The Local History Collection of the Van Buren District Library

Hours

The Local History Collection (LHC) is located at the Webster Memorial Library, Decatur, and is open to researchers any time during the library's regular business hours: Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. [7 p.m. during summer hours, Memorial Day-Labor Day]; Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Saturday 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Visitors are asked to register at the main circulation desk on each day's visit.

Materials

The LHC houses thousands of books, microfilm & microfiche, periodicals, photographs, and manuscripts relating to Southwest Michigan, general Michigan and genealogy for some states and foreign countries. The room also houses the Southwest Michigan regional collection of the Van Buren Regional Genealogical Society (VBRGS).

Circulation

Most items are non-circulating "reference," although there are instructional books which circulate. Items marked "reference" are not available for inter-library loan, however most VBDL items can be used "In House Use Only" at other locations within the Van Buren District Library system (Bangor, Bloomingdale, Covert, Gobles, Lawrence and Mattawan). VBRGS items do not circulate.

Copies

Photocopying is permitted with respect to U.S. Copyright laws. Photocopies are 15 cents each and microfilm/microfiche copies are 25 cents each. There are three microfilm readers available. One reader is a digital scanner allowing for the use of a flash drive to save copies.

Donations

Donations of materials or monetary support for the LHC are always welcome. The VBDL follows its written Collection Policy with regard to acceptance of donated materials.

Collection Usage Policy

When using the collection, please do not re-shelve or file any materials as all items are counted for statistical purposes. No scanners or digital cameras are allowed for use with the collection. The library does not provide digital copies of any of its local history materials. Some items such as photographs or manuscripts are in storage and may need to be requested in advance.

Family History Center microfilm

The VBDL Local History Room is a licensed microfilm loan center for the Family History Center in Salt Lake City. For more information see loan program details.

Requests for Information

Brief requests for information may be made to the Local History Librarian. For more extensive research needs, a list of independent researchers can be requested.

Volunteers

The LHC maintains a Volunteer Program to help staff and monitor the collection. If you are interested in volunteering in the LHC or for any of its projects, please contact Toni I. Benson, local history librarian, at (269) 423-4771.

Main categories of the LHC collection


Volunteer Program
Van Buren District Library
Local History Collection

Volunteers are an integral part of the staffing of the Local History Collection (LHC). They assist with research questions, special projects, and general monitoring of the collection. Volunteer projects are on-going and volunteers are invited to participate in any of these. Current projects include:


  • Volunteers may also pursue their own research while attending the collection. Ideas for projects are encouraged and welcome.

    For additional information about becoming a Local History Volunteer, contact Toni I. Benson, at (269) 423-4771.

    Local History Computer & CD-Rom Station

    The LHC computer allows online access to genealogical websites such as Ancestry Library Edition, MelCat, Heritage Quest, the Family History Center, the Van Buren County GenWeb Project, and others. On this computer, you can also access indexes to the Bess Britton Michigan One-Room Schoolhouse collection, the Southwest Michigan Obituary Digitization project, and the Local History Master Index. These indexes are currently only accessible in the LHC, and are not online.

    A second computer allows access to the LHC's large collection of genealogy-related CD's. Following is a list of CD-Rom titles currently available for use. Donation to the library of other genealogy-related CD-Rom's is welcome.

