The Lloyd DeWitt Bockstruck Genealogy Collection at the J. Erik Jonsson Central Library in Downtown Dallas, Texas
by Suzan Younger
When did you last visit the public library in downtown Dallas to do in-person genealogical research? Or perhaps you have never visited the J. Erik Jonsson Central Library. Do you know that the Lloyd DeWitt Bockstruck Genealogy Collection on the 8th floor of the Central Library is one of the top ten best genealogical collections in the United States and Family Tree Magazine voted it the “Best Library for Browsing?” Do you know what a treasure genealogists have at the Dallas Central Library? As you have often heard, everything is not online and an in-person visit should be on your new year’s list of places to visit.
This article is part of a series about the Dallas Public Library’s (DPL) resources for genealogists. The Genealogy and History Division on the 8th floor is a must stop but the Dallas History & Archives on the 7th floor is another resource you should not miss. An earlier DGS Blog Article provides information about Dallas County Records held in the 7th floor collection and Misty Maberry, manager of the 7th floor, wrote about genealogical resources in the Dallas History & Archives Division. The 6th floor collection is a U.S. Federal Depository Library that includes U.S. Federal publications for advanced research.
One of the best reasons for visiting the library in-person is the 8th floor staff, available to help everyone. With over 80+ years of combined research experience, the staff provides assistance using the collection and subject specialty expertise. Unlike some family members or friends, the staff loves to talk genealogy, and you can bounce ideas off them, get recommendations for additional research sources, seek advice for next-steps and so much more. They are, without a doubt, some of the most professional, knowledgeable, helpful, and friendly people you are going to meet.
And there are more resources for the genealogist. The 8th floor houses the Creative Spaces: Heritage Lab. It is free for anyone to use after completing a brief training session online. There are several pieces of equipment available for you to digitize and preserve your research and irreplaceable memories, such as photographs, slides/negatives, family albums, scrapbooks, audio and video tapes in various formats. You can find details about the equipment and software available at no cost for your use on the Heritage Lab webpage. The Creative Spaces: Mobile Memory Station is a scanning and memory recorder for families to preserve their voices and stories as they remember them. The equipment/software allows you to scan and restore a photo (if necessary) and record your voice to tell a story associated with the photo. Your finished product is a digital file you can share with multiple family members. You can even put together a video to view on a television. The Veterans Oral History Program records video interviews with veterans and their families and support staff preserving their military experiences for future generations.
Resources on the 8th floor include computers for 8th floor patrons with access to online databases.
- American Ancestors (The New England Historic Genealogical Society)
- Ancestry.com (library edition)
- Black Life in America
- Fold3
- Handbook of Texas
- HeritageHub
- HeritageQuest
- Hispanic Life in America
- HistoryGeo
- Newsbank
- Newspaper Archive
- ProQuest African American Heritage
- ProQuest Historical Newspapers
- Reference Solutions (formerly ReferenceUSA)
- Texas Digital Sanborn Maps
- Access to TexShare databases
Scanners are free to use; bring your own USB drive. There are free paper copies and computer printouts.
The genealogy collection includes the following items, and more.
- Books and periodicals; search using the online catalog. https://catalog.dallaslibrary.org/polaris/
- See the Guide to Searching the Dallas Public Library Online Catalog for Genealogy Materials https://dallaslibrary2.org/genealogy/docs/CGCCatalogSearch.pdf
- A large family history book collection
- Family Bible Collection
- Vertical Files of Family Research
- Index to the Dallas Public Library Surname Vertical Files https://dallaslibrary2.org/genealogy/docs/verticalfile.pdf
- Microfilm/microfiche:
- Guide to the Microform and CD-ROM holdings https://dallaslibrary2.org/genealogy/resources_microformGuide.php
- Dallas Library Fiche Search Tool https://dallasgenealogy.org/DGS_Apps/Fische_Index.php
- Microform Guide: State and County Resources https://dallaslibrary2.org/genealogy/collectionhighlights.php
- Microform Guide: Military Records https://dallaslibrary2.org/genealogy/docs/militaryRecords.pdf
- Microform Guide: Statewide Indexes of Vital Records https://dallaslibrary2.org/genealogy/docs/vitalRecords.pdf
- Microform Guide: Passenger and Immigration Records https://dallaslibrary2.org/genealogy/docs/passengerImmigrationRecords.pdf
- Microform Guide: Black Biographical Dictionaries 1790-1950 https://dallaslibrary2.org/genealogy/docs/blackBioDict.pdf
- Microform Guide: Naturalization Abstracts and Indexes https://dallaslibrary2.org/genealogy/docs/naturalization.pdf
- Microform Guide: Regimental Histories of the American Civil War, UMI https://dallaslibrary2.org/genealogy/docs/regimentalHistories.pdf
Shirley Remnant Sloat compiled The Dallas County Records Of Interest to the Genealogist at the J. Erik Jonsson Central Library in 2001, and while the library has added more material since then, it is still a valuable resource for planning your research. There are subject guides for German research and a bibliography for Jewish genealogical resources.
Look for these cards in the 8th floor genealogy section to access the newest titles added to the Hispanic and African American genealogy collections.
This is a high-level overview of the amazing resources you can find when you visit the Dallas Central Library 8th floor Genealogy and History Division in downtown Dallas. There is free underground parking in the library’s garage. Currently, the library hours are Wednesday and Friday 9-5, Tuesday and Thursday 9-8 and Saturday and Sunday 9-4. The library is closed on Monday. Always check the library’s home page for current hours or for any closures. The Dallas traffic in downtown is less challenging on the weekend, so you may want to plan your visit for a Saturday and Sunday. The Dallas Genealogical Society’s general meeting is the first Saturday of the month September through May. Come attend a meeting and research afterwards. Or come for a SIG (Special Interest Group) meeting and research before and after that meeting. Why not organize a visit with like-minded family and friends? The staff will be there to welcome you and assist you with your family history research.
Library location and contact information:
J. Erik Jonsson Central Library
1515 Young Street, Dallas, Texas 75201
Main phone: 214-670-1400
Reference phone: 214-670-1700
Genealogy and History Division phone: 214-670-1433
Genealogy and History Division email: genealogy@dallaslibrary.org
Library information website: https://dallaslibrary2.org/central/index.php
Map of the 8th floor
