Genealogy Research

A curated list of genealogical resources available at the Rochester Public Library

Updated April 28, 2026
RPL Staff
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https://www.rplmn.org/ancestry
https://www.loc.gov/collections/chronicling-america/

This project provides access to select digitized newspaper pages produced by the National Digital Newspaper Program (NDNP), a partnership between the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) and the Library of Congress.

Evidence explained : citing history sources from artifacts to cyberspace
Mills, Elizabeth Shown
Paper Book
History is not just a collection of documents-- and all records are not created equal. To analyze and decide what to believe, we also need certain facts about the records themselves.
The family tree guide to DNA testing and genetic genealogy
Bettinger, Blaine T.
Paper Book
Unlock the family secrets in your DNA! Discover the answers to your family history mysteries using the most cutting edge tool available. This plain-English guide (newly updated and expanded to include th latest DNA developments) will teach you what DNA tests are available; the...
The family tree problem solver : proven methods for scaling the inevitable brick wall
Rising, Marsha Hoffman
Paper Book
Proven Methods for Scaling the Inevitable Brick Wall Complications arising from incomplete or missing records, census irregularities, individuals of the same name, and burned courthouses can stop even the most experienced genealogists dead in the tracks. Learn to break through...
http://Familysearch.org
Become a part of the best ancestry website community through FamilySearch, and discover how our free Family Trees and records can help you uncover your past.
Genealogy standards
Paper Book
How do family historians know they are producing or receiving trustworthy results? This official manual from the Board of Certification for Genealogists, essentially a users' guide for family historians, provides standards for genealogical researchers to assess their own and others' work. The...
http://olmstedhistory.com/resources

Search indexes for local obituaries, newspaper articles, photos, weddings, probate records, census information, and military history.

https://www.mnhs.org/search/people

Minnesota birth, death, and state census records, as well as Veterans Graves Registration and WWI Gold Star Rolls.

The researcher's guide to American genealogy
Greenwood, Val D.
Paper Book
In every field of study, there is one book that rises above the rest in stature and authority and becomes the standard work in the field. In genealogy that book is Val Greenwood's "Researcher's Guide to American Genealogy." Arguably the best book ever written on American genealogy, it instructs the...
The source : a guidebook to American genealogy
Szucs, Loretto Dennis.
Paper Book
Genealogists and other historical researchers have valued the first two editions of this work, often referred to as the genealogist's bible."" The new edition continues that tradition. Intended as a handbook and a guide to selecting, locating, and using appropriate primary and secondary...

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