IGS Library Collection

This page is where you can discover what the Immigrant Genealogical Society has in its holdings at the library in Burbank, California.

Our card catalogue of publications is divided into separate categories to make the database easier to search – by location, subject, surname, or media type.

Our online databases, searchable by location or surname, provide tables of indexes for various resources at the library.

Our own IGS publications, past and present, are available to view at the library with samples of past newsletters viewable online.


Publications

Catalogued by Geographic Location

Germany, US, and other World Nations – This catalog lists the Immigrant Library’s collection sorted by geographic region. It covers Germany, the US, and another region where Germanic peoples migrated to or from. The catalog also lists resources for other world nations where members had a particular interest, such as Colonial USA and Canada.

Ortssippenbücher – This catalog lists family lineage books from various towns across Germany, as well as some regions that were settled by Germanic peoples. This is where you will find resources on our shelves for researching surnames from a particular town of interest.


Catalogued by Subject

Immigration and Emigration – This catalog lists publications focused on the subject of immigration and emigration. The collection includes resources relating to ship manifests, oaths of allegience, indentures, or ports of departure and arrival.

Genealogy Reference – This catalog lists publications focused on general genealogical research, such as “how-to” guides for German genealogical research, German language dictionaries, deciphering Old German Script, and types of records are available for German genealogy research.


Catalogued by Surname

Family History Collection – This catalog lists publications focused on a given surname. The collection includes published works, family association periodicals, or collections of research that has been amassed into a binder.


Catalogued by Media Type

Periodical Collection – The IGS Periodical Collection includes may German-language periodicals, as well as ones published in the US with a focus on German-American genealogy.

Other Media – Other media in the IGS Collection includes CDs, DVDs and also a few microfilm and microfiche.


IGS Databases and Indexes

by Geographic Location


Ortssippenbücher Town Database – a database of towns where the Immigrant Library has a village book, family lineage book, burger book, or any resource that lists families in a particular location.

by Surname


Emigrants Who Went to America Surname Index – a database of names extracted from IGS Ortssippenbücher who were noted as “Went to America”.

First Immigrant File – a database of names submitted by IGS members, and others, of their immigrant ancestors including details from where they emigrated, and where they settled.

Institute for Migration and Ancestral Research – a database of names extracted from records local to Mecklenburg of families who emigrated out of the area.

Deutschen FamilienArchiv – a database index of surnames where genealogical research material was submitted to be included in the publication.

Familienkundliche Nachrichten (FANA) submitter list – a database index of surnames for which genealogists submitted queries to be circulated in popular genealogy publications.

Old Lutheran Surname Index – a database of surnames of “Altlutherische Auswanderer” extracted from various resources at the Immigrant Library.

Surname Index from the Vertical Files – a database of surnames extracted from the IGS vertical files of research past, along with their towns of origin and settlement.

Surname and Location Index from Family History Collection – a database of surnames extracted from the IGS Family History Collection, along with their towns of origin and settlement.


IGS Publications


IGS Newsletters – a sampling of past IGS Newsletters.

IGS German-American-Genealogy – No longer being published by IGS, some articles from back issues are still available to read.

Die Pommerschen Leute – Formerly a publication of IGS’s Pomeranian Special Interest Group, the periodical continues to be published by the now-independent organization of the same name. Find them at pomeranianews.org