Local History & Genealogy

Local History & Genealogy

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Digital Materials

From books, to maps, and everything in between, you can find a variety of digitized materials from our local history collection. Partial funding for digitization was made possible through a grant from the Park Foundation to encourage sustainability through remote access of library materials.

You can also access HeritageQuest Online from our library computers to search census records, books, and documents for information about your ancestors. Want to search HeritageQuest from home? Log into your account, click on the Online Databases tab, and then select "Genealogy & Family Research" to see links for HeritageQuest and New York Heritage. 

We can provide limited research on topics of local history or interest where the information sought is unique to the collection of the library. The Tompkins County Research Service is available to individuals and/or organizations for whom it is impossible to visit the library in person.


For additional resources, visit the following websites:

The History Center in Tompkins County

Names In Stone Cemetery Maps

New York Heritage Digital Collections

Library of Congress New York State Guide
The Library of Congress web guide contains a variety of materials specifically relating to New York State, including manuscripts, documents, photos, books and maps. This site also provides links to websites such as:

The U.S. GenWeb Project
Genealogy websites for genealogical research in every county and every state of the United States.

Cayuga Heights History Project

 

Upcoming Events

This event is in the "Adults" group

Makerspace Open Hours

3:30pm–7:30pm
Adults
Library Branch: Tompkins County Public Library
Room: Makerspace
Age Group: Adults
Program Type: Arts & Crafts, Makerspace
About this event::

Drop-in open hours, no registration required. Come for a short tour, or stay and work on a project - we have lots of art supplies and ideas to get you making!

This event is in the "Families" group
This event is in the "Babies, Toddlers, & Preschoolers" group
This event is in the "Kids" group

Cayuga Chamber Orchestra Family Concert Series

4:00pm–5:00pm
Families, Babies, Toddlers, & Preschoolers, Kids
Library Branch: Tompkins County Public Library
Room: Ezra Cornell Reading Room
Age Group: Families, Babies, Toddlers, & Preschoolers, Kids
Program Type: Music, Performance, Storytimes
About this event::

Get swept up in the magic created by great stories and live music as the CCO and Tompkins County Public Library (TCPL) join forces for our annual Family Concert & Storytime Series, now in its eleventh season!  We select a different childr

This event is in the "Adults" group
This event is in the "Families" group
This event is in the "Kids" group
This event is in the "Teens" group

Ages 8 to 108 Board Game Club

5:00pm–7:00pm
Adults, Families, Kids, Teens
Library Branch: Tompkins County Public Library
Room: Thaler/Howell Programming Room
Age Group: Adults, Families, Kids, Teens
Program Type: Other
About this event::

Are you between the ages of 8 and 108 and love playing board games? Then come join our board game club at TCPL! We meet in the Thaler/Howell Programming Room on Thursdays from 5 to 7pm.

This event is in the "Kids" group
This event is in the "Teens" group

Life Skills: Dollars and Decisions

6:00pm–7:00pm
Kids, Teens
Full
Registration Required
Library Branch: Tompkins County Public Library
Room: Digital Lab
Age Group: Kids, Teens
Program Type: Classes and Workshops
Registration Required
About this event::

An engaging 8-week course designed to provide the real-world money skills that kids actually need. 

This event is in the "Adults" group
This event is in the "Families" group
This event is in the "Kids" group
This event is in the "Teens" group

Office of Mental Health Community Engagement Session

9:00am–11:00am
Adults, Families, Kids, Teens
Library Branch: Tompkins County Public Library
Room: BorgWarner East
Age Group: Adults, Families, Kids, Teens
Program Type: Community Groups, Health & Wellness
About this event::

Tompkins County Whole Health (TCWH) invites the community to attend a Community Engagement Session with New York State Office of Mental Health (NYS OMH). These events are free and open to the public; light refreshments will be served.

This event is in the "Babies, Toddlers, & Preschoolers" group

Early Fall Baby & Toddler Storytime

10:30am–11:00am
Babies, Toddlers, & Preschoolers
Offsite Event
Library Branch: Off Site
Age Group: Babies, Toddlers, & Preschoolers
Program Type: Storytimes
About this event::

Caregivers and their children are invited to join Cassie at the park next to the Henry St. John Building at 301 S. Geneva St. for music, rhymes, movement and books.

This event is in the "Adults" group

Makerspace Open Hours

3:30pm–5:30pm
Adults
Library Branch: Tompkins County Public Library
Room: Makerspace
Age Group: Adults
Program Type: Makerspace
About this event::

Drop-in for Open Hours - registration is not required.

This event is in the "Kids" group

Fall Fun Yoga Series

4:00pm–4:45pm
Kids
Open
Registration Required
Library Branch: Tompkins County Public Library
Room: Thaler/Howell Programming Room
Age Group: Kids
Program Type: Classes and Workshops
Registration Required
About this event::

Children are welcome to join us as we welcome autumn in a yoga series that flows with the seasons!