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November 19, 2026; 9:30 am

Finding and Using Manuscripts, Special Collections, and Repositories

presented by Paula Stuart-Warren

So, you have checked census, probate, church, naturalization, and other records. The obituaries, marriage, birth, and death records have also been located or don’t exist for the time period and relatives you seek. Yet, you still have too many blank spaces on your family group sheets, online tree, or in your genealogy software. You still don’t have enough of the story about some ancestors to really know who they were. Your next step might be using manuscripts and checking out special collections in various repositories. The treasures which might be found are too often neglected. Should you check in the ancestral localities? Of course, but manuscripts may end up anywhere. Fortunately, more and more FREE finding aids are available to help us find a manuscript which might pertain to an ancestral locality or person many states away from where they lived. These collections also may yield you some humorous or poignant finds.

Paula works full time in genealogical and historical research, lecturing, consulting, and writing. She has been a Board-certified genealogist since 1988, passing the every-five-year renewal assessments by the national Board for Certification of Genealogists. She is a firm believer in continuing education in genealogy and strives to keep up to date by participating in national and local conferences, webinars, reading the publications of many genealogical and historical organizations and individuals both off and online. She completed the week-long U.S. National Institute of Genealogical Research held at the National Archives in Washington, DC. (Now titled Gen-Fed, Genealogical Institute on Federal Records.)

She served two years as a national officer of the Association of Professional Genealogists, has been a APG Committee Chair, and President of the Northland Chapter of APG. Paula served six years as a board member of the Minnesota Genealogical Society , was a founding member of the society’s library, and continues as an active volunteer in genealogical, historical, and professional organizations. She served on the Federation of Genealogical Societies Board of Directors, and its Conference Planning and Awards committees.

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