Please select various resources on this site from the menu below.

Please select various resources on this site from the menu above.

Research Aids

Any updates or corrections to this list will be appreciated.

Clarion County Historical Society
18 Grant Street, Clarion, PA 16214-1015
Phone:  (814) 226-4450
Fax:  (814) 226-7106
Web site

This Web site has a large amount of CCHS information, including a list of many of its genealogy and history reference works.

Check the CCHS Website for other research aids and items it has for sale.


Clarion University Library
Clarion, PA 16214
Phone:  (814) 226-2000
Library Reference:  (814) 226-2303
Web site
The Library is located on the campus of Clarion University.  It is a university library, but it has a reasonable collection of local-interest items.  Of particular note is the Barbara Morgan Harvey Center for the Study of Oil Heritage.

Clarion Free Library
644 Main St., Clarion, PA 16214
Phone:  (814) 226-7172
Fax:  (814) 226-6750
Web site

Hours:
Monday-Thursday:  9:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Friday:  9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Saturday:  8:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Sunday:  closed
Library volunteers compiled an easy-to-use Newspaper Obituary Index, 1950-1985.  Please contact the Kerri Kline, the Library's genealogist, for assistance.

The Library holds microfilm of the Clarion News from 1867 to present and New Bethlehem Leader-Vindicator from 1890 to present.

A list of newspapers on microfilm at the library is available on this Web site.  Use the Search function to locate the list.

The Library also has local census records from 1790-1920 on film.


Eccles-Lesher Memorial Library

673 North Main St., Rimersburg, PA  16248
Phone:  (814) 473-3800
Fax:  (814) 473-8200
Web site

Hours:
Monday-Thursday:  10:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Friday & Saturday:  10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Sunday:  closed

The Web site has a list of family histories and a cemetery text file.

The Library has newspapers on film, photos, local history movies, and much more.

Foxburg Free Library
31 Main Street, Foxburg, PA  16036
Phone:  (724) 659-3431
Fax:  (724) 659-3214
Web site

Hours:
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday:  12:00 p.m - 7:00 p.m.
Saturday:  10:00 a.m.- 5:00 p.m.
Wednesday & Sunday:  closed

Knox Public Library
620 S. Main Street, Knox, PA 16232
Phone: (814) 797-1054
Fax:  same
Web site

Hours:

Monday, Tuesday, Thursday:  10:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Friday:  10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Saturday:  10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Wednesday & Sunday:  closed

New Bethlehem Area Free Public Library
246 Broad St., New Bethlehem, PA 16242
Phone:  (814) 275-2870
Fax:  (814) 275-2870
Web site

Hours:
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday:  9:30 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Saturday:  9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. (closes at 1:00 p.m. during summer months)
Wednesday & Sunday:  closed
Library has the local newspaper on microfilm that dates back to 1890.  There are some gaps in the microfilm, though, as newspapers that were destroyed by the flood of 1936 were never microfilmed.  It also houses a limited collection of histories of local families done by a descendant in each family.

Within a year, Library will be moving into a new facility and will have a local heritage room that will house memorabilia, records and local history.

Mildred Lankerd-Thomas Genealogical Library
300 N. McKean St., Kittanning, PA 16201
Phone: (412) 548-5707
Web site

Hours:
Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday:  12:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. from April through mid-November

Fees (from the library's Web site):
The rate to use the library is $3.00 a day for non-members and $1.00 a day for student members [sic].  Members of the Armstrong County Genealogy Club can use the library and research for free.
(from the library's Web site):
The Mildred Lankerd-Thomas Genealogical Library's holdings include many research materials on genealogy.  Resources include over 800 family histories, cemetery records, county histories, obituaries, early newspaper abstracts, maps, atlases, birth records, baptism records, the complete Armstrong County census, a surname index, town histories, church histories, church records, and American Indian, Irish, and German research helps.  The library also contains photo-copy machines, computers, microfilm readers and a microfiche reader.

Butler Area Public Library
218 N. McKean St., Butler, PA 16001
Phone: (724) 287-1715
Web site

Hours:
September - May -- Monday, Tuesday 8:30 a.m. - 9:00 p.m.; Wednesday, Thursday 9:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m.; Friday and Saturday 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
June - August -- Monday through Thursday 9:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.; Friday and Saturday 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
The Weir Genealogy Room has a genealogist available on a part-time basis.  There are over 2000 volumes; 600 rolls of census, newspapers, and probate microfilm; an obituary index dating from 1825 to the present with over 75,000 names; computerized searches (available by reservation with genealogist); 250 catalogued family histories and 15 cubic feet of family files available with assistance from staff.

