APLS offers Genealogy services through in-house collections, online searchable databases, which can be accessed with your Evergreen Library Card, and on-premises searchable databases.
Reference Service
Staff will answer queries sent to us through the mail, email, or by phone call as time allows. For Genealogy requests, please specify names and time periods. Please provide the following information:
- Your name, address, and telephone number
- Your query including the name(s), time period, and type of information requested
reference@apls.lib.in.us
260-724-2605 (Decatur) & 260-368-7270 (Geneva)
Genealogy Collections
APLS genealogy collections house many indexes, directories, and historical records to aid in your family research in both Decatur and Geneva. The Decatur location focuses on family histories, directories, and periodicals from the northern part of the Adams County. Our Geneva location hosts many family histories and records from the southern part of Adams County. Reference librarians at both locations are available to help you find what you need to get started!
Vital Records
The Adams County Health Department stores birth and death certificates, the indexes to these records are housed at APLS-Decatur. Birth records are not open to the public. You may see an individual record if you know the name and date, but the public may not search the birth record books. Death records are open to the public and individuals may search them.
Marriage records from 1836 to the present are at the Adams County Clerk's Office in the Court House. Indexes to marriage records 1845-1920 are at the Adams Public Library-Decatur. Estate records, and the estate index are also in the Clerk's Office.
Resource Links
Below is a list of links we have found to be useful. You may access these links without your APLS Library Card.
- Allen County Public Genealogy Center
The Genealogy Center is a North American collection. You will find books and microfilmed records for all 50 U.S. states, Canada and some material for Mexico.
- Archives
Quickly and simply search more than 4.3 billion photos, newspapers, and vital records to get information about your ancestors.
- Census Finder
Directory of census records.
- Cyndi's List
A comprehensive, categorized & cross-referenced list of links that point you to genealogical research sites online.
- FamilySearch
Latter Day Saints Genealogy website
- Find Your Family Tree
Build your family tree, access to over 300,000 genealogy records
- Genealogy Inc.
Links to state & county government, state & county genealogy links. It also explains the Family History and genealogical records available for the State and each county within that State.
- Genealogy Links
Links to genealogy resources, categorized by state.
- Genealogy Reference Desk
Links to genealogy resources, tips, vital records links.
- IARA Digital Archives
Access to public record archives.
- Indiana Genealogical Society
username: adamspls password: 46733-1676 Remember to include the dash/hyphen in the password, or else it won't work.
- RootsWeb
Our staff continues to work hard to provide the best tools and resources for your genealogy research.
- World Genealogy
Archives.com World Genealogy Project.
- WWW Virtual Library - American Indians
Index of Native American Genealogy Resources on the Internet.
