Naperville Illinois Family History Center

''' NOTE: The Naperville Family History Center is accepting PHONE CALLS ONLY on Tuesdays and Thursdays, 11am-3pm. If the line is busy, please leave a voicemail with a call back number. Staff will be limited. You can also send an email with genealogy questions or inquires to il_naperville@familyhistorymail.org. The Center remains TEMPORARILY CLOSED TO THE PUBLIC DUE TO THE CORONAVIRUS - continue to check here for updates. '''


 * 1320 Ridgeland Rd., 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 left hand (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 (please leave a voicemail since center is temporarily unstaffed.)

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: (Closed Sunday and Monday)

THE FAMILY HISTORY CENTER IS TEMPORARILY CLOSED DUE TO THE CORONA VIRUS THREAT - CHECK THIS SITE FOR UPDATES


 * Tuesday       Noon - 6 pm (Open evenings by appointment)


 * Wednesday  Noon - 9 pm


 * Thursday      Noon - 6 pm (Open evenings by appointment)


 * Friday          10 am -  4 pm


 * Saturday       9 am - 1 pm

*Closed for 2020 Semi-Annual General Conferences:


 * Saturday, April 4th
 * Saturday, October 3rd

*2020 Holiday Closings:


 * New Year's Day
 * Independence Day - Saturday, 07/04


 * Thanksgiving - Wednesday, 11/25 through Friday, 11/27; Center will be open on Saturday, 11/28.


 * Christmas - Tuesday, 12/22 through Saturday 1/02 - - - -Open Tuesday, 1/05

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.
 * Files describing the Short-term films and Extended Loan Films and Microfiche can be found on the Films &amp; Fiche at the Naperville Family History Center website
 * 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 – This database provides images from 49 national and regional English, Welsh, Scottish and Irish newspapers from 1800 to 1900.
 * Alexander Street Press – American Civil War – Research database, letters, diaries, photos and posters, 60 collections of audio tracks, videos, images, and playlists in humanities, Literature, Music, Women's History, Black History, Psychological Counseling and Therapy, Social and Cultural History, Drama, Theater, Film and performing Arts, Religion, Sociology
 * American Ancestors Library Edition - Contains approximately 500 unique databases that contain 200 million records that originate from New York, New England and beyond. Library allows for access to most of the New England Historic Genealogical Society's collections.
 * Ancestry Institution Edition – U. S. federal and state census records, vital records, passenger lists, Canadian census, church, and vital records, UK census records, birth, marriage and death indexes, and other international records.
 * 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.
 * Find My Past Institution Edition: BMD indexes for England and Wales, parish registers, death duty registers, passport applications, passenger lists leaving UK, 1841 through 1911 censuses, and military records.
 * Fold 3 (previously known as Footnote) – 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 "Old man's Draft" Cards, War of 1812 Pension Files, Mexican War Service Records, World War I Officer Experience Reports, Confederate Casualty Reports.
 * Geneanet - Create a family tree and search records, participate in projects. Includes digitized books, newspapers, and magazine.  Geneanet is based in  France, so the French collection represents the largest collection for any country.
 * Kinpoint - Guide to doing our research.
 * 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.
 * Newspaper Archive - World's largest online newspaper archive, Features billions of articles from historical newspapers around the U. S. and the world. Full page and fully searchable
 * Paper Trail - Index to Mormon and Oregon Trail Diaries.
 * ProQuest Obituary Listings is a premier resource for genealogical and historical research. You can use the collection to search obituaries and death notices from prominent newspapers, such as The New York Times (dating back to 1851).
 * Puzzilla.org Premium services 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.

Hardware and Equipment

 * 8 Computers
 * 2 Printers
 * 5 Microfilm readers including 2 with high magnification lenses
 * 1 Microfiche readers
 * 1 Microfilm/microfiche copier that can print a hard copy or save a digital image to your portal drive
 * 1 ShotBox

Staff Research Specialties

 * Are you at beginner? Come the center on 1st & 3rd Wednesdays Noon to 3:00 or every Friday from 1:00-3:00 and Sherry will help you get started.


 * Every Tuesday 3:00 - 6:00 and Every Friday 10:00AM -1:00PM: Dan Jungclas is willing to help with German records and general research.
 * 1st & 3rd Tuesdays: From noon to 3:00 pm, ask for Ellen who can help with Croatian records.


 * 1st, 3rd, & 5th Wednesdays: From 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm, ask for Uschi who is fluent in German.


 * 2nd & 4th Thursdays: From noon to 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.


 * Thursdays: From 3:00 to 6 pm, ask Jerry if you need help with records from Poland, Germany, New England, & the Midwest: Chicago Roman Catholic church records and passenger list records. He can help with translation of Polish, Russian, and Latin records.
 * Fridays: From 10:00 am to 1:00 pm, ask for Janet for help with West Prussia, Norway, Chicago.


 * Fridays: From 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm, ask for Jan. She is an expert on migration within the the US and Civil War records.

Links
Dupage County (IL) Genealogical Society Link

Fox Valley Genealogical Society: Link

Wheaton, IL Public Library Genealogy and Local History: Link

 Family Search Affiliate Libraries  Plainfield Public Library: Link

Indian Prairie Library:Link

Fountaindale Public Library Link

LaGrange Park Public Library Link

Batavia Public Library link

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).