Orchard Park New York Family History Center

United States New YorkErie County  Orchard Park Family History Center

This Family History Center is the place to come for research or assistance in finding your missing family tree members! We offer free advice to help you navigate the sea of genealogical information that is coursing the internet, a free program to record your history on Family Tree, and a place to come to try out a selection of subscription websites at no charge. And, of course, there are many more free websites we can direct you to, training to be offered, and shortcuts to be shared. ''You can connect to our Wifi, so please bring your laptops and thumb drives.

Center Contacts and Hours
Location Map:


 * Location on Map

Address:


 * 4005 Baker Road, Orchard Park, New York 14127, United States (no mail is accepted here)
 * We are located almost across the street from the Orchard Park High School parking lot
 * It is best to park in the larger (southern) of the two parking lots
 * The larger lot is "L" shaped and leads to a sidewalk at the back of the building where the entrance to the Family History Center can be found
 * There is one small step up to double glass doors
 * Restrooms are available
 * Handicapped accessible
 * Please feel free to call for special arrangements if you think they might be needed


 * Language:English

Phone:


 * 1-716-662-3117

E-mail:


 * NY_OrchardPark@ldsmail.net

Open Hours:


 * Tuesday:9:00am-4:00pm
 * Wednesday:6:00pm-9:00pm
 * Thursday:6:00pm-9:00pm

Holiday Schedule:

'''Closed when power is out, or Orchard Park Schools are closed due to weather. 'Call first if weather is questionable. ''

2018 closed dates: April 10-12 and 17-19 and 26 (this date due to carpet washing), July 4, November 20 through 22, December 25 through January 1, 2019

Upcoming Events
Free: Finding Your Roots, Buffalo Family History Fair, October 20, 2018. www.buffalofamilyhistory.org. Begins 9 am at 1424 Maple Road, Williamsville, NY 14221 at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Arrive early for a breakfast snack, lunch available for purchase, great free classes for all levels from beginner to advanced, quilt show, performance by Buffalo Bells, DNA kit give-away, 1,000 balloon drop with prizes, scanning booth, free FamilySearch.org account set up.

Free: FamilySearch.org University, Saturday, May 12, 4005 Baker Road, Orchard Park, New York 14127 at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Begins 9:30 am, ends 1:30 pm -- intended for Church Members and Ward Temple and Family History Consultants (but everyone is welcome!). Register, connect your free Ancestry.com account, protect your tree, add sources and documents, search techniques, Wiki tools, reserve ordinances, print ordinance cards, descendancy research, indexing, adding memories, cool apps, printing 7-generation fan charts, fixing incorrect relationships, etc.

Not free, must register: Paths to Your Past, 2-5 May 2018, Grand Rapids, Michigan. http://www.conference.ngsgenealogy.org

Collections

 * FamilySearch Catalog: This center may have various films and fiche available through the FamilySearch Catalog.
 * On "Indefinite Loan" are 2 microfilm drawers of Erie County churches/cemeteries; 2 drawers of microfilms for 10 other Western and Central New York counties; Native American microfilms; plus 1,200 more microfilms.

Databases and Software

 * 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, such as

- 19th Century British Library Newspaper Digital Archive - Alexander Street Press: The American Civil War; Research Database; Letters and Diaries; Images, Photographs, Posters, and Ephemera; Social and Cultural History; Women and Social Movements in the United States - Ancestry.com - Institution version

- ArkivDigital

- FamNet - Findmypast - Institution version - Fold3.com

- Geneanet - Kinpoint Premium - MyHeritage - Library Edition - Newspaper Archive - Paper Trail - ProQuest Obituary Listings - Puzzilla.org


 * Hardware and Equipment


 * 3 internet connected research computers; 1 photocopier/printer/scanner for use in uploading photos and documents to the FamilySearch.org "Memories" gallery; 1 microfilm reader with photocopying capability; and 5 microfilm readers, one of which has a special magnifying lens for 16 mm microfilm.

Resources in the Local Area
(This section is to highlight other resources in your area that will be helpful for individuals doing research there in your location, if there are any, such as government offices, historical societies, etc.)

Links
(Include links to other websites of interest to those who visit your center such as links to the city, county and state wiki pages where your center is located.)

Volunteer at the Center
Be a regular at the Center and you will get noticed! A lot of genealogy is absorbed through osmosis and you will be an expert in no time! We are always looking for new volunteers to work with our Consultants to help those around us fill in their family trees!