Rebecca M. Arthurs Memorial Library (Brookville)
223 Valley Street in Brookville, PA  15825
Phone: (814) 849-5512
Web site

Hours:

Monday:  closed
Tuesday, Thursday, Friday:  11:30 a.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Wednesday:  9:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Saturday:  10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Sunday:  1:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Oil City Library
2 Central Ave., Oil City, PA 16301
Phone:  (814) 678-3072
Fax:  (814) 676-8028
Web site

Hours:

Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday:  9:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Thursday, Friday, Saturday:  9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Sunday:  closed
In 1995, the Oil City Library was designated by the State Library to be one of twenty-eight district library centers in the state.  The library, also known as the Oil Creek District Library Center, serves as the district library for the fourteen public libraries in the counties of Venango, Clarion, and Jefferson.

Among its special holdings are the Pennsylvania Collection and microfilm of The Derrick (complete from 1871) and other early local newspapers.

Franklin Free Library
421 Twelfth, Franklin, PA 16323
Phone:  (814) 432-5062
Fax:  (814) 432-8998
Web site

Hours:
Monday through Friday:  10 a. m. to 8 p. m. (6 p.m. June, July, August)
Saturday:  10 a. m. to 5 p. m.
Sunday:  closed
The Pennsylvania Room is open the first three Saturdays of each month from 12:00 noon to 5:00 p.m.

Kittanning Public Library
280 N. Jefferson Street Kittanning, PA  16201
Phone:   (724) 543-1383
Web site

Marienville Area Library

110 E. Spruce St., Marienville, PA  16239-0306
Phone:  (814) 927-8552
Web site

Hours:
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday:  10:00 am to 5:00 pm
Thursday:  10:00 am to 8:00 pm
Saturday:  9:00 am to 4:00 pm
Friday & Sunday:  closed

Small library.  Marienville is near the Clarion-Forest County boundary

Western Pennsylvania Genealogical Society Library
Pennsylvania Dept. of the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh
4400 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA  15213-4080
Phone:  (412) 622-3114
Web site
Searchable catalogue on-line

Hours:
Monday - Thursday:  9:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Friday & Saturday:  9:00 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.
Sunday:  1:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. (October through May)
The WPGS library collection of materials is available to its members and the general public to aid in the research of general genealogy and, specifically, Western Pennsylvania ancestors.

Resources available:  Many family genealogies not found elsewhere, research materials, microforms, audio cassettes, vertical files of family research, church histories, cemetery histories, and locality research, also the First Families of Western Pennsylvania ancestors.

Western Pennsylvania Historical Society Library
1212 Smallman Street, Pittsburgh, PA  15222
(John Heinz Regional History Center)
Phone:  (412) 454-6000
Fax:  (412) 454-6031
Web site
On-Line Searchable Catalogue

Hours:
Tuesday - Saturday:  10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
The Library & Archives collections document 250 years of life in western Pennsylvania.  The strength of the collection is the Nineteenth Century.  Holdings feature
  • 40,000 books, pamphlets and monographs
  • 600 periodicals, scholarly journals and newspapers
  • 500 original maps and atlases
  • 500,000 photographic prints and negatives
  • 3,5000 individual archival collections of personal and family papers, organizational records and business and industry records.

Pennsylvania Room, Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh
4400 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA  15213-4080
Phone:  (412) 622-3154
Fax:  (412) 621-1267
Web site
An exceptional collection of resources, including historic photographs and other items not available elsewhere.

Latter-Day Saints Family History Centers
Knox, PA 16232
Phone: (814) 797-1287

Butler:  365 Sawmill Run Road, Meridian, Butler County
Phone:  (724) 482-2129
Hours:  Wednesday 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m., 6:30-8:30 p.m. (for LDS members only); Thursday 9:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m.; Saturday 9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

Chambersburg:  50 Ragged Edge Road, Chambersburg, Franklin County
Phone:  (717) 263-8679
Hours:  Tuesday 11:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m.; Wednesday 6:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.; Saturday 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

Fairview:  11887 Mentzer Gap Road, Waynesboro, Franklin County
Phone:  (717) 762-2268
Hours:  Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday 9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m., 6:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.  Closed the last two weeks of December.

Franklin:  1449 Thompson Road, Franklin, Venango County
Phone:  (814) 437-5561
Hours:  Wednesday 6:00 - 9:00 p.m.
These are local branches of the Family History Library of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.  Each library has specific materials made available by the FHL in Salt Lake City.  In addition, each local library has unique collections of books and other materials that have been donated by patrons.

FHC's have different hours, depending on local patronage and staffing.  All staff members are volunteers.  It is best to call ahead and check the hours shown here.  You can also verify library availability and hours at the LDS FamilySearch Web site.

These are location addresses only; FHC's do not receive mail on-site, and they do not respond to genealogical research requests.

There is no charge for using a FHC, but nominal charges apply to copies, printouts, and microfilm rentals.  The public is encouraged to use the facilities.  Religious proselytizing of non-LDS members is not allowed in the library.

Pennsylvania Libraries
Carnegie Library, Pittsburgh, PA -- maintains a fairly up-to-date listing of regional libraries with homepages or on-line catalogues.
An alternative site purports to have links to all Pennsylvania libraries, but the links are not always up-to-date.
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