Genealogical Information

Wisconsin Resources

Table of Contents:

Wisconsin Resources
Referring Requests
Circulating Materials
Non-circulating Materials

Wisconsin Resources

Local librarians as well as library users have varying levels of skill in genealogical research. Following is a description of types of resources available and procedures for requesting specific materials or information.

The State Historical Society of Wisconsin (SHS) has one of the best collections of genealogical material in the United States. Librarians or users with access to the Internet will find specific information about the State Historical Society's collections and services at the Library Division's website: http://www.wisconsinhistory.org/libraryarchives/.

Reference staff at the State Historical Society Library may be contacted at 608-264-6535.

Referring Requests

Interlibrary loan or reference questions pertaining to genealogical research may be submitted through the Reference and Loan Library. Knowing which types of material circulate and which do not is essential to providing speedy service. Listed below are various types of materials and their availability through interlibrary loan. Local public service librarians should check this list before submitting interlibrary loan requests for specific items. When a requested item is non-circulating, library staff need to identify the specific information which the patron needs. Then a request may be submitted requesting that this information be photocopied.

Genealogical research services vary greatly among libraries within Wisconsin as well as at libraries in other states. The following guidelines are issued to provide libraries with the best possible chance of having patrons' needs satisfied. Requests will be accepted for both verified and unverified titles.

Sometimes patrons' needs are better met through avenues other than interlibrary loan. Patrons may need to do more research on their own or travel to the State Historical Society of Wisconsin before using interlibrary loan.

Questions concerning genealogical requests should be directed to the local public library system interlibrary loan office or the interlibrary loan librarian at the Reference and Loan Library at 608-224-6163.

This handout may be copied for distribution to patrons routinely requesting genealogical materials.

Types of Genealogical Materials Available

Circulating Materials

• Census microfilm for Wisconsin - Index, Soundex and Census Schedules:
  
  

  The State Historical Society of Wisconsin Library is the main source for census microfilm. Circulating copies of all Wisconsin census records owned by the State Historical Society of Wisconsin are available through interlibrary loan. A non-circulating copy is retained to allow walk-in patrons to have access to Wisconsin census data.

  
  

  The Reference & Loan Library refers requests for items owned by the State Historical Society Library through WILS (Wisconsin Interlibrary Loan Service). Only six reels of microfilm may be requested on each request. If the dates of a request include more than six reels, a note will be sent with the first six available reels asking for a second request for the remaining reels. WILS will make only 20 paper copies per request from microfilm.

  
  

  The 1890 census was destroyed by fire and does not exist at any location.

  
  

  Requests for Wisconsin Federal or Wisconsin State census index or soundex should contain the type of census index (Federal or State), year, city or county, state, districts or precincts (for larger geographical areas, such as Milwaukee), name of person being searched. Do not include the soundex code.

  
  

  Requests for Wisconsin Federal or Wisconsin State census should contain the type of census (Federal or State), year, city or county, state, districts or precincts (for larger geographical areas, such as Milwaukee).

  
  

• Other Materials in Microform
  
  

  Items that have been verified as microforms on WISCAT or OCLC often must be used within the borrowing library. It is not possible to make copies of entire microform works to fill interlibrary loan requests. If a microform reader is not available in the local library, these titles should not be requested. If the bibliographic record indicates that the item includes an index, photocopy of specific items may be requested. See the section of this handout concerned with non-circulating materials.

  
  

  Books in Microform

  
  

  Requests should include the title, author, and any other bibliographic information available.

  
  

  Church Records in Microform

  
  

  Requests should include the town, year, and complete name of the church.

  
  

  Local/County Histories in Microform

  
  

  Requests should include the city or county, state, author (if any), exact title of history (if known), and source of citation.

  
  

  Newspapers on Microfilm

  
  

  Requests should include the date (or range of dates), name of the newspaper during those dates, city and state where the paper is located.

  
  

  Plat Maps on Microfilm

  
  

  Requests should include the year or time period needed, city, township, county and state.

  
  

Non-circulating materials

When titles are non-circulating, often there are only two choices: 1.) The patron may visit a library owning the item in order to use it, or 2.) Photocopy of specific information may be requested.

