Frequently Asked Questions

How do I get started with genealogy?

The library owns a number of books for beginners, such as this one, but for instant gratification, you can take a look at the advice on this site.

 

Did you know that Boy Scouts can earn a Genealogy merit badge?
Some of the badge requirements and recommended sources are right here at NPL! We have the merit badge book (YA SCOUT) at all three locations.  You can use Ancestry-Library Edition at our Online Database terminals at any of the buildings. It can help you find a grandparent in the United States Census, or, depending on where your family lived, a marriage index that gives dates and birth names. If you’re a second or third generation Napervillian, use our Naperville Heritage Collection to find your ancestor’s home address in local telephone books. Then find the ancestral house in Sanborn Maps!

 

It's 2012--where is the 1940 Census?

The 1940 Census will not be made available to the public until April 2.  On that date, the Census images will be available online free of charge on this site: http://1940census.archives.gov.  However, they will not be indexed by name when first released.  You will need to know the enumeration district (ED) where the person you are looking for lived.  There is an online tool that can help you determine an ED.

The images should also be entered in Ancestry Library Edition.  They will eventually be indexed, but it will take time. In the meantime, Ancestry Library Edition's 1940 Census Substitute contains city directories published between 1935 and 1945 for several states--California, Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont--plus New York City.

 

How do I find 1930 U.S. Census information in Heritage Quest?
Because of its incomplete indexing, the most recent census returns are not completely searchable in Heritage Quest. If you know an exact address, browsing is one method. A better option for work at home is:
1.    In  FamilySearch.org, go to All Record Collections near the bottom of the page.
2.    Search All Record Collections by “United States Census, 1930” and go to that collection.
3.    Select this census and search.
4.    Open the desired index record.
5.    Note the Enumeration District (ED) number, NARA Publication and Roll number, Sheet Number and Letter, and, if needed, Line Number. (Some portions of the FamilySearch index do not correspond: Family number, Film number, Digital Folder Number, and Image Number.)

If the information in the FamilySearch index does not suffice,        
1.    Log in with your Naperville Public Library barcode number to access databases.
2.    Open HeritageQuest and select Search Census.
3.    Select the 3rd tab, Find By Page Number.
4.    Choose the Series. Its number begins with the date.
5.    Type in the Roll Number.
6.    Into Page, type in the Sheet Number without the letter following. The letter corresponds to the image, i.e., B is the second image.

 

How can I find my family's coat of arms?

Actually, coats of arms weren't issued to families, they were issued to individuals.  It may be possible that you had an ancestor with a registered coat of arms, but that doesn't mean that anyone with the same family name or even people in the same lineage have the right to use it.  For an in-depth explanation, check out this article by Dick Eastman.