The James V. Brown Library is a major source for Lycoming County genealogical information.
The library has easy-to-follow subject guides such as Genealogy and Family History, Discover Your Roots, Birth Certificates, Death Certificates and Obituaries.
Want to search major local newspapers from 1807 to the present? The library has them available on microfilm.
An index by surname, covering 1807-1904, provides access to articles on marriages, obituaries, funerals, political activities, court cases, land sale notices and news items. Each reference in the index includes the name of the newspaper, date and the page on which the article can be found.
To access the index online:
1. Go to www.jvbrown.edu.
2. Click on Catalog.
3. Click on the drop-down menu in the library selection box and select Newspaper Index.
4. Type in your search term, and click on Search.
The result list will include the source name and title; click on the Full Details for the date and page number. Only items of current local news interest (no obituaries) are now added to the index.
Copies are $1 per page at the library, and $1 per page by mail; there is no charge for images emailed.
Don't have time to research yourself? There is a flat research fee of $10 for research requests by mail.
Research requests should include your name, phone number, email address and your request or details - including as much information as possible. There is an additional charge of $1 per page for microfilm copies and 50 cents per page for photocopies (that are mailed).
If the name does not appear in the library's newspaper index, staff members can only search up to a month's worth of newspapers for an item.
Requests are limited to five articles at a time. Local history research usually takes two to three weeks.
Research fees must be pre-paid by cash, check or credit card.
The James V. Brown Library is open from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. weekdays and noon to 5 p.m. weekends for family research needs.
