Hillsborough Library System  

Prices of admission ( if listed) are as of August 2003.  Subject to change.


The African-American Research Library and Cultural Center

2650 Sistrunk Blvd., Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33311 (954) 625-2800 Email: aarlcc@browardlibrary.org

Serves as a research library and cultural center for scholars, students and the general public, and contains more than 75,000 books, documents, artifacts and related materials that focus on the experiences of people of African descent. Local history is a cornerstone of the available resources. The auditorium and exhibit areas provide a forum to exchange ideas and cultural values, and to promote an understanding and appreciation of the contributions of persons of African descent. The 60,000 square foot library opened on October 26, 2002.


Florida State Archives

500 S. Bronough Street, R.A. Gray Building, Tallahassee, FL 32399-0250, (850) 245-6600 Hours: 8:00 am-5:00 pm Mon through Fri 9:30 am to 3:30 pm Sat (excluding holiday weekends)

The Archives maintains a collection of nearly 40,000 cubic feet of records of state and local government, as well as papers of private individuals, families, businesses, and organizations. It also administers the Florida Photographic Collection of approximately 800,000 images and a Genealogical Collection of more than 10,000 books, 200 CD's, and 15,000 microfilm rolls.


Gainesville - University of Florida, Smathers Libraries

P. O. Box 117007, Gainesville, FL 32611-7001 (352) 392-9075, ext. 306

Library hours are too extensive to print here, but can be found at their web site. They have a very unusual collection of British documents including “parish registers.” They have many volumes of the state archive series for Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Maryland. Also, allow some time for their Special and Area Studies Collections. The P.K. Younge Florida history collection is one of the best in Florida.


Holocaust Memorial Resource and Education Center of Central Florida
 
851 North Maitland Avenue, Maitland, Florida 32794, Phone - (407) 628-0555 Hours: Mon-Thur 9 am-4 pm; Fri 9 am-1 pm; Sun 1 pm-4 pm

The Holocaust Memorial Center Library has a collection of over 5,000 volumes and over 500 videotapes. Holocaust books are in the majority; related subjects include Anti-Semitism and racism, Jewish - Christian relations, Jewish history and more. A Juvenile section is included. A vertical file is available for the use of students and researchers. Oral histories of Holocaust survivors and liberators are included in the video collection. In the archival collection are Yiskor (memorial) books and numerous artifacts from the Holocaust donated to the Holocaust Memorial Center. Reference shelves include Holocaust Encyclopedias, volumes of documentary material from Yad Vashem, Art books and rare volumes.



Indian River County Main Library


Julian W. Lowenstein Florida History & Genealogy Department, 1600 21st Street, Vero Beach, Florida 32960, Phone: (772) 770-5060 x108Hours: Mon-Thur 10 am-8 pm; Fri 10am-5 pm; Sat 10 am-4 pm; Sun 1-6 pm

Approximately 4000 square feet of room space includes over 20,000 titles, 35,000 microfiche, 9,000 microfilm and 9 computers that use over 250 CD-ROM's and has access to all major genealogy Internet subscriptions. All U.S. census from 1790-1930 is available in a variety offormats. In addition, many special collections are available such as Corbin of Massachusetts, Barbour and Hale of Connecticut, Rev. Joseph Turner Brown of DelMarVa (Delaware, Maryland& Virginia), Father Loiselle marriage indexes of Quebec, and Francis Crawn Collection of New Jersey.


Jacksonville Public Library, Genealogy Department

122 N. Ocean Street Jacksonville, FL 32202 (904) 630-2665

Hours: Mon - Thur 9am-8pm; Fri - Sat 9am-6pm; Sun * 1pm-6pm * except April 20, May 11 & 25, August 31.

Jacksonville Public Library's Genealogy Collection, located on the first floor of the Main Library, houses genealogy materials relating to the Southeastern United States, with particular emphasis on Jacksonville and Duval County, including census rolls, family histories and other resources. Includes reference materials for the original thirteen colonies.


Jacksonville - The Southern Genealogical Society Library

6215 Sauterne Drive, Jacksonville, Fl 32210  Telephone: 904-778-1000.  Hours 10am-3pm every Wednesday & Thursday and the first and third Saturday of each month.   This is located in a home built in the 60s.

