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Using PERSI on Findmypast

12 Sep By Dwight

Periodical Source Index (PERSI) the creation of the Allen County Public Library (ACPL) in Fort Wayne, Indiana, inventories titles of genealogical periodicals from around the world. It is not an index to what is in the articles, simply an inventory of titles and subjects.

The ACPL has the world’s largest collection of genealogical periodicals. It is larger than the huge periodical collection at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City. ACPL’s collections are so large that people take research trips specifically to Fort Wayne to utilize them.

PERSI is now hosted by Findmypast. Whenever a database switches hosts there is always a learning curb. Here’s how I approach the current quirks in the Findmypast database:

  • I go to the “Search” button at the top and then click on the “A-Z of Record Sets.”
  • Then I type in “Periodical Source Index” and it will come right up.
  •  Once in the database, I find “article keyword” or “optional keyword.” It actually works better than “subject.” I’ve found the “subject” doesn’t always pull up all the articles on a topic. These have to be worked along with the geographical search.
  • A word of caution about the places. I try not to be too specific, a state/province and a county work just fine. Also, be aware you have to wait for the standardized place name, such as Illinois, to come up and then click it. Don’t rush through this.

Once you have narrowed your search geographically and by “keyword” all articles should reveal themselves. This is the magic of PERSI. Now you find a copy of that particular volume and issue of the journal. PERSI will give you major repositories that house a given journal.

As a professional genealogist, I use PERSI on a regular basis. There I find articles that transcribe cemeteries, tax lists, church registers and more. Many of which are not on microfilm or published in a book somewhere. It is like a hidden library that nobody but PERSI ever told you about! There is no way to know how helpful a particular article will be until you find a copy of and study it.

Give PERSI a try at Findmypast and see if you can make some discoveries of your own.

If you would like help with your genealogy please call 385-214-0925.

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: database research, Databases, Periodicals

Periodical Source Index (PERSI)

5 May By Dwight Leave a Comment

Periodical Source Index (PERSI) is an inventory of article titles from genealogical periodicals worldwide. It is not an index to the data within the article. Without this resource, valuable and essential research tools would be locked away in these journals. PERSI is the creation of the Allen County Public Library (ACPL) in Ft. Wayne, Indiana. They have the largest collection of genealogy periodicals in the United States. The Family History Library (FHL) probably has the second largest. The ACPL has one of the finest genealogy collections in the nation: www.genealogycenter.org/Home.aspx

I do not work on an Irish case without consulting PERSI. It is really that essential of a tool. Sometimes we forget that someone in Kansas may have extracted the very Irish record we need, and published their compilation in their local Kansas society journal. Without that title being inventoried in PERSI, by subject, locality or surname, it would be lost to us who do not receive that particular journal. The joy of PERSI is that it inventories such articles, no matter who publishes it. The prerequisite is that the ACPL has it in their collection.

The way I use PERSI is by geographic locality, such as Ireland and County Cork. I do use the name of the parish as a search parameter. Sometimes I will do a subject narrowed by county, such as tax lists.

Once you have the reference to the journal, article title, volume and number, then you can see if you have access to that issue close to you, at the FHL, or if you need to order a copy from the ACPL. There are many options for obtaining photocopies of articles. Some are even on the Internet.

There are two excellent PERSI databases online. The first is on www.ancestry.com and the second is www.heritagequestonline.com Both are excellent databases, and I use them faithfully.

Filed Under: Irish Ancestry Tagged With: Databases, Inventories, Libraries and Archives, Periodicals, Research

Dwight A. Radford

Dwight A. Radford is a professional family history researcher. Along with his staff they specialize in Ireland, England, Canada, African American, Native American, and United States. Connecting families together through historical documents and then creating a cherished family heirloom published book for generations to enjoy. Full bio…

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