Enrollment options
Optional Print Course Material: Eastern European: Record Repositories
*Course material will only be sent to students who are registered in the course.
Tracking down specific records for ancestors is likely the ultimate goal of students taking the Eastern European courses. Therefore, one important aspect of these courses is to describe the nature of the repositories where the needed records reside. There are a variety of libraries and archives (hence, the usage of the term “repositories”) one may access to obtain the needed records.
To be effective in using a variety of repositories in Central and Eastern Europe, it is important to learn about them, including their differences, and how to access them. Due to the sheer number of archives, libraries, societies, and other repositories for the various Eastern European countries, not all are identified. Each researcher may need a different set of repositories to succeed in research. This course will introduce the major kinds of repositories and a basic overview of how they operate.
Course Length: 7 weeks
MODULE 1
USING FAMILYSEARCH & ITS COLLECTIONS
Free FamilySearch Account
FamilySearch Records
Searching in the Family Tree
Research by Location
Search by Collection
FamilySearch Genealogies
Help Center
FamilySearch Books
FamilySearch Research Wiki
Getting Started
FamilySearch Catalog
FamilySearch Indexing
Family History Library
Granite Mountain Records Vault
Learning Center
FamilySearch Centers and Partnering Libraries
Finding More Information
Recommended Reading & Resources
MODULE 2
USING THE FAMILYSEARCH CATALOG
Ways to Search the Catalog
Basics
Viewing Microfilm
FamilySearch Research Wiki
Recommended Reading & Resources
MODULE 3
EASTERN EUROPEAN COLLECTIONS AVAILABLE FROM FAMILYSEARCH
Record Types
Summary by Country
Recommended Reading & Resources
MODULE 4
NAVIGATING ARCHIVES IN EASTERN EUROPE
Where to Find Archival Records
State Archives
Church & Diocesan Archives
University Collections & Other Repositories
Military Archives
Online Portals
Croatia
Czech Republic
GenTeam
Porta Fontium
State Archives of Poland
Archiwum Główne Akt Dawnych w Warszawie
Eastern European Archival Database
Geneteka
BaSia
Poznan Project
JRI Poland
Ancestry.com
Databases Found Elsewhere
Recommended Reading & Resources
MODULE 5
HOW TO RESEARCH IN AN ARCHIVE
General Travel Tips
Visiting Ancestral Villages & Other Locations
Inventories, Guides, and Finding Aids
Other Tips for Visiting an Archive
When to Hire a Professional
Recommended Reading & Resources
MODULE 6
RESEARCH BY CORRESPONDENCE
When to Write for Records
Contacting Eastern European Archives
Manuscript Collections
Summary