Visitors are always welcome to browse through the over 6,000 books and periodicals.  You can research the entire U.S. and some foriegn countries.  Many family trees have been documented and placed within our library.
Society Members are on hand to point you in the right direction and answer your questions.  There is a  donation jar  for non-members use of the library.


Miami-Dade Public Library, Special Collections

101 W. Flagler Street, Miami Florida 33130 (305) 375-5580 Library Hours: Mon  Sat 9:00 - 6:00 pm Thur 9:00 am-9:00 pm Suns 1:00 pm-5:00 pm (October-May only)

A complete collection of the U.S. Census for all states and for all available years is housed in this extensive reference department. Other important microfilm holdings include the U.S. City Directories covering major cities from 1860 through 1935, & immigration lists. The book collection emphasizes the Eastern and Atlantic States.



Orange County Regional History Center

65 East Central Boulevard, Orlando, FL 32801. Phone: (407) 836-8500, Toll Free: (800) 965-2030

Hours: Mon - Sat 10 am - 5 pm; Sun - Noon - 5 pm Open Daily except Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year's Eve and New Year's Day. Admission: $7.00 Adult; $6.50 Seniors (60+) and Students; $3.50 Children (3-12); Free Children under age 3. Located in downtown Orlando, one block west of the Orange County Public Library.


Orange County Public Library

101 E. Central Blvd., Orlando, FL 32801, (407) 835-7323

It has one of the finest genealogical collections in the Southeast. The collection was started in 1923. In 1929, the Library became the official repository of the Florida State Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution. The genealogy collection contains more than 25,000 books and bound periodicals, 10,000 microfiche and over 15,000 reels of microfilm. They have the complete federal census from 1790-1930 on microfilm, Passenger List indices for Baltimore, Boston, Galveston, New Orleans, New York, and Philadelphia and special collections such as Barbour (CT), Boston Transcripts, Massachusetts Indexes to births, marriage and death (1841-1895), Draper Manuscripts (southern states), Grandparent Papers of Florida, and the American Slave.


The Polk Co. Historical & Genealogical Library

Historic Courthouse - 100 East Main Street, Bartow, FL 3830 Telephone: (863) 534-4380, Hours: 9:00 am -5:00 pm Tue-Sat
Article on the Library

Library contains 12,800 books, manuscripts and typescripts and over 7000 microfilm on southeastern states. Complete census is available for most of the southern states from the earliest start date to 1930. They have over 1500 compiled family histories and a large collection of Civil War publications. This library has three floors of space and is housed in the old Polk County Courthouse where the Polk County historical museum is also located.


Rollins College Olin Library Archives and Special Collection

1000 Holt Ave. Winter Park, FL 32789 (407) 646-2421  Mon-Thu 8am-12am; Fri 8am-6pm; Sat9am-6pm; Sun11a-12am

Owns microfilm of British and American Historical collections. Excellent repository for central Florida historical resources.

University of Central Florida, Special Collections

4000 Central Florida Blvd., Orlando, FL 32816, (407) 823-2562 / (866) 271-7589

Open from 8 am-5 pm, Mon-Fri and is located on the 5th Floor of the Library, Room 501. (407) 823-2576, Email: speccoll@mail.ucf.edu.West Indies Collection has over 1,800 books and periodicals on the history, geography, economy, and social life of the West Indies and the Caribbean area. Thomas& Georginne Mickler collection contains books, pamphlets, maps, diaries, photographs and ephemera covering many topics related to Florida’s history and development. Other UCF sources include: Draper manuscript collection on microfilm, U.S. Serial Set 1789- Pres., Index of Patents, 1842-Pres., Florida Sanborne Fire Insurance Maps, African American Biographical Database, Index to Early American Periodicals (1741-1935). More information: http://library.ucf.edu/GovDocs/genealogy.htm



Wells’ Built Museum of African American History and Culture

511 West South Street, Orlando, FL 32805 Mon to Fri 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. Office: (407) 245-7535

Listed in the National Register of Historic Places, the Wells’ Built Museum opened in December 2000. Doctor William M. Wells, one of Orlando’s early African American physicians, constructed the building, formerly the Wells’ Built Hotel, in 1929.

Florida Department of Historical Resources

University of Florida Digital Collection

State Archives of Florida

Birth, Marriage and Death Certificates

This Page Updated February 1, 2015 by Fran Smith

Updated November 20, 2016 by Linda Flowers

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