Genealogy
Genealogy Appointments
Need help researching your family tree? Reserve time with our genealogy librarian, Jessica Brown, for free one-on-one genealogy research help. Appointments are one-hour long.
You can make a genealogy appointment online or by calling the reference desk at 631-654-4700 x152.
If you prefer, you can also email her your family history questions.
Genealogy Appointment FAQs
What can you help me with? We can:
• Help you formulate a research plan and recommend resources
• Make family trees
• Help find and analyze genealogical records
• Teach you to use genealogy databases, including advanced features
• Offer advice and provide a second set of eyes when you are at a roadblock in your research
What should I bring to my appointment? You can bring whatever you have been working on or have already found. If you are just starting out, bring whatever family history information you have.
Can you send me a copy of a birth/death/marriage certificate? No — we do not have copies of vital records like these in the Library. However, we can help you find the locations of these records and show you how to request them from the appropriate government offices.
I took a DNA test — can you interpret my results? No, but we’d be very happy to help you find a genetic genealogist or another great resource that can help you with this.
I am looking for a living relative that I’ve lost contact with. Can you help? We can help you use Data Axle or other resources to try to find addresses and phone numbers of living individuals. However, if only limited information about your relative is available publicly, then there is only so much we can find.
Meet Up
Genealogy Research Facebook Group
Join our Genealogy Research Facebook Group to learn about genealogy news and events, meet others researching their genealogy, and ask the group your questions.
Upcoming Genealogy Research Groups and Events
Research
Getting Started
To get started, please see the Genealogy Topic Guide.
Genealogy Resources
Guide to Genealogy Resources at the Patchogue-Medford Library
To search all of our genealogy holdings, use the Genealogy Collection Catalog.
| Logo | Database | Description | Tutorial |
|---|---|---|---|
 | AmericanAncestors.org (In-Library Use Only) Use in Library | Access to more than 1.4 billion records spanning twenty-two countries covering the United States, the British Isles, continental Europe, and beyond. | |
 | America’s Obituaries and Death Notices Use at Home Use in Library | The largest and most comprehensive collection of newspaper obituaries and death notices. | |
 | Ancestry Library Edition (In-Library Use Only) Use in Library | Includes billions of records to help you find your family’s story. | |
 | Find My Past (In-Library Use Only) Use in Library | The complete British and Irish family history experience, to connect you with your ancestors and bring your story to life.</ | |
 | Fold3 Use at Home Use in Library | Provides convenient access to military records, including the stories, photos, and personal documents of the men and women who served. | |
 | HeritageHub | Comprehensive collection of U.S. obituaries and death notices for genealogical research, from 1704 to today. | |
 | Heritage Quest Use at Home Use in Library | A comprehensive treasury of American genealogical sources—rich in unique primary sources, local and family histories, convenient research guides, interactive census maps, and more. | |
 | MyHeritage Library Edition Use at Home Use in Library | Contains billions of historical documents from more than 48 countries, millions of historical photos, public records, indexes and additional historical photos, public records, indexes and additional resources. | |
 | Newspapers.com Use at Home Use in Library | Newspapers dating from the 1700s to the 2000s. | |
| Primary Source Archive Package Use at Home Use in Library | Includes Civil War Primary Source Documents, Gateway to North America, and Revolutionary War Era Orderly Books. | ||
| Sanborn Digital Maps Use at Home Use in Library | Fire insurance maps from 1867-1970 — New York State only. |
The Patchogue-Medford Library is the only library on Long Island that has the microfiche for The New York State Vital Records Index. The microfiche begins in 1881 and currently includes births up to an including 1936 and marriages and deaths up to and including 1964. The microfiche does not cover New York City. The microfiche is located on the Main floor, to the left of the Reference Desk and is available when the library is open. The library owns microfilm for many periodicals and newspapers as well as Suffolk County census records and city directories of Brooklyn and New York City.
If you are searching for an obituary, use the Obituary Research Guide to get started.
Additional resources can be found in our Celia M. Hastings Local History Room including the Index to Birth, Marriage and Death Announcements in The Long Island Advance. The Long Island Advance, historically known as The Advance and The Patchogue Advance, is a weekly newspaper established in 1871.
Guide to Genealogy Resources at the Patchogue-Medford Library
To search all of our genealogy holdings, use the Genealogy Collection Catalog.
For more information about genealogy research at the Library, see the genealogy page.
(In-Library Use Only)
Access to more than 1.4 billion records spanning twenty-two countries covering the United States, the British Isles, continental Europe, and beyond.
The largest and most comprehensive collection of newspaper obituaries and death notices.
(In-Library Use Only)
Includes billions of records to help you find your family’s story.
(In-Library Use Only)
The complete British and Irish family history experience, to connect you with your ancestors and bring your story to life.
Provides convenient access to military records, including the stories, photos, and personal documents of the men and women who served.
Comprehensive collection of U.S. obituaries and death notices for genealogical research, from 1704 to today.
A comprehensive treasury of American genealogical sources—rich in unique primary sources, local and family histories, convenient research guides, interactive census maps, and more.
Contains billions of historical documents from more than 48 countries, millions of historical photos, public records, indexes and additional historical photos, public records, indexes and additional resources.
Newspapers dating from the 1700s to the 2000s.
Primary Source Archive Package
Includes Civil War Primary Source Documents, Gateway to North America, and Revolutionary War Era Orderly Books.
Sanborn Digital Maps
Fire insurance maps from 1867-1970 — New York State only.
The Patchogue-Medford Library is the only library on Long Island that has the microfiche for The New York State Vital Records Index. The microfiche begins in 1881 and currently includes births up to an including 1936 and marriages and deaths up to and including 1964. The microfiche does not cover New York City. The microfiche is located on the Main floor, to the left of the Reference Desk and is available when the library is open. The library owns microfilm for many periodicals and newspapers as well as Suffolk County census records and city directories of Brooklyn and New York City.
If you are searching for an obituary, use the Obituary Research Guide to get started.
Additional resources can be found in our Celia M. Hastings Local History Room including the Index to Birth, Marriage and Death Announcements in The Long Island Advance. The Long Island Advance, historically known as The Advance and The Patchogue Advance, is a weekly newspaper established in 1871.
