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PERiodical Source Index on Microfiche (PERSI)
Resource Guide
   

Table of Contents
What Is Persi?
How Persi Can Help You
What Persi Does Not Do
How Persi Is Organized
Step 1: Select The Type Of Search
Step 2: Search The Index
     Can't Find A Helpful Article?
Step 3: Identify The Journal
Step 4: Locate The Article
     Other Indexes


WHAT IS PERSI?

The PERiodical Source Index (PERSI)Look this term up in the glossary. is a subject index to thousands of articles in genealogical periodicals and journals. Using PERSI can help you find articles quickly, saving you many hours of research in unindexed periodicals.

The PERiodical Source Index is published by the Allen County (Indiana) Public Library Foundation in a joint effort with the Genealogy Department of the Allen County Public LibraryLook this term up in the glossary.. The microficheLook this term up in the glossary. version of PERSI is produced by the Family History Library with the permission of the Allen County Public Library for use in the Family History Library and its family history centers.


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HOW PERSI CAN HELP YOU

The PERiodical Source Index—

  • Indexes articles in over 2,000 periodicals.
  • Provides subject access to about 500,000 articles.
  • Includes nearly all English-language and French-Canadian genealogical periodicals.
  • Indexes articles by locality, family (surname), and research methodology.


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WHAT PERSI DOES NOT DO

The PERiodical Source Index does not—

  • Index every name mentioned in the articles.
  • Include the actual articles.
  • Index queries, ancestor charts, family group sheets, or book reviews.
  • Index information of temporary usefulness, such as society officers, membership lists, and meeting notices.
  • Index surname journals and newsletters.
  • Provide page numbers.


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HOW PERSI IS ORGANIZED

PERSI contains two separate indexes—

  • The 1847-1985 Index, or retrospective index (FHL fiche 6016863), indexes articles in journals dated from 1847 through 1985. The 1989 edition indexes every issue of about 200 popular genealogical periodicals. Other periodicals will be added yearly until 1993. Eventually, about 2000 journals will be indexed.
  • The Annuals Index (FHL fiche 6016864) is a cumulative index to virtually all genealogical journals dated 1986-1990.


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STEP 1: SELECT THE TYPE OF SEARCH

PERSI is divided into three sections:

  • Locality SectionsLook this term up in the glossary.. Articles about records of specific places are indexed in one of three locality sections: “U.S. Places,” “Canada,” and “Foreign Countries.” Each section has a similar arrangement in which the articles are listed first by the locality and then by the record type.
  • Research Methodologies SectionLook this term up in the glossary.. Articles in this section offer “how-to” instructions, such as what information is found in church records or how to trace women in a pedigree.
  • Families SectionLook this term up in the glossary.. Articles about specific families or surnames are indexed by surname in this section. These articles contain information on individual families, cemeteries where all burials are of the same surname, and family Bible records. However, family group records, pedigree charts, and surname journals are not indexed in PERSI.


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STEP 2: SEARCH THE INDEX

PERSI often uses a descriptive title for an article rather than the exact title. For example:

  • In the “U.S. Places” section, the article “Stephentown, N.Y., as a Source” is indexed as “Stephentown: a source for RI, CT families.”
  • A three-part article, “Marriage Licenses in Prince George's County, Maryland, 1777-1824,” is indexed three times as “Marriages, 1777-92,” “Marriage licenses, 1793-1805,” and “Marriage licenses, 1805-24.”
  • An article about Isaac Arnett and his wife Hannah White is entered as “Arnett-White notes, NJ,” while an untitled addition to this genealogy (in a later issue) is listed as “Arnett-Kollock notes.”

The procedures for searching each section of PERSI are slightly different. Follow the instructions for the sections you decide to search.


Locality SectionsLook this term up in the glossary.

A. Choose the locality section that best describes your ancestor's residence. Each locality section is organized differently.

  • U.S. Places. States are listed alphabetically in the first column by their two-letter postal abbreviations, not by the spelling of the state name. Thus, Iowa (IA) comes before Idaho (ID), Illinois (IL), and Indiana (IN).

Articles about the United States as a whole–or large sections of it–are listed under US, which is located between Texas (TX) and Utah (UT).
Statewide records and general articles are listed first. Articles about specific localities (such as cities, towns, or counties) follow and are listed under the locality's present-day county. Counties are listed alphabetically in the column to the right of the state abbreviation.
  • Canada. Articles about Canada in general are listed first. Each province follows alphabetically. County subdivisions are not used, but county names are often used as the first word in the title.

  • Foreign Countries. Countries are listed alphabetically. Smaller subdivisions, such as counties, are not used.

B. Identify the record type that best describes the kind of information you are seeking. All articles, including transcripts or explanations of records, are listed under the most appropriate of the following record types:

For descriptions of these record types, see the introductions of the “U.S. Places,” “Canada,” and “Families” sections of PERSI.

C. Find the article's title in the colum "Title of Article." Remember, these are usually descriptive titles, not the exact titles, of the articles. Localities are not given in the titles, as they appear in the left-hand columns.


Research Methodologies Section Look this term up in the glossary.

Choose the record type that you would like to learn more about. The same record types are used in this section as in the locality sections. However, most articles do not fit these record types and are listed under the category “Other.”

Only articles dealing with several states, entire countries, or no locality are indexed in this section. Articles discussing research methodology for a specific localities are listed in the locality section.


