Naperville Illinois Family History Center

The Naperville Family History Center is open. Appointments are preferred and will have priority. Walk-ins are welcome and will be accepted depending upon capacity at that time. You may call 630-505-0233 or send an email to "il_naperville@familyhistorymail.org" to check availability. A face mask is optional at this time.

We can also offer assistance via email or by phone. Because of changing weather, please call ahead to make sure we are open; we will not be open during HEAVY SNOW or ICY conditions or any other severe weather.

Thanks for your continued patience.

General Information
We are a Family History CENTER located in Naperville IL, which is a branch of the FamilySearch Family History LIBRARY located in Salt Lake City UT. Our mission is to help patrons begin or continue their family genealogy. We are staffed totally by volunteers and open to the public free of charge.

Address: 1320 Ridgeland Ave., Naperville, IL 60563
 * The Center is located in the church just north of the intersection of Ogden Avenue and Naper Blvd, immediately north of the McDonald's.
 * As you face the building, the Center entrance is on the far left (east) side of the building and around back.
 * When you reach the Center entrance, ring the door bell and then pull on the door.


 * Location Map

Phone: 630-505-0233

E-mail: [mailto:il&#x20;naperville@familyhistorymail.org il_naperville@familyhistorymail.org]

Stake Temple and Family History Consultant/Director - Center:  Jim and Pam Van Alstin

Facebook: Naperville Family History Center Facebook Page  this a public page.

Hours and Appointments
You may visit the Family History Center without an appointment; however, appointments are preferred since capacity is limited. Walk-ins are welcome and will be accepted on an individual basis depending on capacity at the time of your visit.


 * For availability or to make an appointment, call 630-505-0233 or send an email to il_naperville@familyhistorymail.org.  Please include your name and contact phone number. Appointments can be made for one of the time slots below.
 * A limited number of patrons and staff will be allowed
 * Appointment Hours:
 * Sunday and Monday closed
 * Tuesday........12:00p-2:50p and 3:00p-5:50p
 * Wednesday...3:00p-5:50p and 6:00p-8:50p
 * Thursday......12:00p-2:50p and 3:00p-5:50p
 * Friday...........10:00a-12:50p and 1:00p-3:50p
 * Saturday .....9:00a-12:50p
 * 2022 Closures:
 * Sat 2 April; Sat 1 October.
 * Thanksgiving: Tue 22 Nov through Sat 26 Nov; reopen on Tue 29 Nov.
 * Christmas: Tue 20 Dec through Sat 31 Dec; reopen on Tue 3 Jan 2023.

Things to Know Before Arriving

 * Be sure to bring your own USB flash drive, writing instruments and paper.
 * If you already have a FamilySearch account, please be sure to bring your user name and password. You will need it.
 * No food is allowed. You may bring your own bottled water.
 * Face mask is optional as of Feb 28, 2022. If you are unvaccinated, it is preferred you wear a mask and social distance while in the Center.
 * No children please.
 * Any of this may change in accordance with local or government guidelines.

Collections

 * CatalogThis center may have copies of microfilm listed in the FamilySearch Catalog.
 * The extended microfilm collection includes all the Chicago Catholic Church records and other Cook County Illinois records.
 * Listings of the films and microfiche that can be found at the Naperville FHC is currently being updated.
 * FHC Portal This center has access to the Family History Center Portal page which gives free access in the center to premium family history software and websites that generally charge for subscriptions. These websites include:
 * 19th Century British Library Newspaper Digital Archives – Fully searchable database of the British Library's newapaper holdings; a complete run of 48 national and regional Victorian British newspapers for the 19th century from 1800 to 1900.
 * Alexander Street Press – American Civil War Social and Cultural History: Personal accounts of well-known historical figures. The American Civil War—Research Database: Contains indexed, searchable information on over 4 million soldiers and thousands of battles, together with 15,000 photographs.  The American Civil War—Letters and Diaries: Contains approximately 100,000 indexed pages of diaries, letters, and memoirs, including 4,000 pages of previously unpublished manuscripts, such as the letters of Amos Wood and his wife and the diary of Maryland planter William Claytor.  The American Civil War—Images, Photographs, Posters, and Ephemera: Provides a vivid history of the American Civil War with over 1,400 images.  Women and Social Movements in the United States: Organized around the history of women in social movements in the United States between A.D. 1600 and 2000.
 * American Ancestors Library Edition - Library allows for access to most of the New England Historic Genealogical Society's collections. Created by the expert staff at NEHGS, America's founding genealogical organization, AmericanAncestors.org is the portal to the nation's leading resource for the highest-quality, comprehensive family history services. Explore the largest collection of original family history research materials in America.
 * Ancestry Institution Edition – Ancestry gives you access to thousands of collections of records from around the world, including immigration, census, voter, vital, and military records; newspapers and periodicals; family trees; photos and images; directories, maps, court records, land records, wills and financial records, stories, memories, and histories; and detailed records about births, marriages, deaths, land ownership, and much more. Ancestry is the largest for-profit genealogy company in the world.
 * ArkivDigital Online - Largest private provider of Swedish Church Records and other historical records online! All images are newly photographed color images of the original documents.
 * FamNet - The online family history network for those who have New Zealand roots.
 * Find My Past Institution Edition: Findmypast makes it easy to research your United Kingdom ancestry and create your family tree. Search census records, and trace births, marriages, and deaths to bring your family history to life. Please note that not all of the content from Findmypast is available in family history centers. BMD indexes for England and Wales, parish registers, death duty registers, passport applications, passenger lists leaving UK, 1841 through 1911 censuses, and military records.
 * Fold3 (previously known as Footnote) – Fold3 has refocused their efforts on gathering the best online collection of military records and stories. The Fold3 name reflects military history and honor, since traditionally, the third fold in a flag-folding ceremony honors and remembers veterans for their sacrifice in defending their country and promoting peace in the world. Resources cover colonial to mid-1900s US records. Includes some census records, vital records, photos, city directories, newspapers, town records, naturalizations, Revolutionary War records and Civil war and later military indexes, World War II Search or browse millions of historical documents and photos. "Old man's Draft" Cards, War of 1812 Pension Files, Mexican War Service Records, World War I Officer Experience Reports, Confederate Casualty Reports.
 * Geneanet - With 3 billion referenced individuals and 600,000 trees online, Geneanet is the first site dedicated to genealogy in France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Sweden, and Germany. The Geneanet community has 2 million members who exchange genealogical information. Geneanet is based in France, so the French collection represents the largest collection for any country. Includes digitized books, newspapers, and magazine.
 * MyHeritage Library Edition features over 5 billion primary historical records from the United States, Europe, and other regions, with coverage starting from the 16th century. Often accompanied by true document images, these records illuminate historical realities across a wide variety of regions. Used by millions of people worldwide to help research family history, build a family tree, and add photos, historical records, and more.
 * Newspapers.com - The largest online newspaper archive contains 12,100 newspapers from the 1700s to the 2000s, and millions of additional pages are added every month. Features billions of articles from historical newspapers around the U. S. and the world. Full page and fully searchable
 * Paper Trail - Provides access to 19th-century westward American migration documents. Index to Mormon and Oregon Trail Diaries.
 * Puzzilla.org Premium services Find new research opportunities on descendant lines in Family Tree. For use with Family Search.org Family Tree Descendants Viewer lets you see hundreds of descendant of your ancestors from an aerial view using compact symbols to reveal patterns of incomplete research. You can pick up where prior research left off. Click on a pedigree ancestor and Puzzilla will show you their descendants, revealing holes where research might uncover spouses, children, and generations of relatives waiting for you to find them.

