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The Wilmington Library, established in 1788, has been collecting Delaware materials for centuries, and the reference department has many useful resources.  But one gem that should not be overlooked is the “Delaware Index,” a unique pre-computer age catalog of 3 x 5 cards and vertical files with materials from 1922 to 1977. For the better part…

A mere 17-miles over the Mason Dixon Line there is the quiet Pennsylvania borough of Christiana with about 1,100 residents.  In the 21st century it is an idyllic, tranquil community on the northeastern edge of fine Lancaster County farm country.  However this modern  scene differs sharply with the disturbing violence that took place there a decade before…

Whenever I start a new investigation one of my first stops is the local library as I begin the process of learning about a community and its history.  These unique institutions contain an astonishing variety of materials that help anyone puzzling together evidentiary traces of earlier times.  No matter how small, they always have local titles and…

Governmental records at the state, county, and city level are important resources for studying the past and the documents are usually available in a state or local archives.  But when local bodies digitize public historical resources it makes the job of the researcher so much easier, increasing efficiencies for agency staff, and reducing custodial and preservation problems as paper ages and becomes fragile. Recently…