When you're researching your family tree, one of the many wonderful resources is your local library or genealogical research centre. Larger libraries often have a dedicated area for this type of research; but even the smaller ones can prove useful when used effectively.

This article will explain what you're likely to find at these centres, and how to make the most of them. If - like me - you tend to use these resources when you're travelling or short on time, this will come in very handy indeed.

What are family tree research centres?

Before we dive in to the various ways to optimise your study time, let's take a brief look at the centres themselves. What they are, and what to expect when you get there.

Libraries : within many libraries is a collection of records which are ideal for researching your family tree. Whilst larger libraries will usually have a dedicated area for this type of study; even the smaller libraries will often contain relevant records and information.

Libraries may contain some or all of the following :

• registers of births, deaths and marriages
• copies of newspapers
• telephone and occupation directories
• street atlases
• maps
• historic photographs

As these records are generally stored on media such as microfiche and CD, relevant equipment is provided in order to read / print these. More recent versions of these machines also enable the records to be emailed to a relevant person, or to be saved on a USB drive.

Dedicated research centres :

Although these are often similar to the genealogical sections of major libraries, there are a couple of subtle differences. These are :

• they tend to focus on the local area, and contain everything from council rate books to collections of historic newspapers and photographs
• they are often staffed by volunteers, who can assist you in your research

Generally, I make use of both types of facilities. Libraries help with basic information, and dedicated research centres add colour to the lives of my ancestors. Where they worked, how they lived and so on.

Planning your research trip

As with any period of research, a bit of planning goes a long way to getting the most out of it. Before heading down to your local library or research centre, consider the following :

• Print out all the material you currently have, and take it with you. This includes the dates of birth/marriage/death of the family members you are tracing, brief bios and a copy of the known family tree.
• Compile a list of specific questions. When you first arrive at the centre, it's great to be able to pull up a chair and dive straight in. Having a list of questions will ensure you stay focused, and are able to methodically work through the area you're tracing.
• Focus on a fairly small number of people. This number will obviously vary with the amount of time you have available, but for my own research, I try to keep the list to a maximum of 20 or so.

When you arrive, a couple of other things to keep in mind :

• Use the things which aren't easily available elsewhere. If you've travelled to a small town's research centre, look up information which is specific to the area. Copies of local newspapers, old photographs of the area, and elements of social history (local events such as floods, crimes and accidents). It's also worth talking to the people who run the centre, as they have (in many cases) lived in the area for some time.
• Find out the exact locations of local sites. After a few hours in the research centre, you'll probably want to visit local churches, cemeteries/crematoria, houses and places of work. Find out where they are, and how to get there. In the case of cemeteries/crematoria, the more information on plots; the better.

Final thoughts on making the most of libraries and family tree research centres

As you can see, the simplest way to make your research time effective is to plan your trip. A bit of preparation can really pay off - and when you're paying by the hour or day, this makes a huge difference.