Microfilms and Microfiche at the Center
Below are lists of the microfilms we hold in the Naperville FHC:
 * This area is still in the testing phase.

Hardware and Equipment

 * 9 Computers
 * 2 Printers
 * 3 Microfilm readers, including 2 with high magnification lenses
 * 1 Microfiche reader
 * 1 Microfilm/microfiche copier that can print a hard copy or save a digital image to your USB flash drive
 * 1 ShotBox for photographing 3-dimensional items

Staff Research Specialties

 * Are you at beginner? Any of our staff will help you get started:
 * Every Tuesday 3:00-6:00pm Dan is willing to help with German records and general research.
 * 1st & 3rd Tuesdays: 12:00-3:00pm ask for Ellen who can help with Croatian records
 * 1st, 3rd, & 5th Wednesdays: 6:00-9:00pm ask for Uschi who is fluent in German.
 * 2nd & 4th Thursdays: 12:00-3:00 pm, ask for Pat for help with Irish and Danish research AND ask for Dave for help with Midwestern States, Tenn., New England, and Civil War records. He has genealogical working knowledge of French, German, Spanish, Old German script.
 * Every Thursday: 3:00-6:00pm, ask Jerry if you need help with records from Poland, Germany, New England, and the Midwest: Chicago Roman Catholic church records and passenger list records. He can help with translation of Polish, Russian, and Latin records.
 * 2nd & 4th Saturdays: 9:00am-1:00 pm, ask for Linda for help with Italian records AND Stuart for help with UK 18th and 19th century records.

Email and Phone Assistance

 * We can also offer assistance via email or by phone. Please include your name and a contact phone number when leaving a voice message or sending an email.

Links

 * Family History Library, Salt Lake City: https://www.familysearch.org/en/family-history-library/
 * For records that are not viewable at home or at a Family History Center, use the Free Records Lookup Service: https://www.familysearch.org/en/family-history-library/family-history-library-records-look-up-service
 * Dupage County (IL) Genealogical Society Link
 * Fox Valley Genealogical Society: Link
 * Wheaton, IL Public Library Genealogy and Local History: Link

Family Search Affiliate Libraries:
Other Family Search Affiliate Libraries can be found here: Link
 * Plainfield Public Library: Link
 * Indian Prairie Library (Darien): Link
 * Fountaindale Public Library (Bolingbrook) Link
 * LaGrange Park Public Library Link
 * Batavia Public Library link
 * Glen Ellyn Public Library link

Other Resources
These webinars require registration and are viewed at a specific date and time.
 * List of FamilySearch Webinars and Classes (continuously updated): Family History Library Classes and Webinars


 * In order to view past webinars, click here. These webinars are on various specific topics and can be viewed any time and do not require registration.

Volunteer at the Center
Additional volunteers are always needed and welcome. The first and foremost quality you will need to volunteer at the Naperville Family History Center is a desire to help other people to research their family history. You do not need any particular expertise in doing family history research; serving at the Family History Center is a great way to learn how. You also do not need to be a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Volunteers typically serve a 3-hour shift at least twice a month. If you would like more information about becoming one of our volunteers, contact the Stake Temple and Family History Consultant at 630-774-9712 (please leave a voicemail with contact info).