- 1890 New York City Police Census: A Research GuideOverview of the alternative census conducted in New York City in 1890. A guide by Andy McCarthy, 2019. Opens in new window.
- Class Act: Researching NYC Schools with Local History CollectionsResearch guide for NYC schools. A guide by Andy McCarthy, 2014. Opens in new window.
- Direct Me NYC 1786: A History of City Directories in the United States and New York CityA history of city directories in the United States and New York City. A guide by Philip Sutton, 2012. Opens in new window.
- Five Ways to Research Your Italian Heritage Without Leaving HomeTips for using free online resources to explore your Italian heritage. A guide by Megan Margino, 2015. Opens in new window.
- Genealogy: Getting Started at The New York Public LibraryA detailed introduction for patrons getting started with genealogy research, in addition to a useful resource for historians and biographers.
- Genealogy How-To Books: How a Little Reading Can Save You A Lot Of TimeOverview of genealogy guidebooks to help short-cut your family research. A guide by Susan Kriete, 2019. Opens in new window.
- Genealogy Tips: New York Cops in The City RecordPolice records and research resources. A guide by Andy McCarthy, 2017. Opens in new window.
- Genealogy Tips: Searching the Census by AddressStep-by-step guide to searching the census by address, a powerful tool for locating lost ancestors. A guide by Philip Sutton, 2016. Opens in new window.
- Genealogy Tips: Using NYPL Resources at Home to Research Immigrant AncestorsResources you can use to research your ancestors from home. A guide by Susan Kriete, 2019. Opens in new window.
- The Great Obituary Hunt: A Genealogy Research GuideAlternative sources for information frequently found in obituaries. A guide by Carmen Nigro, 2011. Opens in new window.
- How to Find Historical Photos of New York CityNYPL digital and non-digitized visual collections, in addition to other institutions. A guide by Carmen Nigro, 2014. Opens in new window.
- How to Research A Family BusinessDescribes resources for researching the history of a business, family-owned or otherwise. A guide by Susan Kriete, 2019. Opens in new window.
- Images of Our Ancestors: A guide to finding images of people online and at The New York Public Library.Finding images of ordinary people in collections made available at NYPL. And how to identify people in family photos.
- Introduction to Polish GenealogyStrategies and resources to research your Polish family history.
- Jersey Genealogy: A Research Guide Using Local History CollectionsResearch resources for the Garden State. A guide by Andy McCarthy, 2015. Opens in new window.
- Military Records for Genealogy ResearchResearching U.S. military records at The New York Public Library.
- Names Have Meaning: a Research Guide for Baby Names and Family NamesBaby names and family names research. A guide by Carmen Nigro, 2015. Opens in new window.
- Newspapers in Genealogy and Local History ResearchUsing newspapers in genealogy research at The New York Public Library.
- New York City Land Conveyances 1654-1851: What They Are and How They WorkProperty research in New York City. A guide by Phil Sutton, 2011. Opens in new window.
- New York City Neighborhood Research: How to Site SeeResources and research methods for researching neighborhoods in New York City.
- Old Time Tours: A Guide to 19th Century New York City GuidebooksTips for using 19th century guidebooks to research the history of New York City. A guide by Andy McCarthy, 2020. Opens in new window.
- Probate Records in GenealogyWills and estates research. A guide by Andy McCarthy, 2016. Opens in new window.
- Published Family Histories: An Under-Tapped ResourceTips for using published family histories for genealogy research, even if they are not about your own ancestors. A guide by Susan Kriete, 2018. Opens in new window.
- Puerto Rico GenealogyA research guide to online and print resources for genealogy related to individuals from Puerto Rico. A guide by Diane Dias De Fazio, 2020. Opens in new window.
- Researching Ancestors who were Loyalists in the Revolutionary WarResources for patrons interested in researching possible Loyalist ancestors. A guide by Susan Kriete, 2019. Opens in new window.
- Talking U.S.A. Death RecordsGuide to finding and using death records for genealogy and history research. A guide by Andy McCarthy, 2016. Opens in new window.
- Genealogy Research with MapsA guide to using maps available at The New York Public Library and elsewhere for genealogy research.
- Using Postcards for Local History ResearchTips for using postcards as a visual record of the past. A guide by Carmen Nigo, 2015. Opens in new window.
- What's Your Story? Conducting Interviews for Genealogical ResearchHow to conduct and document family history interviews. A guide by Megan Margino, 2015. Opens in new window.
- House History Research at The New York Public LibraryA guide to researching the histories of New York City buildings.
Reference Librarians
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First Floor, Room 121
New York, NY 10018
Accessibility for Print Disabilities
For researchers with print disabilities, the Library has resources and services available upon request. The following services are available:
Digitization of Select Research Materials
Researchers who are homebound or have a print disability or visual impairment can explore many of our research collections online and request digitization of specific items of interest. To request the digitization service, email accessibility@nypl.org. Please note that you must be a patron of the Andrew Heiskell Library. This digitization service only includes material belonging to the research collections and does not apply to branch/circulating collections.
Screen Readers and Enlargers
Every public PC at all New York Public Library locations is equipped with JAWS screen reading software and MAGic software for enlarging the screen, changing colors and contrast, and screenreading.
Andrew Heiskell Braille and Talking Book Library
The Andrew Heiskell Library offers popular reading materials in accessible audio and braille formats, as well as free membership to the Bookshare database of over one million accessible texts. It also offers individual coaching and a large variety of group workshops on topics related to accessible technology. Check the listings on our website, call 212-206-5400, or email talkingbooks@nypl.org
For more information, see the Accessibility at NYPL page.