The Dallas Public Library has been recognized by Family Tree Magazine as one of the Top 10 Public Libraries in the United States for genealogy research. “Many public libraries now have dedicated genealogy or local history collections, making them an essential destination for every roots researcher. There you’ll find not only books, but also rare manuscripts, genealogical journals, census records, and CD-ROMs, all full of valuable information you won’t find on the Internet.”
Dallas Public Library’s Genealogy & History Division of the J. Erik Jonsson Central Library houses one of the largest and most comprehensive genealogy collections in the southern United States. Named in memory of former Genealogy supervisor Lloyd DeWitt Bockstruck in 2019, the collection includes extensive books, maps, archival materials, and microform records covering all 50 states, as well as international resources from Canada, the British Isles, Germany, and a significant Hispanic genealogy collection. Researchers also have access to a wide range of genealogy databases, including HistoryGeo, Ancestry.com, and NewspaperArchive.com.
- Visit Dallas Public Library’s Genealogy Research page to learn more about the online and in-print collections that the library offers.
- The Genealogy & History Division houses the Creative Spaces: Heritage Lab – a place for customers to digitize irreplaceable family memories and create new ways to celebrate them. Generously funded by the Dallas Genealogical Society, the Friends of the Dallas Public Library, and the General Levi Casey Chapter, NSDAR, the Heritage Lab’s resources are available for all library visitors on the 8th floor of the J. Erik Jonsson Central Library for free. Please call (214) 670-1433 or email libcreativespaces@dallas.gov to schedule an appointment.
- The 7th-Floor Dallas History and Archives Division contains extensive records related to Dallas history, including the archives of the Dallas Genealogical Society.
- Explore the Dallas Public Library’s online catalog. Most genealogy collection items cannot be checked out, but many are digitized through FamilySearch.org, and there is a small circulating collection available.
Expert staff is ready to assist you with your family history search. Contact us via email at genealogy@dallas.gov for general questions about the library and the department, to seek guidance about how to use and access our collections, or for quick lookups and scans. If you need immediate assistance during open hours, please call our reference desk at 214-670-1433.
