The Jasper Public Library offers a variety of print resources for genealogists. There are over 1,400 volumes in the collection, nearly 900 of which are Indiana books. Of the Indiana books, 765 are specific to various counties throughout the state and 385 of those are specific to Dubois County and its cities, churches, and cemeteries. The Library also has a couple hundred issues of many genealogical periodicals available.
Many local and area genealogists and family researchers have contributed copies of their own family histories to the library, and there are 218 family books where patrons can research local family names. Patrons interested in donating copies of their own printed genealogies are welcome to bring or mail a copy to the Jasper Public Library where the book or binder will be catalogued and added to our genealogy collection.
The Polk City Directory for Jasper-Dubois County, Indiana is available in the genealogy room. There are 31 volumes dating back to 1968, and the most recent volume is available at the front desk to help patrons look up addresses and phone numbers.
The Jasper High School yearbook is available in the genealogy room. The library has 73 volumes dating back as far as 1913. The Irishite, the Ireland High School yearbook, is also available with 17 volumes dating back to 1950. Because there are gaps in our collection, the library gladly accepts donations of local yearbooks to help replace any missing volumes.
The family files contain information on local and area families. These are available in a file cabinet, which also contains information on the city of Jasper itself. These files are currently being scanned and digitized to provide digital copies for patrons to view and easily search for names, locations, and dates.
The Garland collection is a special collection of 85 volumes donated to the library by Mr. Paul Garland. These books range from genealogical texts on colonial states to census books and history books. The Jasper Public Library is grateful to Mr. Garland for his contributions to our collection.
The Jasper Public Library offers two dedicated computers to genealogy research, giving patrons access to on-line resources, printing, and USB drives for saving research. Patrons do not need to have a local library card to use these computers. Simply bring photo ID and ask a librarian at the front desk to sign in to use these machines.
Both genealogy room computers have access to the library edition of Ancestry.com and there are quick links provided to many other genealogy websites and useful databases.
As part of a grant received through the Indiana State Library and Indiana Memory, the Jasper Public Library has been digitizing photographs brought in by citizens of Dubois County in order to create a visual history of the people and places in our county. These digitized photographs are viewable at duboiscountyhistory.org and may be useful in discovering images of ancestors or distant relatives.
For patrons interested in printing, the library offers both black and color printing. Black prints are 10¢ a page, and color prints are 25¢ a page.
The library's on-line catalogue helps you to find books located within the genealogy collection. All genealogy books are preceded by the call letter G to distinguish them from the regular collection. All books specific to Indiana not in the genealogy collection are preceded by the call letters IN and are found just outside the genealogy room itself.
There are three microfilm machines in the genealogy room, two of which are connected to computers that allow printing at 10¢ a page and saving images to USB flashdrives. These microfilm machines can read microfiche, 16 mm microfilm, and 35 mm microfilm.
The library has a collection of both microfiche and microfilm. The local newspaper under all its various names is available going back as far as 1858. There is also a complete collection of the George Wilson notes, an indexed series of twenty-three volumes that cover an in-depth history of Dubois County. For a complete list of our microfilm and microfiche, click here.
The Jasper Public Library is a Family History Center with the ability to request microfilm from the LDS center in Salt Lake City, Utah. Patrons may request microfilm by filling out a request order and paying a nominal fee to cover shipping charges in order to check out materials for one month. There are many films on permanent loan, which contain records specific to the ancestors of Jasper and Dubois County. For a complete list of our LDS microfilm and microfiche, click here.
The Jasper Public Library is an LDS Family History Center and can order microfilm from FamilySearch.org for patrons to browse in the library on our microfilm machines. There is a nominal fee to cover the cost of shipping and handling that is paid when ordering the film. Contact Sandy at the library to order a film. You will be contacted when the the film arrives from Salt Lake City so you can come to the library to view it.
Volunteer genealogist Kathy Mott visits the Jasper Public Library every first and third Tuesday and Saturday of each month from 1 to 4 pm to help patrons with their research. For visitors who cannot make those hours or for more one-on-one time with Kathy, feel free to set up an appointment with her to meet during a different time. Contact the library to set up an appointment.
The Ferdinand Library contains 205 volumes in its collection. These books cover local information and also offer general genealogy texts as well.
The Forest Park High School yearbooks are at the Ferdinand Branch, consisting of 54 volumes in total.
The Ferdinand Branch Library houses a special collection of pictures from the city's sesquicentennial celebration. These pictures are in albums that the public may view at any time.
The collection of Indiana books are kept in the Ferdinand Branch Library's genealogy room. While the genealogy collection is non-circulating and cannot be checked out, patrons may check out books from the Indiana section.
The Ferdinand Library has one computer dedicated to genealogy use in its genealogy room. This computer offers internet access and useful links to webpages that can help you in your research as well as access to the library edition of Ancestry.com. You do not have to have a local library card to use this computer. Simply bring a photo ID to the front desk and ask a staff member to sign you in.
The genealogy room at Ferdinand has a microfilm machine that is connected to a computer for printing at 10¢ a page or saving images to a USB flash drive. This microfilm machine can read microfiche, 16 mm microfilm, and 35 mm microfilm.
There is one microfilm machine in the genealogy room at Ferdinand for viewing, printing, and saving. Printing is 10¢ a page, and saving images can be done to a USB flash drive at the attached computer. This machine can view microfiche, 16 mm microfilm, and 35 mm microfilm.
The Ferdinand Library has the Ferdinand News on microfilm. The available dates are: May 1906 to December 1932 and January 1973 to December 1987.
The Dubois Branch Library has over 150 volumes in its genealogy collection. Most of these books cover the city of Dubois itself but there are also books on general genealogy available.
The Dubois Library offers many computers for its patrons to use, which allow access to the internet and the library edition of Ancestry.com. You do not have to have a local library card to use the public computers. Simply bring a photo ID to the front desk and ask a staff member to sign you in.