A Canadian Family

One Family Historian And Her Local Library

Research at my local library in Chateauguay

When I started tracing my family roots about a decade ago, online genealogy and family history sites were still in their infancy. I remember that as a beginning genealogist the most useful sites were the forums – especially Rootsweb.com and Genforum, as well as the Canadian census sites.I got a lot of direct help in the way of information about my own ancestors but I also learned a lot about the research process just by watching others collaborate on my computer screen! Most importantly I met some great researchers like Fidele Theriault who set me on my way with good, solid information. In spite of this, most of my early work was done in “real world” librairies like the Montreal Library, McGill University and, most importantly, my local library.

I have fond memories of the Bibliotheque de Chateauguay. This was where I first came across Stephen A. White’s Dictionnaire and scoured the blue and red Drouins and Tanguay for my Quebec roots. I can also remember the first time I saw my grandparents’ names in a parish marriage index – it was so exciting to run my hands over the index and see familiar names! So why did I stop going to the library?

One reason for this is that I now have online access to many primary documents and of course that’s preferable to working with compiled indexes. Another reason is that I’m a newcomer to Chateauguay. I’ve only been here for about 20 years so it I didn’t feel it would be too useful. Nevertheless, as part of a personal improvement program ( 52 weeks to better genealogy) I- and to help others I decided to drop by my local Bibliotheque de Chateauguay – and the Societe genealogique de Chateauguay.

The Chateauguay Library

The genealogy collections are housed on the 2nd floor mezzanine in Chateauguay’s modern, state-of-the-art library. You reach that section through a narrow corridor that opens up onto a well-lit but cozy little study hall with tables that are ample enough to take an outsized blue Drouin! All the books on these shelves are open to the general public – and they include birth, marriage and death indexes, family histories, collections of notarial documents etc.

The Chateauguay Genealogical Society

As you browse through those bookshelves you might notice something strange – a glass-walled internal room that houses computers, books and some very studious looking people. What have you found? It’s the

Accueil|Societe de genealogie de Chateauguay

(Genealogical Society of Chateauguay) - an organization that was founded in 1999 to promote genealogy and to “gather and preserve documents relating to genealogy”. For only $20 you have access to this organization which serves as a fellowship of like-minded people, offers assistance to beginners, holds courses on topics such as paleography, provides access to extra genealogical resources such as PRDH and, finally, promotes and supports the production of original local history publications.

Special Collections

Something else that would be of  special interest to family historians is the collection of  several local newspapers that goes back decades. I’ve made a resolution to go through them and see whether I can find historic images of schools and churches that family members have attended. And this is something that I would never have found in cyberspace!

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Inspired by We Tree: 52 Weeks to Better Genealogy

January 13, 2010 Posted by Evelyn Yvonne Theriault | . | Chateauguay | 3 Comments