndi’s List – A comprehensive, categorized & cross-referenced list of links that point you to genealogical research sites online

ellisisland.org – Records of those who came to the United States through Ellis Island, including passenger records, ship manifests, and images of the ships.  Searches do not require registration, but free registration is required to look at detailed results.

Find A Grave – Search 77 million grave records, some with images of gravesites.

Social Security Death Index – Search for dates of death and social security numbers by name.

Genealogy Gems – A variety of videos about family history research

Genealogy Introduction – Census Records at the National Archives – A video explaining how to understand and interpret census records from the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA).

Other Local Resources

Madison County Historical Museum and Archival Library

Madison County Genealogical Society (collection housed in Edwardsville Public Library)

Old Six Mile Historical Society and Old Six Mile Museum

Hayner Public Library District Genealogy & Local History Library (Alton, IL)