Genealogy
General Information
How to Request Copies
The staff of the Southern History Department will normally respond within 48
hours to written requests for information. Requests must be specific (i.e.
please send me a copy of pages 119-121 from The Georgia Black Book by
Robert Scott Davis). Unfortunately, our level of staffing does not allow us to
provide more extensive research nor to search microfilmed materials such as
censuses and military records. For assistance with more in-depth requests you
might wish to contact persons on a list of
independent researchers.
There is a $5.00 research fee for each copy request, and we can send the copies to you by e-mail or mail. For electronic copies, we send your copies as an e-mail attachment in the PDF file format. Mailed photocopies cost additional 30¢ per page to cover the cost of the copies and postage. No more than 20 pages will be copied. You will receive an invoice along with your copies with instructions regarding payment.
Requests should be mailed to:
- Southern History Department
- Birmingham Public Library
- 2100 Park Place
- Birmingham, AL 35203
or submit request online via
Ask A Librarian
(include mailing address with your request)
Requests for newspaper articles and obituaries:
Requests for copies of newspaper articles and obituaries are handled by our
Microforms Center and should be submitted via
Ask A Librarian. You will be contacted regarding
the availability, cost, and procedure for mailing pre-payment and requests for
these items. Copies from microfilmed census records and microfilmed military
records are not done by our staff but should be directed to persons on our list
of
independent researchers.
A list of the holdings of microfilmed newspapers is available here.
For most of the listed titles, a compiled index is not available. Historical minority and speciality papers
were extracted from the master list and made available here.
Tips on Genealogical Research
Birmingham Public Library Genealogical Resources
Genealogy Classes and Workshops
Introduction to Genealogy
Want to learn how to do genealogical research? Come to this introductory class
that will help get you started on your genealogical journey. The staff in the
Southern History Department covers such topics as vital records, courthouse and
church records, and the Federal Census. You can browse the handout
to determine if this class is right for you. No registration is required. The same
content will be covered in each of the classes that are offered on one Tuesday
morning and one Sunday afternoon each month.
Classes are conducted in the Southern History Department, Birmingham Public Library,
First Floor, Linn-Henley Research Library. For more information, call (205) 226-3665.
Genealogy Computer Classes
The Southern History Department teaches several genealogy computer classes including Ancestry, Fold3, FamilySearch, FindMyPast and more. Please look at the RCLC's schedule to see what is being taught this month.
2017 Beyond the Basics of Genealogy Schedule
The Beyond the Basics of Genealogy (BtB) workshops cover various topics of genealogical
research and build upon the content covered in our Introduction to Genealogy class.
These workshops are offered throughout the year and are taught by the staff of the
Southern History Department.
- One for the Record Books: The English Census- Saturday, June 24th @10 am
Searching for English ancestors? Genealogists know that census records are crucial to family history research, but there are some important differences between the U.S. Federal Census and its English cousin. This workshop will show you how to navigate this important information source.
- Mind Your Own (Family) Business- Saturday, August 12th @10 am
Did your ancestors own a pharmacy, furniture shop, or other business? Many genealogists know that their ancestors owned or started a business. This workshop will show you how to use city directories, government websites, newspapers, and other sources to learn more about the history of the family business or the company your ancestors worked for.
- Family Tree DNA Services and Website- Saturday, September 9th @10 am
Explore the offerings of Family Tree DNA, a company that offers hundreds of different DNA tests and that supports them with the most detailed website in the industry.
- Ancestry.com- Saturday, September 23rd @10 am
Participants will be introduced to the Ancestry.com Library Edition database in which you can research your family history as well as learn how to search this database to locate your ancestors.
- Google Your Peeps-Saturday, October 28th @10 am
What do you want to know about your ancestors? Everything. The Internet is a great tool for genealogy, but are you using it to its full potential? This workshop will teach you how to create a research template and look for details that will help you discover more about your ancestors using search engines, genealogy databases, and a few other, perhaps surprising websites.
Workshops are free of charge, but registration is requested. To register, contact the Southern History Department of the Birmingham Public Library at 205-226-3665, e-mail askgenlocal@bham.lib.al.us, or online through the library's
calendar.
Other Genealogical Resources
Soundex
Converter
The Soundex system is a method of indexing names in the 1880,
1900, 1910, and 1920 US Census. Soundex can also aid genealogists by identifying
spelling variations for a given surname. This form will return the soundex code
for the entered surname, plus other surnames/spellings sharing the same soundex
code.