Are You Visiting NEHGS? #1

What and where is the NEHGS? From the New England Historic Genealogical Society (NEHGS) website, they state they were "Founded in 1845, NEHGS is the country's leading resource for family history research. We help build knowledge, skills, and understanding of your family and its place in history." It is located in Boston, not far from the Boston Public Library and Copley Square. Members and non-members can find useful information from this at the above site.


I decided to put together a few bits of information to help a new visitor to the facility. There are seven floors, but several are off-limits to the researcher. The photos below are in order, beginning with floor 1 to floor 7. Because there were other researchers there, I opted not to take every photo possible. There is a very small lunchroom, a tiny refrigerator, and vending machines. Restrooms are on each floor, there is an elevator, and two copy machines, copies .25 and you need to first purchase a copy card for $1. Best to bring change, as there is no change machine. You may want to bring your camera for copying pages, no portable hand-held scanners are allowed. Wireless internet access is available, and you need to restrict your cell phone use to outside the reading rooms.


Before arriving at the Library, if at all possible, you should use the Card Catalog for www.AmericanAncestors.org (Website for NEHGS), this will enable you to see the holdings in the Library. I will do a post on this in a few days.

The first thing a visitor does is sign in with the receptionist. There are a lot of restaurants around, some inexpensive, some not. However, are all crowded at lunchtime. If at all possible bring a lunch and eat there in the tiny lunchroom, or carry it to the lovely park at Copley Square. If you have free time, I would suggest you walk two blocks to the Boston Public Library and check out their main reading room.

99 - 101 Newbury Street, Boston, MA

First floor, inner room. Many international books are on this floor.

On the 4th floor is the Microtext floor. The reception desk is seen as you get off the elevator. Here you will find microform, CDs and map collections.

Employees behind glass panel.

 

 Work stations, above and below.

Some cabinets in the Microtext room, filled with microfilm, mainly probates, deeds, and vital records.

 

The 5th floor houses the Local and state histories and records.

Above are some of the stacks in the reading room, the back room is shown below.

 7th Floor reading room (partial shot). The reference desk is in the center. in front of the wall. Dress is casual.

First Floor book store.

In the past, I've written several articles about the library, the two below might be of interest to you.

• New England Marriages Prior to 1700  (A very useful resource, and not online.)
• Ellis Island Dress and American Jewish Historical Society (The dress is currently in storage.)