We’re hard at work on a brand new online records platform, which will replace our current eLibrary in 2019.
Your new platform is being constructed “from the ground up” and will be fully hosted on www.newyorkfamilyhistory.org.
This major project includes building a framework that will:
- Load and display the images of our digital historical documents quickly, but in very high quality.
- Search our searchable data - including the ability to search all records at once, or search each individual collection.
- Automatically process new digital collections, so we can bring more records online - quickly!
- Store our data in a highly secure but easy-to-access location.
In addition to that, we’re reorganizing our collections so our material is easy to search and browse.
Types of online collections
In general, there are three different types of online collections we will feature. Read on for an overview of each.
Indexed: Collections searchable by name, date, or other field will be available as indexed collections. Examples of these collections include the 1855 State Census for Ward 17 of Manhattan, Worden’s Index to the New York Genealogical and Biographical Record, and others. Where possible, indexed collections will be linked to digitized images of the original materials.
Text-searchable: Not every collection is fully indexed by name, date or keyword, but many are still searchable. In this case, our text-searchable collections will enable you to search by keyword - such as name or location - to find materials in these collections and access a digitized image of the original page on which your search term can be found.
Image-only: In order to deliver access to collections on a more frequent basis, materials that are handwritten and not yet indexed will be made available immediately as browseable collections. Each browsable collection will include dedicated “waypoints,” to assist you in navigating through the collection. For instance, a volume of handwritten or transcribed religious records that is not yet indexed by name will include clickable links from the beginning of the collection that will bring you to the baptisms, marriages, burials, or other sections of the collection.
Help name our new online records platform
As we draw near the final phase of our project, we need your help - we will no longer call this online records platform "The NYG&B eLibrary," and would like to hear your suggestions. Whether you're an NYG&B member or a member of the general New York research community, feel free to submit your best idea.
Once you have come up with something, feel free to fill out our quick form (no email address or sign up required) - NYG&B online records platform name suggestions.
If we receive enough submissions, we'll take the top ones and produce a poll in which you can vote for your favorite.