Genealogy
Database
Ancestry (NEW!)
At Home – Ancestry has allowed temporary at-home access to their online genealogy databases during the COVID-19 quarantine. Click the link above and enter your library card number to start searching.
Ancestry
In Library Only – The most asked for collection of genealogical databases. Many state, national, and international sources are included.
Local Resources
Cook County Clerk’s Office – Genealogy Online:
Search for birth, death, and marriage records from Cook County, Illinois. You will have to register, but registration is free. Due to privacy laws, none of the data is recent.
The Newberry Library’s Chicagoancestors.org:
In addition to Newberry Library files, there are links to many Chicago area genealogy and history websites.
Western Springs Historical Society:
Network of Western Springs residents interested in local history and genealogy. Information about the society’s collections, programs, and events.
The Wheaton Public Library has a large collection of genealogy periodicals and reference books, as well as electronic resources for use in the library. This webpage describes the collection and its access.
Links to a variety of Illinois records of interest to family historians, including vital records, court records, and military service records.
National Archives – Great Lakes Region:
Describes resources of the National Archives with visiting hours and contact information.
General Resources
Twile’s basic service is free, and the website allows you to compile family history, memories, stories and more in one place. You can also import family records from other online resources.
Cyndi’s List of Genealogy Sites on the Internet:
A portal to over 240,000 websites of interest to family historians.
A combined catalog of family histories and local history books from leading libraries and archives across the country. Hosted by Brigham Young University.
Internet access to some of the genealogy resources of the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-Day Saints.
A searchable database of grave records from across the country. Use the search link in the body of the page, not the rectangular ad at the top of the site’s pages.
Found on the Fox Valley Genealogical Society’s website, Mike’s Index searches 260 genealogy periodicals.
Volunteers from counties all over the United States are putting their files up on the Internet to help family historians.
With so many books about local history scanned as part of the Google Books project, it is a great source for genealogy. The books not under copyright have full text viewing. Knowing about the other books, allows researchers to identify books to borrow through interlibrary loan or view at genealogy libraries.