Library Lines: Family history month right around the corner
“Every book is a quotation; and every house is a quotation out of all forests, and mines, and stone quarries; and every man is a quotation from all his ancestors.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson
October is near at hand, and it is family history month. What better way to celebrate it than to visit the Cheboygan Area Public Library’s genealogy and local history research room. This is a dedicated area within the main library that holds a treasure-trove of family-related and local history resources.
Within the room, there are a variety of books available for in-library use. A few of these books are guides on how to conduct research and discover family ties and ancestry. Some books contain local governmental information such as the plat books for Cheboygan County and local cemetery recordings. Others are books written by local researchers such as Ellis Olson and Matthew J. Friday. Still more include other pieces of information that may assist in locating more details about one’s family history.
Another main feature of the library’s genealogy and local history room is the microfilm collection. The Cheboygan Area Public Library holds a collection of all (or almost all) records of the Cheboygan news publications. These include the Cheboygan Democrat news publication from 1880-1927; the Cheboygan News from 1900-1910; the Cheboygan Observer from 1928-1953; as well as the Cheboygan Tribune from 1915 to 2021. The Cheboygan Area Public Library continues to have the Cheboygan Tribune processed annually onto microfilm.
The microfilm collection is viewable on the ScanPro 3000 High-Definition Microfilm Scanner, which is also stationed in the genealogy and local history room. There is a Reader Instruction booklet provided with the scanner, but a member of the Library’s staff can also assist patrons who are perusing the microfilm collection if they have questions or want to learn how to use the equipment.
A special aspect of the room is who uses it. Members of the Cheboygan County Genealogical Society offer their assistance to anyone interested in using the Library’s resources or finding information for family history research. These members are dedicated individuals who have made themselves available most Tuesdays and Thursday from 10 a.m. to noon in the Cheboygan Area Public Library’s genealogy and local history research room. If anyone wishes to receive some help or advice from these individuals, they are encouraged to stop by during the volunteer’s hours, no appointment necessary. If anyone wishes to contact the volunteers, they are encouraged to visit cheboygangenealogy.com.
Please note that the Cheboygan Area Public Library will be closed on Thursday, Sept. 29, for a Professional Development Day for staff. Books may be returned in the outside drop-box at any time and wi-fi will be accessible in the parking lot and Children’s Garden like usual. Any phone messages left will be returned as soon as possible the following day. Also, the online library catalog is always available 24/7, accessible by visiting cheboyganlibrary.org and clicking on the “Library Catalog” link at the top of the page.
— Emily Clare is program director of the Cheboygan Area Public Library.
This article originally appeared on Cheboygan Daily Tribune: Library Lines: Dive into Family History Month at Cheboygan Library
