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Archiver > NYC-ROOTS > 1999-05 > 0925841337


From: Charles Sullivan <>
Subject: Re: [NYC] Chambers St. vs. NY Public Library
Date: Tue, 04 May 1999 13:08:57 -0500


You may need to visit both places. The NYC Municipal Archives (31 Chambers
St) is easy to work in - they have motorized readers and the films are
mostly all out on the shelf. They also have the microfilms of the actual
vital records (to 1909 for births, 1937 for marriages, 1948 for deaths).
They _don't_ have indexes for the later vital records at the NYC Dept of
Health. Upstairs for wills, naturalizations, and such, but that part is
only open Tuesday and Thursday.

The NYPL (at 5th Ave and 42nd St) has indexes to vital records up to about
1980 but no actual vital records at all. Their Genealogy Room (closed on
Mondays) and the library in general has a lot of material you won't find
elsewhere, like census ED maps, old NYC newspapers, etc. The library is
very crowded and in my opinion difficult to work in (mostly closed stacks
except in Genealogy Room and some microfilms, long waits for photocopies
and microfilm printers), but they've got the goods.

The two places are not that close together and you'll have to take a taxi
or the subway - the latter will probably be faster. Ask the guy in the
subway change booth for a subway map.

Regards,
Charles Sullivan

wrote:
>Good morning everyone..........I may get a chance to come to NYC this summer
>and was wondering what the chances were of actually going to 21 Chambers St
>and searching records.........is it allowed, worth it, etc? I also want to
>go to the main Library at 5th and Lex. (I think it's there or close by)
>.....do they have alot of genealogical records available and can one spend
>some time searching there?
>
>Would appreciate any suggestions.........
>
>
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