To obtain photocopies, the information needed must be clearly specified on each request. Items should be listed in priority order. WILS will make up to 20 copies per request from microform or 100 copies from books. A copyright compliance code (CCL-Complies with Copyright Law or CCG-Complies with Copyright Guidelines) must be included on every request for photocopy. Requests for photocopying without copyright compliance codes will be returned unfilled.

NOTE: Any time a personal name is mentioned as a requirement for photocopies, the last name, first name, and middle initial should be included if known. It is also helpful to indicate alternative spellings for names if known.

• Non-Circulating Census Microfilm for Wisconsin - Indexes and Census Schedules

  
  

  If the circulating copies of all Wisconsin census records owned by the State Historical Society of Wisconsin are in use, a reserve (which may or may not be granted) may be requested or photocopies of specific information may be requested from the non-circulating copies retained to accommodate walk-in patrons.

  
  

  The 1890 census was destroyed by fire and does not exist at any location.

  
  

  Requests for Wisconsin Federal or Wisconsin State census index or soundex should contain the type of census index (Federal or State), year, city or county, state, districts or precincts (for larger geographical areas, such as Milwaukee), name of person being searched. Do not include the soundex code.

  
  

  Requests for Wisconsin Federal or Wisconsin State census should contain the type of census (Federal or State), year, city or county, state, districts or precincts (for larger geographical areas, such as Milwaukee), index citation (reel and page), name of person being searched.

  
  

• Census Microfilm for States Other Than Wisconsin - Index, Soundex, and Census Schedules

  
  

  For states other than Wisconsin, the interlibrary loan clearinghouses have a chart indicating whether an index and/or census is owned at the State Historical Society of Wisconsin. A copy of this chart is also available from Terry Wilcox, interlibrary loan librarian at the Reference & Loan Library, who may be reached by telephone at 608-224-6163. If the census or index/soundex is not owned, there are sources of rental microforms that can be accessed directly by individuals.

  
  

  The 1890 census was destroyed by fire and does not exist at any location.

  
  

  Requests for Federal census index or soundex should contain the type of census (federal), year, city or county, state, districts or precincts (for larger geographical areas), name of person being searched. Do not include the soundex code.

  
  

  Requests for Federal census should contain the type of census (federal), year, city or county, state, districts or precincts (for larger geographical areas), name of person being searched.

  
  

• Archival Material on Microfilm

  
  

  Archival material owned at the State Historical Society of Wisconsin may be used on-site only. Requests should include the name or topic needed.

  
  

  City Directories

  
  

  Requests should include the city, state, and name.

  
  

  Genealogies and Family Histories

  
  

  Items that contain any form of the words "genealogy" or "family history" in the title or subject lines of the bibliographic record cannot be borrowed through interlibrary loan. The bibliographic record will indicate if the title has an index from which something may be photocopied. Requests for photocopy of information on individuals may be submitted by giving the full names and any additional relevant information such as birth and death dates.

  
  

  If no name is provided by the patron and there is an index to the volume, WILS will copy the index itself (a maximum of 20 exposures from a microform, 100 exposures from a book). Sometimes the index is a separate title (possibly titled "Index to the..."). In that case, copies from the index must first be requested by providing a specific name. After receiving the index or copies from it and identifying the pages needed, a second request must be submitted with a photocopy note indicating the pages needed.

  
  

  Requests should include complete bibliographic information (if known) and name being searched.

  
  

  Passenger Lists

  
  

  Several of the National Archives' microfilm series of passenger lists and indexes are owned at the State Historical Society of Wisconsin. There may also be print indexes and lists available. For those not owned at the State Historical Society, copies can be obtained directly from the National Archives by the patron for a fee. There were no lists kept for Milwaukee, Chicago, and other ports on the Great Lakes. Without the port of entry, date, and ship name the information cannot be retrieved.

  
  

  Requests should contain the port of entry, date (as close as possible, including the month), ship name and shipping line, name being searched, ship's point of origin.

  
  

  Plat Maps:

  
  

  Requests should include the year or time period, city, township, county and state.

  
  

For more information about requesting genealogical information from the Reference and Loan Library, Wisconsin librarians may call the library toll-free at 1-888-542-5543 (Choose 5 for Reference services). Individual library users should contact their local public library.

For questions about this information, contact Shiela A. Pollock (608) 224-5395

Last updated on 2/25/2008 1:35:50 PM