Allen County Public Library - a "must" to visit - Focus on PERSI

 I just returned from the 2026 National Genealogical Society - Family History Conference held in Fort Wayne, Indiana. The Convention Center was a short one block walk to the Genealogy Center at the Allen County Public Library (ACPL). Add this library to your list to visit both virtually and in person!

The Periodical Source Index (PERSI)

A major enhancement to the Periodical Source Index was launched during the conference week. In addition to the continual indexing that adds thousands of records to the database each quarter, and under the direction of the ACPL project supervisor, Adam Barrone, the library staff started linking to digital copies of periodical issues indexed in PERSI and found available for free on the Internet. Whether the issues are on societies’ websites, the Internet Archive, the HathiTrust Digital Library, or any other posting entity and are available for free without need to login or acquire credentials, the library staff is starting to link to those issues on the PERSI result pages!

When one conducts a search in PERSI (freely available 24/7 on the Genealogy Center website at www.genealogycenter.info/persi), one can navigate a path that leads to a results page. For 22% (and growing) of the 3.2 million PERSI records, there will be the international symbol for a link displaying after the ACPL call number. Clicking on that link will take one to the free site where a copy of the periodical issue you need will be presented. That’s right--for statistically one fifth of the results of searches in PERSI, one will be taken to the actual virtual copy of the periodical needed. If there is ever a reason to try PERSI, or go back to PERSI again, now is the time!

Source for this post: 

Genealogy Gems: News from the Allen County Public Library at Fort Wayne

No. 267, May 31, 2026

If you'd like to be added to this Genealogy Gems distribution list, check out this link:

https://www.acpl.lib.in.us/genealogy/genealogy-gems

WATCH for additional posts about the Allen County Public Library such as "how to get your own free ACPL card".

Genealogy Friends from Afar - look to local historical/genealogical societies where your families lived

 

Small historical or genealogical societies are wonderful for getting to know more about your relatives' FAN Club.  Here's an example on my mother's side of the family in Upstate New York (Scriba farming community established in 1811 in Oswego County).

https://www.familysearch.org/en/wiki/Scriba,_Oswego_County,_New_York_Genealogy

My journey started by reaching out to the Scriba Historical Society on Facebook.  Then, I started emailing the society's President (Mary).  I really wanted to borrow a copy of Charles D. Young's out of print, two volume books - A Scriba Anthology.  I already had attempted Interlibrary Loan and received the Table of Contents. Going low tech, Mary sent them to me via US Mail, and I later returned them the same way.

I also have enjoyed watching videos that this small welcoming group posts:

https://scribahistoricalsociety.org/video/

Success came yesterday. After trying to join a monthly Friday roundtable sharing call via Facebook didn't work last month, I was able to join via ZOOM with the Scriba NY folks in the audience and a Wichita KS man who grew up in Scriba and knew my grandparents. 

Tip for working with local societies:  Free ZOOM works well - log back if needed. Also, volunteer to help remotely such as I did with some scanning.

"Grandma's Recipes" was the roundtable sharing topic. I brought my copy of the 1982 Oswego County Historical Society Cookbook.  The participant from Kansas showed a Scriba Baptist Church cookbook from before I was born.  I now literally have some more of my Grandma's recipes for apple cake, doughnuts, wine drop cookies, baked corn, tomato conserve, salmon loaf, and popcorn balls. If only I can find her directions for making homemade cottage cheese. I loved making and eating it with her.