NYC's Library at 42nd St. & Fifth Ave., UPDATED 3/21/06

[Murph]

I am requesting advice and suggestions from those who have made use of this library for family research. I live in New Jersey and must make optimal use of the short time I can spend in this library. Upon arrival, where do I go first? What should I look for? Will there be old city directories? Can I find obituaries or death notices? .... My parents emigrated in the 1920s. Aunts, uncles, and cousins had come before them. Many stayed in the city at first. I have only vague bits of information about them. Thank you for any suggestions you can make.
Murph

I'm researching MORGAN, KEENAN, CARBIN, CAULFIELD, O'CONNELL, MANNION (seen spelled MANYAN), McDONOUGH(McDONAGH)......in Manhattan

O'CONNELL.....in The Bronx

CARROLL.....in Queens

3/21/06, UPDATE. I "Googled" the library, went to its site, and found "Ask A Librarian." I posed my question and received a marvelously complete reply after a few days. Upon my next trip to NY, I applied for and received an Access card despite the fact that I'm not a NY resident. My cousin and I returned last Saturday. In Room 119, we viewed microfilm of the NY City Directories. NY stopped compiling these directories around 1934. They are helpful, but don't have as much information as some old directories from suburban New Jersey. We moved from there to a nearby room where my cousin was able to verify the family-lore date of death of a grandaunt. He was pleased with indexes to the United States Census in that room. We will return in the future. My hat is off to New York City for the welcome it extends to outsiders who ask to use its facilities. The library at 42nd and Fifth is a Research Library, nothing can be taken out. Bags carried by visitors will be lightly examined on the way in and out.

[Ann]

Hi,

You might find the databases on the following site helpful to
your research.

http://www.italiangen.org/

Good Luck,
Ann

[Murph]

I took a quick look at the Naturalization and Vital Records database. If I saw any of my ancestors, I didn't recognize them, but it was interesting to click Soundex and Declaration on the Naturalization portion after typing in a surname. Some names which then appeared were accompanied by addresses, great for zeroing in on one's kin.
Murph

[Murph]

Using the link you mentioned near the end of your post, I found a death record in the Bronx which could be that of my mother's aunt's husband. *** I appreciate your mention of the Chambers street office and the favorable results you had while doing research there.
Murph