Photo by Lucie Monk
A great deal of Southern family history has been moved across Baton Rouge to a bigger, more convenient location. The genealogy collection, formerly located at the Bluebonnet Branch Library, is now open for perusal at the Baton Rouge Room on the second floor of the Main Branch Library on Goodwood.
Genealogist Theresa Wagner cited many benefits to the collection’s new location at the Baton Rouge Room, including more space, more parking, and more open hours. “We have a dedicated space and staff at the Main Library, and it’s kind of a one-stop-shop,” said Wagner.
Genealogists often find themselves traveling to further their research, and the slightly longer hours at the Main Branch make a difference for researchers who may be driving in from another state. “The kind of work that people do here is very involved," said Wagner, “so it’s nice to do that kind of work in a bigger space, and they can access related collections without leaving the library.”
On top of that, the Main Branch’s recently built parking lot has room for three hundred cars and provides easy access to several other attractions in that part of Mid City. “It’s really coming into its own out here—there’s an outdoor plaza, and the BREC Botanical Garden is nearby,” added Wagner. “It’s turned into a bigger department here overall—we have more staff members dedicated to genealogy, so we can help more patrons.”
Wagner emphasized that the Baton Rouge Room is not just for academic researchers; it’s very likely that many people in the area could find pieces of their own family histories inside. “Absolutely—especially people of Acadian descent or of Canary Islands descent,” she said. “We have lots of information on famous families, the Acadians from Canada, and the South in general. It’s a regional bank of information.”
Newcomers to genealogy can now sign up for courses in the field, offered by the department and held in the library. For more information on courses and the genealogy collection, visit online at http://ebrpl.libguides.com/genealogy.
