Genealogy & Local History in Buffalo, NY
These are our favorite online research tools and we use them nonstop.
Our
Favorite Online Research Tools| Site
& Link |
Notes |
 |
WorldCat
is Google
for the offline
world. The
internet, as a viable commercial medium, is about 15 years
old. Even if there were no copyright laws, a decade is not
sufficient to scan a thousand years of paper-based books,
manuscripts, maps, etc.,
in the world's libraries and museums. So how do you figure
out what
exists
when it isn't digitized and optimized for search engines?
WorldCat to the rescue. The database lists 1 billion items
in
10,000 libraries. |
 |
Google Books
is scanning the shelves of participating
libraries. If the
copyright is expired, you'll get the full text of the book.
Otherwise, you get snippets or short excerpts. You can search
on
a name or place or phrase and it shows books that contain your search
string. |
 |
Internet
Archive is the nonprofit
alternative to Google Books.
They're
also scanning books in library collections. Once you open a
book,
you can search inside it. Another nice feature is
that all books at Internet Archive are full-text and you can select a
display that
turns pages just like you would with a book in hand. |
 |
So how do you find out
what IS
being digitized and scanned online in libraries and repositories around
the world if Google and Archive.org haven't done it? Oaister
is a
search engine devoted to digital
projects, including pictures, text, video, and more. It
searches
thousands of online collections. |
 NY State Newspaper Project |
The
New
York State Newspaper
Project offers a reliable way
to figure out which local
newspapers survive
and who owns them. Pre-computer newspapers are still found
mostly
on
microfilm. Click on the county where the newspaper was
published
to see libraries who own it. Newspaper microfilms can be
borrowed
through interlibrary
loan, a service available at
your local public library. |
 |
New York State Library Digital Collections offer 18th and 19th century historical materials from many subject areas, including the Revolutionary War, the Civil War, Native American materials, New York State laws and natural history. While books make up the core collection, Digital Collections also include primary source materials such as letters, diaries and rare manuscripts as well as historic photographs, illustrations, maps, broadsides, drawings and music scores. |
 |
The
New
York Times has
digitized all of its issues back to the day one (1851) and
those archives are searchable online. Most articles are free
but
obituaries and
celebrity articles usually cost a few dollars. We love
the NYT because it used to give a lot of coverage to Buffalo
and we have no comparable online archives of Buffalo
newspapers. Be sure to change
the
drop-down menu to 1851-1980. |
 |
FultonHistory
has lots
of searchable,
scanned newspapers from upstate & western New York, but it also
has
flaws: a lot of uncorrected OCR
and no ability to browse through an issue
of a newspaper. Plus, if the page you open lacks a masthead
or
has an illegible masthead, you have no way of knowing the date it was
published. |
 |
The Art
Inventories Catalog offers
one searchable database
of the paintings, drawings, prints, photographs, sculptures, and other
artworks in America's
museums. |
 |
Online access to records from a small selection of historic databases created by the federal government and preserved permanently in the National Archives & Records Administration, plus searchable catalogs of the records that are not digitized. |
 |
AddAll is one-stop searching for multiple, reputable used/rare/out-of-print booksellers. Find that old book without having to search a dozen or more online dealers. |
Ten
Best Local History and Genealogy Websites| Site & Link | Notes |
| Buffalo
Architecture and History An encyclopedic site of buildings, people, and events |
|
 |
Buffalo
History Works Detailed, well-illustrated essays on events in Buffalo history |
 |
The
Buffalonian We are a NOT-COM dedicated to the dissemination of historical information. We are a nonprofit organization creating an online community & archive. |
 |
City
of Buffalo Neighborhoods Map The "City of Good Neighbors" consists of thirty-two neighborhoods varying in size, function, and historic significance. These current neighborhoods are described by location within the city, community associations, and cultural and ethnic history. |
 |
Erie
County GenWeb A site for all things genealogical for Erie County |
 |
Erie
County New York Cemeteries Lots of cemetery records online here |
 |
Erie
County Searchable Town Data Various genealogical sources sorted by town |
Linkpendium Erie County |
Linkpendium
Erie County The defninitive directory of genealogy and history links |
 |
Western
New York Legacy |