Beginning April 1, the Ralph Gregory Library’s 2,280-item genealogy and local history collection will be available to be searched through Scenic Regional Library’s online catalog. The catalog can be found by visiting www.scenicregional.org and clicking on “Catalog” or going directly to http://scenicwashington.missourievergreen.org. The collection is housed at the Washington Historical Society, located at 113 E. 4th Street in Washington. The items will not be able to be requested or checked out; however, researchers will be able to visit the Ralph Gregory Library to use the items for research.
The Ralph Gregory Library features the most comprehensive collection of genealogical material on Franklin County and includes donated family histories, obituaries, cemetery readings, church records, newspapers, atlases, military records, and other historically-significant information. In addition, the collection includes books, manuscripts, microfilm, and original county records that are owned by the Four Rivers Genealogical Society and the Washington Historical Society. To facilitate research, volunteers have compiled indexes for much of the material. Annually, more than 1,000 individuals, from across the United States as well as Canada, visit the facility to conduct research.
Scenic Regional Library Director Steve Campbell approached the Ralph Gregory Library earlier this year about adding their collection. “We wanted to add their collection to our catalog because they’re the place that has the largest collection of Franklin County records, local history and genealogy records. They don’t just have Washington resources. So, it was important to us that our patrons know what’s there,” explained Campbell.
“The addition of the Ralph Gregory Library’s collection to Scenic Regional Library's online catalog will be an important tool for researchers who are looking for information related to their ancestors or local history,” said Steve Claggett, president of the Four Rivers Genealogical Society. “It will make it easier for anyone to identify potential sources without having to physically visit the [Ralph Gregory] Library.” The Ralph Gregory Library is named for the preeminent historian who was one of the leaders in local historical research and preservation for more than 60 years.
Ruth Lord, Scenic Regional Library’s Technical Services Manager, converted the collection from an Excel spreadsheet into individual bibliographic records which could be imported into the online catalog. She has been Scenic Regional’s professional cataloger since 2012.
Scenic Regional has been committed to increasing access for our patrons to local history and genealogy resources over the past three years. In cooperation with the Missouri State Historical Society, it has digitized over 300,000 pages of historical newspapers, Including the Missourian from 1939-1965--which will be available to the public to search beginning in April.
Scenic Regional has also added new genealogy research databases, such as Fold3, which contains over 500 million military records from the National Archives. The library recently provided access to Fold3 and Ancestry.com to the Ralph Gregory Library. Researchers can now access these two popular online resources for free on the facility’s three computers.
The records are available on the days the museum is open from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. On Tuesdays, the records are available from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The library is staffed by members of the Four Rivers Genealogical Society. The Ralph Gregory Library is closed to the public December 23 until March 1 each year.
Scenic Regional Library Director Steve Campbell approached the Ralph Gregory Library earlier this year about adding their collection. “We wanted to add their collection to our catalog because they’re the place that has the largest collection of Franklin County records, local history and genealogy records. They don’t just have Washington resources. So, it was important to us that our patrons know what’s there,” explained Campbell.
“The addition of the Ralph Gregory Library’s collection to Scenic Regional Library's online catalog will be an important tool for researchers who are looking for information related to their ancestors or local history,” said Steve Claggett, president of the Four Rivers Genealogical Society. “It will make it easier for anyone to identify potential sources without having to physically visit the [Ralph Gregory] Library.” The Ralph Gregory Library is named for the preeminent historian who was one of the leaders in local historical research and preservation for more than 60 years.
Ruth Lord, Scenic Regional Library’s Technical Services Manager, converted the collection from an Excel spreadsheet into individual bibliographic records which could be imported into the online catalog. She has been Scenic Regional’s professional cataloger since 2012.
Scenic Regional has been committed to increasing access for our patrons to local history and genealogy resources over the past three years. In cooperation with the Missouri State Historical Society, it has digitized over 300,000 pages of historical newspapers, Including the Missourian from 1939-1965--which will be available to the public to search beginning in April.
Scenic Regional has also added new genealogy research databases, such as Fold3, which contains over 500 million military records from the National Archives. The library recently provided access to Fold3 and Ancestry.com to the Ralph Gregory Library. Researchers can now access these two popular online resources for free on the facility’s three computers.
The records are available on the days the museum is open from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. On Tuesdays, the records are available from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The library is staffed by members of the Four Rivers Genealogical Society. The Ralph Gregory Library is closed to the public December 23 until March 1 each year.
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