Genealogy and Heraldry
Scope
This overview focuses on holdings of the Library of Congress in genealogy and heraldry. Most of the published material is classified in the call numbers CS (genealogy) and CR (heraldry). Other genealogically-significant material is found in the subjects of archival resources, church history, biography, and local history. Important genealogical resources are also found in special collections of microforms, newspapers, maps and atlases, manuscripts, rare books, photographs, and CD-ROMS, housed in various custodial divisions of the Library.
Size
A 1989 shelflist count showed that the CS classification exceeded 42,300 titles; the CR classification, 3600 titles. A conservative estimate of the current size of CS and CR would be over 50,000 titles. Of this figure, approximately 40,000 titles are compiled family histories.
General Research Strengths
The Library of Congress is one of the premier collections in the world of U.S. and foreign genealogical publications. The Library began its collection as early as 1815 when it purchased the library of Thomas Jefferson. The Jefferson Library included such titles as Domesday Book, Sir William Dugdale's The Baronetage of England, and Peerage of Ireland.
The collection is strongest in United States publications, emphasizing American genealogy, with compiled family histories comprising the majority of works cataloged. The Library also collects genealogy from around the world. Researchers doing foreign genealogical research will find strong collections for western Europe (particularly Great Britain and Germany). In the field of heraldry, our collections are strongest in British and American publications.
Areas of Distinction
Many resources of significance to genealogists are found in the special collections of the Library. Among these are the Charles Edward Banks Manuscript Collection, housed in the Rare Book and Special Collections Division, comprising 54 uncataloged volumes relating to early Pilgrim families in Massachusetts. The collection is also available on microfilm in the Microform Reading Room.
Research Publications's "City Directories of the United States," housed in the Microform Reading Room, is a microform collection of directories from selected cities and towns, dating from the colonial period to as recent as 1935. These microforms are supplemented by the Library's extensive collection of unclassified city directories in paper.
Land ownership maps, housed in the Geography and Map Division, form a collection of approximately 1500 county maps dating from the early nineteenth century useful for genealogists.
The Hamburg Passenger Lists, housed in the Manuscript Division, consists of 66 reels of microfilm listing passengers embarking for America from the port of Hamburg during the period 1850-1873.
The Local History and Genealogy Reading Room also offers several very large CD-ROM titles produced by the LDS Family History Library.
Weaknesses/Exclusions
Despite the Library's efforts to acquire American genealogy on a comprehensive basis, it still lacks many publications. Local libraries and historical societies have extensive collections of limited editions and privately printed titles unavailable here. The reference staff often learn about privately printed material from readers, only to discover that the books are out of print.
Significant weaknesses also exist for foreign genealogy and heraldry. The Library lacks many Canadian genealogical publications, compiled family histories (particularly from continental Europe), and books on heraldry from continental Europe (particularly current publications).
Another weakness is in our holdings of foreign serial publications. There are a number of major European genealogical periodicals not found in the Library. Other periodicals, which have been cataloged by the Library, have missing volumes.