    • Michigan Land Records, records from The General Land Office, Bureau of Land Management, State of Michigan, late 1700's to 1908
    • Complete Book of Emigrants, 1607-1776
    • Periodical Source Index (PERSI)
    • Roll of Honor : Civil War Union Soldiers
    • The War of the Rebellion : a compilation of the official records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Guild Press of Indiana.
    • Presidential Family Forest
    • Vital Records Index, North America, Family History Resource File, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints
    • Vital Records Index, British Isles, Family History Resource File, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints
    • Military Records : Revolutionary War Pension Lists
    • The Compendium of American Genealogy, 1600's-1800s
    • Passenger & Immigrations Lists Index, 1538-1940
    • SAR Patriot Index (Sons of the American Revolution)
    • National Genealogical Society Quarterly, Vols. 1-85, 1600s-1900s
    • Pedigree Resource File, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints
    • American Genealogical-Biographical Index
    • Genealogical Records : Midwest Pioneers, 1600's - 1800s
    • Military Records : Civil War Muster Rolls
    • Marriage Index : Michigan and Wisconsin, 1830-1900
    • American & European Family Forest
    • New England Historical and Genealogical Register (1847-1994)
    • United States 1800 Census Index
    • Indiana 1870 Census Index
    • Illinois 1870 Census Index
    • New York 1870 Census Index
    • United States 1790 Census Index
    • Colonial Families of the United States of America
    • 1880 United States Census and National Index, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints
    • Topographical Dictionaries : Lewis's Gazetteers of England, Ireland, and Scotland
    • New England Marriages Prior to 1700, by Clarence A. Torrey
    • Michigan Vital Records : Deaths 1971-1996
    • World Family Tree, pre-1600 to present, Volume 1 - 5
    • Niles Area Obituary Index, 1835-January 2002
    • Bible Records From the Manuscript Collections of the New England Historic Genealogical Society
    • Genealogical Records : Early New England Settlers 1600's - 1800s
    • Illustrated Atlas of Van Buren County, Michigan, 1895
    • Wuerttemberg Emigration Index, Volumes 1-7
    • 1840 U.S. Federal Census Index (AIS)
    • Standard Atlas of Cass County, Michigan, 1896
    • 1820 U.S. Federal Census Index (AIS)
    • Western New York Genealogical Society Journal, Volume 1 thru 27
    • 1830 U.S. Federal Census Index (AIS)
    • Scandinavia Vital Records Index: Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden
    • Mid-Atlantic Genealogies, 1340-1940
    • U.S. Soldiers, 1784-1811
    • Local & Family Histories : New England, 1600's-1900s
    • Revolutionary Pension and Bounty Land Warrent Index
    • 1800 U.S. Federal Census Index (AIS)
    • Freedman's Bank Records
    • Local & Family Histories: Connecticut, 1600s-1800s
    • 1910 Census Index, Michigan
    • Worden's Index to the New York Genealogical and Biographical Record, 1870-1998; and The New York Genealogical & Biographical Record, 1870-1960
    • 1930 Census Index, Michigan South
    • Atlas and Plat Book of Berrien County, Michigan, 1929; Atlas of Berrien County, Michigan, 1873; Atlas of Berrien County, Michigan, 1887, Standard Tlas of Berrien County, Michigan, 1903; Township Maps Of Berrien County, 1911
    • 1920 Census Index, Michigan (excluding Detroit & Wayne County)
    • Standard Atlas of Berrien County, Michigan, 1903; Township Maps, Berrien County, Michigan, 1911
    • W. A. Norton's Directory of Berrien County, Michigan, 1899
    • Early Connecticut Probate Records, Volumes 1-3
    • Polk's Benton Harbor, St. Joseph and Niles City Directory, 1912-1913
    • Tombstone Inscriptions of Kalamazoo County, Michigan, Volumes I & II
    • Compendium of New England Pioneers : a collection of 14 classic genealogical dictionaries of early New England settlers
    • War of 1812 Muster Rolls
    • Ricker Compilation of Vital Records of Early Connecticut
    • Michigan Pioneer Experiences, 1710-1880 With Genealogical Data and Anecdotes
    • Official Army Register of the Volunteer Force of the United States Army For the Years 1861, '62, '63, '64, '65, Part V - Ohio, Michigan
    • Kalamazoo Police Department : 125 years of service, 1882-2007
    • Van Buren County Michigan 2005 Digital Aerial Photography
    • Land Records...So What?, by E. Wade Hone; Heritage Learning Library
    • Platting and Graphing of Land Records, by E. Wade Hone; Heritage Learning Library
    • U.S. Passenger Lists : New York, by E. Wade Hone; Heritage Learning Library
    • 1894 Michigan State Census Index, St. Joseph County, Michigan
    • Scottish Immigrants to North America, 1600s-1800s : the collected works of David Dobson
    • Cemeteries of Hopkins Township [Allegan County], 2007
    • Early Salem Township [Allegan County] Photos

    Local History Master Index

    The Local History Master Index (LHMI) is an in-house database tool that can be used to quickly locate materials in the LHC collection. Hundreds of smaller indexes have been compiled into one large index that provides a first & last name or subject, a source with complete bibliographic citation, and call number within the collection, with page number and date if applicable. Visitors are encouraged to consult this index first when conducting their research.

    When Visiting The Local History Collection

    When planning a visit to the Local History Collection, please call or e-mail ahead to verify hours. If you will need reference assistance or an introduction to the LHC, please contact us in advance of your visit, so that arrangements can be made to have someone available to help you. An 18-minute "virtual tour" of the collection is available to view at the Local History computer.

    Tips for planning a visit to the library:

    • Call or e-mail in advance to verify hours
    • Consult online indexes available from this page or visit the Van Buren County GenWeb, the official website of VBRGS
    • Make a list of items to view, including titles and call numbers; to locate materials in the LHC, consult the online catalogs of the VBDL and VBRGS
    • Have a research focus; make a list of needed records and names to search
    • Organize your information into a quick-reference format such as family group sheets, or a genealogical software program
    • Upon arrival, consult the Local History Master Index first, as a quick locator to items in the collection pertaining to your family or topic of interest

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