Researching Genealogy at KCKPL
The Kansas Room offers print genealogy resources located in the Main Library. We also have included additional resources and databases below that may be helpful when researching genealogy.
We offer genealogy drop-in sessions, where you can receive one-on-one assistance from our Kansas Collection Librarian in your genealogy research. Drop-in sessions are every Tuesday morning from 10:00 to 12:00 pm. No appointment is needed. You can also contact the Kansas Collection Librarian for help over the phone or email to set up an appointment for one-on-one genealogy research assistance outside of those hours.
Memory Lab
The Memory Lab is a self-serve community digitization center located in the Kansas Room at the Main Library. Patrons can reserve a time to come in and use the equipment to digitize their personal documents, photographs, cassette tapes, and home movies.
Memory Lab equipment includes:
Epson V600 flatbed scanner – capable of scanning documents, photo prints, negatives, and slides.
Epson FastFoto scanner – scans photo prints and documents (x per minute)
Wolverine MovieMaker Pro – digitizes 8mm and Super 8 films (image only--no sound)
ClearClick Digital converter – digitizes audio cassette tapes and VHS tapes
Zoom audio recorder – record oral histories with your loved ones
Video Tutorials
Hours
The Memory Lab is open on Thursday afternoons from 1:00-4:00. Appointments are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Book an appointment to use the Memory Lab.
What to bring to your appointment
Bring any materials you wish to digitize with you to your appointment, and most importantly, bring a flash drive or an external hard drive to copy your files to. Digital files saved on library computers will be deleted after each appointment.
What to expect
When you arrive at the Memory Lab, staff will demonstrate how to use the equipment and help you get started. They will be on hand to troubleshoot as needed, but are unable to digitize your material for you. You will be responsible for digitizing everything yourself. Appointments are limited to three hours. If you are unable to complete your scanning job, you are welcome to book a second appointment.
Memory Lab Policies
No food or drink is allowed in the Memory Lab. Digitization of copyrighted or illegal material is not permitted. KCKPL is not responsible for any damage that may occur to materials during digitization sessions.
Online Genealogy Resources
African American Newspapers
African American Newspapers, 1827-1998, provides online access to more than 350 U.S. newspapers chronicling a century and a half of the African-American experience.
America's Newspapers
Ancestry Library Edition
Search through billions of records for family history in the census, military, immigration and more. In-house access only--come to a library building to access Ancestry.
Fold3
Provides convenient access to US military records, including the stories, photos, and personal documents of the men and women who served.
Gale Genealogy Connect
How-to of genealogy research for beginners or an experienced researcher looking for in-depth genealogy data.
HeritageQuest Online
Comprehensive treasury of American genealogical sources—rich in unique primary sources, local and family histories, convenient research guides, interactive census maps, and more.
Historical Kansas City Star - Archives (1880-2002)
Explore a custom collection of news articles of the Historical Kansas City Star dating from 1880-2002.
Historical Kansas City Times - Archives (1872-1990)
Explore a custom collection of news articles of the Historical Kansas City Times dating from 1872-1990.
Kansas and Missouri Local Newspapers
Kansas City Star - Image Edition
Access to the Image Edition of the online current and historical version of the Kansas City Star newspaper.
Kansas City Star Historical and Current
Access to the online current and historical version of the Kansas City Star newspaper.
Kansas City, Kansas Public Library's Yearbook Project
Kansas Digital Newspapers
The Kansas Digital Newspapers (KDN) program seeks to digitize and make available on the Internet digital editions of historic Kansas newspapers.
Additional Online Resources
The following are online resources that can help with genealogy research.
Cyndi's List: Cyndi's List is a genealogy research site. In place for 20 years, Cyndi's List is free for everyone to use and serves as a starting point when researching genealogy online.
Ethnic Heritage Research: Research on Ethnic Heritage ties in with the National Archives. The site provides highlights from its collection along with a link to Immigration Records.
FamilySearch: FamilySearch is a nonprofit family history organization dedicated to connecting families across generations.
National Archives & Records Administration - Genealogy Resources: This is a link to NARA's resources for genealogists and family historians.
North American Genealogy Resources: This site provides genealogy related information for various States and Provinces.
Soundex Coding System: 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.
U.S. Census Genealogy: Information tied back to older census data for research purposes.
