Genealogy – Heritage Room at Blasco

Searching for Your Ancestors?

The Erie County Public Library has a dedicated collection of materials that can assist you in your search for ancestors that lived in the Erie / NW Pennsylvania area.

The Heritage Room is located on the second floor of the Blasco Library.

Equipment

The Blasco Heritage room has equipment available to help you access and convert historical material.

Our VHS to DVD converter will transfer your memories to a new format! Using the equipment is free of charge, and at your own risk. The library sells blank DVDs, or you can bring your own. Please note that the conversion occurs in real time. You can reserve it here.

A book scanner is available that can scan books, photographs, letters, or any other document up to 11 x 17. Scans are free of charge. Our scanning station allows you to save to flash drive, send via email, or print a hard copy.

The Blasco Library Heritage Room microfilm collection contains the Erie newspapers beginning in 1820, Erie County censuses from 1800 to 1930, and selected censuses for other Pennsylvania counties and nearby states, 10 microfilm reader/printers are available for use on-site. Use of the microfilm machines is on a first come first serve basis. Photocopies can be made for 10 cents per page.

If you have an Erie County Public Library card, you can request books, microfilms and photocopies through the Library’s Interlibrary Loan program. You may also request books and photocopies through the Interlibrary Loan Department. Availability of these materials may be restricted by the owning libraries.

Microfilm Machines

Collections

    •  Family histories, standard reference works, county histories, local history information and other resources. The general focus of the collection is Northwestern Pennsylvania and the surrounding tri-state area
    • An obituary index is available for Erie newspapers that covers 1822 to the present. City directories are available for Erie beginning with 1853 and suburban (or Millcreek) directories beginning with 1957
  • Yearbooks are available for many Erie City High Schools, dating back to the early 1900s
  • A vertical file containing subject folders on local Erie locations and topics
  • Historic maps and atlases

Please note:  materials in this room must be kept at a constant temperature of 70 degrees. Please dress accordingly; a sweater or light jacket will help.

Computer Databases

ECPL subscribes to Ancestry.com and American Ancestors,  for in-library use on the Heritage Room public computers. Library staff also maintains links to a number of  useful Internet sites with genealogical information. The Library also provides in-library and remote access to the Library editions of HeritageQuest and Fold3.  A  list of  resources can be accessed by visiting the Biography & Genealogy section in the eDatabases.

Information by Mail and email:

As a service to patrons doing genealogical research, the ECPL has compiled and maintains a paper and an online obituary index for Erie County, Pennsylvania, from 1822 to present.

The Information Services staff can fulfill record requests for obituaries by mail or email. Please visit our Obituary Search Request Page to search the index or place an order for an obituary. Fees apply.

You may contact the Blasco Memorial Library Heritage Room by mail at:

Heritage Room
Blasco Memorial Library
Erie County Public Library
160 East Front Street
Erie, PA 16507