St. Tammany Parish Library

Louisiana & Lineage Collection

L.D.S. Family History Center

&

Home of the West Florida Collection

Introduction

Library’s Mission for the Collection

Goals

Areas Covered/Depth of Coverage of the Collection

Services/Programs/Societies

Conclusion

IntroductionSTPL’s Louisiana Collection

•Started formally in 2004

•Currently 6500 vols, 1300 CD & 700 film reels

•Access to: web, Ancestry, Heritage Quest, Family Search, WESTLAW and other tools

• Growing and changing role

Library’s Mission for the Collection

“The role of the Louisiana Collection is to preserve, acquire and acquaint users with the unique history of the population and areas the library serves. Secondarily, it is intended to serve as a research outlet for the public at large.”

GoalsTo provide a place for research

To provide a forum to learn to how conduct same

To aid patrons with basic information and reference(s) to proceed in their work

To develop a collection the reflects goals and mission priorities

Areas Covered/Depth of Coverage of the Collection

The collection covers the West Florida Parishes, Acadiana, Louisiana, the Confederacy and some parts of New England.

The West Florida Area (see map) is the primary interest. This area is covered and collected in AGGRESSIVELY

All other areas are important (ex: Orleans notarial documents found in NONA)

Databases provide “depth” without need for additional walls, etc.

Policies, Services, What Can We Get Away With???The library is open to all

who want to make use of it (SSSSH!! Don’t tell everyone!!)

The Family History Center is open to all who wish to pay for their use of film (you can order online)

The Reference/Research assistance is provided to all who walk-in regardless of where their from

Policies, Services, What Can We Get Away With???

(No one under 40 admitted without dead ancestors)

You already know that STPL has a FHC ~ What else is offered?

•A growing list of databases (more than most libraries offer)

•The FHC (Roughly 5 in public libraries in Louisiana)

•A friendly, courteous and knowledgeable staff

•Outreach to the public (like tonight) & working with local heritage/genealogy groups

Policies, Services, What Can We Get Away With???

The intent is to support the following types of research:

• Ancestral

•Historical

•Legal

•“Casual and Causal” (Serendipitious)

•Reference Assistance with the “old tools” of the trade

ServicesReference Assistance with your work

Microfilm-to-digital format conversion (tiff, jpeg, pdf formats)Internet access to email files

Large-format (11X17) scanning capacity

FHC & Direct ILL for users

Mediated searches and bibliographic verification

User instruction (when necessary)

ProgramsLibrary Sponsored series “Lineages” & Podcasts (200th Anniv. of WFLA_)

STGS/Library Speakers each month (Well, most months)

Adult Programs (NOT THOSE) that cater to the needs of researches, ex. PAF vs FTM, etc)

STPL Genealogy Page & Linkshttp://www.sttammany.lib.la.us/genealogy.html

http://www.sttammany.lib.la.us/genlinks.html

STGShttp://www.sttammanygs.org/

ST Clerk of Courthttp://www.sttammanyclerk.org/main/index.asp

PODCASTS:

http://www.sttammany.lib.la.us/podcast.html

Reference/Research for SELA

•Largest collection of court documents of the 8 Florida Parishes

•Many of the leading genealogies of the WFLA area are here

•Largest collection of Historical Military Data outside of Jackson Barracks

•The only publicly-accessible law library on the North Shore

•The only public library in the area with a devoted commitment to research (ancestral & otherwise…)

Technicalities…

Tools available for use…

3 (soon 5) scanner-printers, with computers and internet access:

Each mach is capable of 600 dpi tiff imaging

(also equipped with Adobe Photoshop if you want to edit them)

Multi-format storage (CD, SD card, USD device)

+ a “digital archive” of materials.

Film Ordering and Policies

• First Rule: Order as much as you can handle

•Second Rule: Pay for what you order (only when it comes in)

•Third Rule: Use the website to make your life easier

(http://www.sttammany.lib.la.us/filmorder.html)

•Fourth Rule: Take the time you need

•Fifth (and final) Rule: Make certain that your source is always noted

The most important rule for any library: “Do Unto Others…”

Standards

The intent of the LLC for STPL is to develop all collection that all can use.

While some duplication of NOPL and JPL is going to happen, there is enough divergence that each can thrive.

My intent is to know each collection, society and major focus of each collection in SELA

I hope this overview is enough to give you some idea of the breadth/depth of the LLC

Future Plans

Creation of a “digital archive” to place scarce materials on the web

Push to create “web content” such as instruction, discussion groupsand podcasts

To use the internet and very little money to do what was done beforewith no internet and lots of money: build a better collection.

To continue to acquire new resources that meet YOUR needs

To Conclude…“I thought the internet would

replace libraries!”

“Won’t it all be on the internet?”

Both statements show a great lack of understanding that you

already know:

“The internet is like a river that can carry a lot of content, but not all vehicles float in a river, not all cars can swim: The internet is a CONDUIT to the source and will

never replace the original”