The June P. Zintz Memorial Library of the Western New York Genealogical Society

Named for WNYGS founder June Partridge Zintz, the Society Library is located in the Grosvenor Room (Special Collections Department) of the Central Branch of the Buffalo & Erie County Public Library (Downtown - 1 Lafayette Square, Buffalo, NY 14203). [Click here to view the Library's current hours.]

The Western New York Genealogical Society maintains an expanding reference library that serves as a repository of genealogical information pertaining to Western New York and its early settlers. The primary focus is the eight counties of Western New York - specifically Allegany, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Erie, Genesee, Niagara, Orleans, and Wyoming. However, the collection also contains much information on New York State, New England, as well as other states and many foreign countries. The collection includes more than 3,000 books and 700 rolls of microfilm, family histories, periodicals, and card indexes.

As a reference library, collection materials are not circulated or removed from the premises. Books are arranged in a "modified" Dewey Decimal Classification system which is easily understood and usable. Items are catalogued by author, title and subject. An up-to-date electronic version of the WNYGS Library Catalog can be viewed or downloaded online in the following formats: As Excel (.xls) file or As an HTML file.

Monthly Library Collection Research Assistance

As the community works together to combat COVID-19, the Society will continue to reassess our policies and programs. It is with caring and respect for our volunteers, patrons, and BECPL library staff that Society has re-instituted limited collection assistance hours.

For the month of April, a volunteer will be available on April 12, 2021 from 10 a.m. - 12 p.m. to answer patron research questions. It is important to note the collection remains accessible to the public during regular library hours.

Have questions about this program? Email our volunteer coordinator at volunteers@wnygs.org to learn more.

Among the Society's library holdings are the following which complements the B&ECPL Grosvenor Collections:

ATLASES, GAZETTEERS, GUIDES & INDEXES
- Miscellaneous gazetteers, guides, and a few atlases
- Various genealogical indexes

DIRECTORIES & HISTORIES
- Buffalo City Directories from 1832 on
- Miscellaneous volumes of other town & city directories
- Many town & county histories

BIBLE, BIRTH, BAPTISM, CHURCH, MARRIAGE, BURIAL, CEMETERY & DEATH RECORDS
- Numerous published & unpublished manuscript records

VITAL INDEX OF EARLY WESTERN NEW YORK FAMILIES
- Card files of approximately 120,000 cards from 75 sources of Births, Deaths, & Marriages of early Western New York families

CENSUS RECORDS
- Printed Federal Census indexes 1790 - 1870
- 1790 - 1930 Federal census for the eight WNY counties
- All available 1855 - 1925 state censuses for the WNY counties
- Miscellaneous other special censuses

ANCESTOR CHARTS, BIOGRAPHIES, FAMILY HISTORIES & GENEALOGIES
- Notebooks of members' Ancestor Charts
- Numerous published & unpublished family histories

FOREIGN
- Germans to America, from 1840 complete to date
- Passenger & Immigration Lists Index, complete to date
- The Famine Immigrants, complete to date
- Numerous other foreign research aids

MILITARY RECORDS
- Numerous military research aids
- Microfilm of miscellaneous Revolutionary War Pension records

PERIODICALS
Click for more information on:
- "General" publications
- "Family" related publications
- "Foreign Country" related publications
- "United States" related publications

HOW TO BOOKS
- Numerous help books for various aspects of doing research

MICROFILM
- Census
- Church Records
- Cemetery Records
- Erie County Surrogate Records
- Miscellaneous Military Records
- Erie County Marriage Records
- Buffalo Birth Records

Please consult the JOURNAL for information on the latest Society and library acquisitions.

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Research Assistance:

Neither the library staff nor the Society is equipped to conduct research for patrons. The Society has knowledgeable volunteers on duty several times throughout the month. You can call the Grosvenor Room to find out if a volunteer is scheduled to be on duty.

The WNYGS has neither the facilities nor personnel to handle individual genealogical questions. It is suggested that individuals seeking such assistance should consult outside researchers. While WNYGS does not specifically recommend any individuals, both the Buffalo & Erie County Public Library and Buffalo History Museum maintain a list of known researchers for hire.

Library Policies and Duplication:

Photocopy machines and microfilm reader-printers are located in the the Grosvenor Room. Please note library policy states there is a time limit on station use if other people are waiting.

Last updated: April1, 2021