Historically, the model for research facilities use in
genealogy and family history [in the United States]
centered first on the East Coast, with the subsequent
gradual takeover in the field of Family History, beginning
circa A. D. 1900, by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day
Saints, (headquarters in Salt Lake City, Utah).
Presently, on the East Coast, the Library of Congress
Online Catalog has a database of "approximately
12 million records representing books, serials,
computer files, manuscripts, cartographic materials,
music, sound recordings, and visual materials in
the Library's collections."
http://catalog.loc.gov/
This is further enhanced by major research depositories
from New England - to the South, as well as some other
locations in the Central section of the United States.
This can be compared with the LDS FHC of Salt Lake City,
Utah, having 2,000,000 + microfilms and approximately
280,000 bound volumes. REF:
The World of Learning 1999, Forty-Ninth Edition,
by Europa Publications Limited.
http://www.familysearch.org/Browse/browse.asp
On the West Coast, in the State of California,
there is the Melvyl® Catalog Database.
Its contents, as of December 6, 1999 are listed as:
"approximately 10,013,139 Titles representing
15,226,500 holdings for materials in the University
of California Library and the California State Library".
http://www.melvyl.ucop.edu/
This represents a major PARADIGM SHIFT in
the field of Genealogy and Family History Research,
as this database alone represents more resources
than those contained in the Online Library of
Congress Catalog. Limited in-house access to Other
Databases includes RLIN Bibliographic File (@RLG)
of approximately 88 million records, as well as
WorldCat (@OCLC) and its 32 + million records.
SOURCES and REFERENCES, at:
http://www.dcn.davis.ca.us/~vctinney/archives.htm#Sources
combines these major holdings with other online databases
of genealogical interest - worldwide.
Since the Internet lacks at present, a comprehensive
Genealogy Search Engine, a worldwide substitute
can be found at:
UCD Melvyl® Library Information & Links
http://www.dcn.davis.ca.us/~vctinney/archive2.htm#shields
LOOK FOR:
MELVYL® System via Telnet
This KEY resource has the Browse command
that works like a Genealogy Search Engine.
After following listed instructions, a search for
[genealog#] will currently produce a listing of
7,023 subject headings, worldwide.
"Type D COUNTS to display the number of books
with each heading.
Type SELECT and the heading number to search
for books with each heading."
SAMPLE FORMAT:
"1.1 Abbeville County (S.C.) -- Census, 1800.
ALSO KNOWN AS:
Abbeville County, S.C.
1.2 Abbeville County (S.C.) -- Genealogy.
1.3 Abbeville County (S.C.) -- Genealogy -- Indexes.
1.4 Abbeville County (S.C.) -- Maps.
2.1 Aberdeen (Miss.) -- Genealogy.
2.2 Aberdeen (Miss.) -- History.
3.1 Aberdeen (Scotland)
3.2 Aberdeen (Scotland) -- Antiquities.
3.3 Aberdeen (Scotland) -- Bibliography.
3.4 Aberdeen (Scotland) -- Biography.
3.5 Aberdeen (Scotland) -- Buildings, structures, etc.
3.6 Aberdeen (Scotland) -- Buildings, structures, etc.
-- Guidebooks.
3.7 Aberdeen (Scotland) -- Charters, grants, privileges
-- Bibliography.
(Record 3 continues on the next screen.)"
CONTINUING THE EXAMPLE:
. . .
"7. Abruzzi (Italy)...(this heading has too many
subdivisions to display or SELECT)"
. . .
[NOTE: Headings having too many subdivisions
to display under the browse command, such as
Abruzzi (Italy) just noted, can be searched using
the format:
"FIND SU GENEALOG# -- (HEADING WORDS)".
An example would be:
Find su genealog# -- Ohio*
This will provide an alphabetical listing of all related
record sources in Ohio dealing with, or related to
the subjects of genealogy, genealogist, genealogies, etc.]
*{ Search request: FIND SU GENEALOG# -- OHIO
Search result: 470 records at all libraries
Type D to display results, or type HELP.
SAMPLE:
"Type HELP for other display options.
1. 20th century history of Springfield, and Clark County,
Ohio, and representative citizens / edited and compiled
by William M. Rockel.
Chicago, Ill. : Biographical Publishing Co., 1908.
Series title: Ohio county histories ; reel 20, book 77.
CSL Sutro MICRO- FILM 254 Reel 20 Book 77
2. 20th century history of Youngstown and Mahoning County,
Ohio, and representative citizens / edited and compiled
by Thos. W. Sanderson.
Chicago, Ill. : Biographical Publishing Company, 1907.
Series title: Ohio county histories ; reel 47, book 182.
CSL Sutro MICRO- FILM 254 Reel 47 Book 182
CSL Sutro MICRO- FILM 260 Reel 80 Book 269
3. 1807 census Butler County, Ohio. Middletown, Ohio :
Butler Co. Chapter,
OGS, [199-?].
CSL Sutro F497.B9 N45
Press RETURN to see the next screen.
CAT-> . . ."}
This database resource, in combination with other
database sources listed in-library on computer terminals,
(via the ALPHA command), immensely expand the
restricted in-house collections and records of the LDS
[Mormon] Family History System; in particular,
the LDS FHC 280,000 bound volumes (and many
micro forms), as they can be obtained by InterLibrary
Loan Services or personal visit.
It has been estimated that in the State of California,
alone, that by the 1990s, there were over 70 millions
of books within the various library systems, statewide.
The future of the California Library system is: "One library,
8,000 doors", as mentioned in an editorial in The Sacramento
Bee, dated Sunday, May 4, 1997, page 4 of the
Forum Section). The California Digital Library (CDL)
presently "is responsible for the design, creation,
and implementation of systems that support the
shared collections of the University of California".
Respectfully yours,
Tom Tinney, Sr.
http://www.dcn.davis.ca.us/~vctinney/homepage.htm#Here
Listed in: Who's Who In The West, 1998/1999
Who's Who In Genealogy and Heraldry,
[both editions]