Research Trip to Fort Wayne

An all day research trip to The Genealogy Center at the Allen County Public Library will be offered on Saturday, November 4, 2017.  Participants will car-pool and leave the parking lot behind the Main Library at 7:30 a.m., arriving back in Kokomo at approximately 7:30 p.m.  The group will stop at a restaurant in Fort Wayne before returning to Kokomo.  Call to register at 765-626-0839.  A transportation fee may be assessed for the trip.  Join us for a fun day of research.

October is Family History Month

October is Family History Month and the display case just outside the Genealogy & Local History Department door is again filled with a fantastic display.  The display highlights pictures, information, forms and books that will give you ideas when working on your family history.  Janice Blanchard created the display.

We consider genealogy as "Life in the Past Lane".

Circulating Books from the Genealogy Department

Great news, GLHD now has a circulating collection.  A few of our books are now available for checking out on your KHCPL library card.  At this time, there are over 100 titles available which are mainly "How To" books.  Use this circulating collection to develop your research skills and family history knowledge.  Come into the department to browse these books on the shelves located near the reference desk.

Silent Auction

You have just one week left of the Genealogy and Local History Department's annual "Silent Auction" of duplicate or superseded genealogical and historical materials.  See a list of what is available on the website at www.khcpl.org or view the items in the department until Oct 31.  You can enter your bid by filling out the form on the website or in person at the library.  We may have the treasure that you have been looking for. The bidding ends October 31 and you will be notified if your bid was the winning bid.  This event is cosponsored by the Howard County Genealogical Society.  For more information call the department at 765-626-0839.

Volunteer of the Year

Vivian White was named Kokomo-Howard County Public Library Volunteer of the Year for 2017.  Vivian has volunteered in the Genealogy and Local History Department since 1994 accomplishing various assignments.  Her latest task has been to transcribe court record indexes from the microfilm.  These records are hand written from the 1870's and 1880's.  The handwriting can be extremely difficult to read.  Vivian has diligently and cheerfully worked her way through several rolls of microfilm over the years.  Vivian was recognized as the Volunteer of the Year at the KHCPL Volunteer Banquet on September 22.  Congrats to Vivian.

Night Owls 2017

"On Friday the 13th, just before Halloween this year, 18 people were locked in the library and then at midnight. . . "  This sounds like the start of a Stephen King thriller, but it is not.  Recently the Genealogy and Local History Department hosted its 41st Night Owls, our after hours research evening.  Twice each year participants are invited to do genealogy research in the closed Kokomo-Howard Public Library from 5:30 until midnight, enjoying a buffet dinner, door prizes and access to all of the genealogy collection and databases.  Join us in April 2018 for the next Night Owls.  

Interest, Passion, Obsession

It has been said of Genealogy that you have: first an Interest, then a Passion, and then an Obsession.  The Genealogy & Local History Department agrees with this description.  We plan to jump start our Blog and we hope that you will all come along for the ride.  Look for frequent posts because there is a lot going on at GLHD as well as with the Howard County Genealogical Society.  We hope you have the Interest so that we can excite your Passion and feed your Obsession.