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The Life From The Roots blog topics have changed several times since I began this blog in 2009. I initially wrote only about the family history I had been working on for 20 years. Years later, I was into visiting gardens, historical homes, churches, libraries that had genealogical collections, historical societies, war memorials, and travel/tourism places. I also enjoy posting autographs and photos of famous people I've met or have seen.

Along with my New England roots, other areas include New York, New Jersey, Michigan, Illinois, Wisconsin, and the Eastern Townships of Quebec, Canada.

Please check out the labels on the right side for topics (please note, they need work). Below the labels and pageviews is a listing of my top nine posts, according to Google. Four of them pertain to Lowell, MA. These posts change often because they are based on what people are reading.

Wednesday, December 19, 2018

Manchester City Library, Manchester, New Hampshire


Manchester City Library
405 Pine Street
Manchester, New Hampshire 03104


From Victory Park, you can see the Library.

Front entrance, but there is probably a handicapped entrance on the side or back.
Circular reception area, straight ahead, but before I asked my questions, I had to look up at the ceiling.


From the 2nd floor, looking down to the 1st floor. The New Hampshire Room is where the local history and genealogy books and resources are kept.
https://www.manchester.lib.nh.us/Research/NH-Room
See the below flyer for the New Hampshire Room.


The reference librarian's desk.

As you can see from these pictures, there are many bookshelves, vertical file cabinets, a lot of city directories, and cabinets with microfilm of newspapers. The thing I enjoyed seeing the most were some census books. There might have been a computer or two, but I didn't go into the area where one patron was working. I didn't do any research, although I have a few names I could have researched. Not seen very well, were two tables with chairs to do sit at.



Nice view from above window.







On the 2nd floor, husband checking out something in the display cabinet.


These two pictures were taken because I loved the heated benches and bookshelves. No photos of the Children's room on the lower level because renovation work was being done.
For those interested in the over 100 year history of the Library, please read what friend Janice Webster Brown wrote four years ago, when the Library was celebrating it's Centennial.
http://www.cowhampshireblog.com/2014/09/05/new-hampshire-celebrating-the-manchester-public-librarys-centennial/

Facing the park from the library stairs.

Additional photos of the library.




Google map to show location of library and 700 Elm Street, where the New England Regional Genealogical Conference will be held in 2019.

Sunday, December 16, 2018

Newbury Town Library, Byfield section of Newbury, Massachusetts

Newbury Town Library
0 Lunt Street
Byfield, Massachusetts


The Library looks very much like a school, but I've seen pictures from another angle it looks just beautiful. I'll have to go back for better pictures.
Facing the reception / reference desk.

Nice display area.

This is another rather new library, large and lots of light.

The Local History and Genealogy room was easy to spot. I was surprised the room was open,  but not surprised to see just about everything locked up. Since I wasn't doing research, I didn't ask anybody to open a cabinet. However, I found a few good things on my own.





Below the sign-in book, is a map cabinet. It was unlocked, and I found the items, shown below.



This was a large handmade book.


The 1872 atlas of Essex County was in rough shape.


I opened this unlocked drawer in a nearby file cabinet.

Although I couldn't find any genealogy information from their website, I did go to the Newbury Historical Commission and found a wealth of useful links, both for local history and genealogy. Once on the website, select the Resources for Research tab, and choose which one you want. Both the local history and genealogy sections have a lot of on-line books.

Nice sitting area.

The Children's Room.

Byfield is not a town, but a section of Newbury.

Not a good picture, almost impossible to take since it's almost touching the ceiling.

Another view of the Library.


This house was across the street from the Library. So quaint, I think.