Families Section Look this term up in the glossary.

Find the surname of the family you are researching. The surnames of the primary families in each article are listed alphabetically. Each surname is written in CAPITAL letters and followed by a slash (/). A descriptive title of the article follows the slash.


CAN'T FIND A HELPFUL ARTICLE?

Before deciding that there are no helpful articles in the index for your family, consider the following:


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STEP 3: IDENTIFY THE JOURNAL

Find the journal citation in the five columns on the right. These columns provide the following information:

  • Journal. The title of the journal is given as a four-letter abbreviation. A list of journal abbreviations and their corresponding journal titles is in Appendix A of the Annuals Index. These appendices are at the front of the “U.S. Places,” “Canada,” and “Families” sections.

The first two letters of the abbreviation usually indicate the geographic area covered by the journal. State postal codes identify each state in the United States. AM stands for America as a whole and CN for Canada. The second two letters in the journal's abbreviation stand for the title of the journal.
  • Vol. This is the periodical's volume number.
  • Num. This is the periodical's issue number. (PERSI does not give the page numbers of the articles.)
  • Mon. This is the month, season, or quarter.
  • Year. This is the year the article was printed.

To find the journal's title, look in Appendix A or B. The entries in the appendices are arranged alphabetically by the four-letter journal abbreviations used in the index. The appendices also give the corresponding journals' titles and the geographic areas covered by each journal.

PERSI does not include a complete bibliographic listing. A list of all journals that are indexed in PERSI is Bibliography of Genealogy and Local History Periodicals with Union List of Major U.S. Collections, (First ed., Ft. Wayne, In.: Allen County Public Library Foundation, 1990, FHL Book Ref 973 D23b). This bibliography lists the title of a periodical and its PERSI abbreviation, starting date, and publisher's address. It also includes a subject index and shows which of 11 major libraries have copies of the periodical.


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STEP 4: LOCATE THE ARTICLE

To obtain a copy of an article, choose one of the following options:

  • Local Libraries. Search for the title of the journal in your local library catalog. Be aware that the journal titles used in PERSI may not be exactly the same as the titles listed in your library's catalog.

If your local library has the periodical, copy the call number and find it on the shelves. However, many of these periodicals have limited circulation and will not be in the collections of some libraries. Ask a librarian for further assistance.

Allen County Public Library
P.O. Box 2270
Ft. Wayne, IN 46801
Send a letter describing the articles you want. Provide the full entry from PERSI and the name of the journal. You may request a “reasonable” number of articles in each letter (generally not more than five to eight articles). Send no money. You will be billed a $3.00 handling fee for each request plus $.20 per page copied. Do not make your request by telephone or facsimile (FAX).
  • Family History LibraryLook this term up in the glossary.. Most of the periodicals are available at the Family History Library. Look in the Author/Title section of the Family History Library Catalog on microfiche. If the periodical has been microfilmed, you can order a copy to use at a local family history center. However, most genealogical periodicals are under copyright and are not microfilmed.

If you can identify the article's exact page numbers (see “Other Indexes”), you may request a copy. Fill out a Photoduplication Order Form for each article you want. The minimum charge of $2.00 includes the first eight pages. Additional pages costs $.25 each. Without the exact page numbers, the copy fee is $2.00 per page.
  • Major Research Libraries. Identify a library that has the periodical you need in Bibliography of Genealogy and Local Periodicals with Union List of Major U.S. Collections (cited in step 3). Send a letter requesting the article. This book lists the genealogical periodicals at the Library of Congress, the New England Historic and Genealogical Society Library, the Newberry Library, the Family History Library, and the State Historical Society of Wisconsin. It also lists genealogical periodicals of the following public libraries: Allen County, Indiana; Los Angeles; Dallas; Atlanta; New York; and Cincinnati.

  • Publisher. Write to the current publisher of the periodical (if it is still being published) to obtain a copy of an article. Names of publishers are listed with the periodical in most library catalogs, including the Family History Library Catalog.

Most publishers are genealogical or historical societies, and their addresses are listed in Directory of Historical Organizations in the United States and Canada, 14th ed., Nashville: American Association for State and Local History, 1990. (FHL Ref book 970 H24d).
Many genealogical periodicals and their publishers' addresses are listed in Ulrich's International Periodicals Directory, New York: Bowker, annual (FHL General Ref book 061.05 UL7p).

OTHER INDEXES

The following indexes and suggestions may help you locate articles not indexed in PERSI or provide page numbers for articles found through PERSI:Genealogical Periodical Annual Index. Bowie, Md.: Heritage Books, 1962-. (FHL Ref book 973 B22gp.) This is an anuual subject index of 150 to 200 currently purblished periodicals. It includes book reviews, surname journals, and publisher's addresses for the periodicals indexed.Other Indexes

Boyer, Carl, III. Donald Lines Jacobus' Index to Genealogical Periodicals. Newhall, Calif.: Boyer Publications, 1983. (FHL book 973 B22j 1983.) This is a subject index to most major periodicals published from 1870 to 1952.

Many periodicals have annual or cumulative indexes that index their contents in greater detail then PERSI or other general indexes. Some of these indexes list every name mentioned in the articles covered.

Statewide indexes to genealogical periodicals are also available for some states.

For more information on these additional indexes, see the United States Research Outline, specific state research outlines, and the Family History Library Catalog.

Paper publication: 1996. First Edition, August 1990

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