I love libraries and bookstores, don’t you?

Denver Central Library

A branch of the Denver Public Library system, the Denver Central Library is absolutely breathtaking! I first visited the library while working on an assignment for my Genealogy Studies Program through Boston University. I spent an entire day up in the The Western History Collection. You have to see it to believe it!

Digital Public Library of America

From a diverse collection of cultural organizations, the Digital Public Library of America provides photographs, books, maps, news footage, oral histories, personal letters, museum objects, artwork, government documents, and much, much more - all free and available in digital format. Let’s all donate to help keep this wondrous resource available for everyone!

Library of Congress

I can seriously get lost for hours on end at the online Library of Congress. Their Resource and Reference Services Center is mind-boggling, but the LOC resource I use most often is Chronicling America. My cousin, Kathy, turned me onto this resource when she found an article about our great great grandfather’s marriage at age 80 to his sixth wife:

The Portsmouth Daily Times, 1 Jun 1923

Never Too Old. According to the Jackson Sun, a marriage license was issued recently in that city to John F. Woodruff, 80 years old, and Jennie E. McGowan, 64 years old, both of Jackson.

The Internet Archive/Wayback Machine

I have this listed under Archives, but it’s also a wonderful library resource. I used to refer my students to the Internet Archive when I was teaching. It’s a non-profit library of millions of free books, movies, software, music, websites and so much more. These days, I head over here when I’m looking for a resource that’s out of print or elusive for various reasons. Here’s an example of a book I’m studying while researching my Cheney family: The Cheney Genealogy compiled by Charles Henry Pope (1897).

The Hathi Trust Digital Library

Another go-to sight for rare books and research resources, the Hathi Trust Digital Library is made possible through a global partnership of major research institutions and libraries. Their collections include millions of titles digitized from libraries around the world. Read online or download full books and other resources. Oh, my goodness! Look at this title! I’ve got to read this!

The Lives and Bloody Exploits of the Most Noted Pirates, Their Trials and Executions by Ezra Strong (1836).