From Dick Eastman and Kimberly Powell
PERSI (the PERiodical Source Index)
is a great tool for genealogists. It is the world's largest and most widely used subject index to genealogy and local history periodicals written in English and French (Canada). It can possibly be an important source for information of ancestors in the 1800. ( It is available and free at the FSL in Heritage Quest- in the Portal. See the Tool Bar on every computer for the Portal.)
The collection dates from approximately 1800 and contains more than 3 million searchable records from nearly 10,000 different periodicals indexed by staffers at the Allen County Public Library(one of the best genealogical libraries in the US).
Since its release in 1986, PERSI has gained wide recognition as an essential tool for high-quality genealogy research, but what can be learned from PERSI?
PERSI (the PERiodical Source Index)
is a great tool for genealogists. It is the world's largest and most widely used subject index to genealogy and local history periodicals written in English and French (Canada). It can possibly be an important source for information of ancestors in the 1800. ( It is available and free at the FSL in Heritage Quest- in the Portal. See the Tool Bar on every computer for the Portal.)
The collection dates from approximately 1800 and contains more than 3 million searchable records from nearly 10,000 different periodicals indexed by staffers at the Allen County Public Library(one of the best genealogical libraries in the US).
Since its release in 1986, PERSI has gained wide recognition as an essential tool for high-quality genealogy research, but what can be learned from PERSI?
the PERSI collection is basically focused on genealogy and historical articles published in mainly the United States, Canada (in both French and English), Britain and Ireland.
The articles cover a generous period from the 1700's to the present. In the PERSI index, over 11,000 articles of genealogy and local history publications can be found organized by localitiy, family (surname) and/or methods of genealogy research. Because each of the citations includes publication detains for each of the periodical entries, readers can use the information to acquire directly from the publisher or from an inter-library loan.
FamilySearch has access to the PERSI records through the Portal. Two websites in the Portal offer PERSI: Ancestry.com and HeritageQuest. However HeritageeQuest stays more current than Ancestry because of HeritageQuest's, contract with the Allen(see FHCPortal at the top of your page. Go to HeritageQuest to access PERSI.)
PERSI provides family historians with access to articles, photos, and other material that they may otherwise never locate through traditional search methods. PERSI can be a great way to locate cemetery transcriptions and other records that have only appeared in a serial publication, as well as family histories, and articles on the locations of your ancestors.It is important to know that while PERSI is very comprehensive, it is not a full-text index. Not every surname included in a given article is included in the index. The main family being researched is listed, while individuals mentioned only in passing usually do not appear in PERSI.
See how to locate PERSI on any of the ST. George FamilySearch Library computers.
To locate PERSI on any computer at the St. George FamilySearch Library follow these simple instructions:
1. Click on any browser to bring up FamilySearch (our home page.)
The articles cover a generous period from the 1700's to the present. In the PERSI index, over 11,000 articles of genealogy and local history publications can be found organized by localitiy, family (surname) and/or methods of genealogy research. Because each of the citations includes publication detains for each of the periodical entries, readers can use the information to acquire directly from the publisher or from an inter-library loan.
FamilySearch has access to the PERSI records through the Portal. Two websites in the Portal offer PERSI: Ancestry.com and HeritageQuest. However HeritageeQuest stays more current than Ancestry because of HeritageQuest's, contract with the Allen(see FHCPortal at the top of your page. Go to HeritageQuest to access PERSI.)
PERSI provides family historians with access to articles, photos, and other material that they may otherwise never locate through traditional search methods. PERSI can be a great way to locate cemetery transcriptions and other records that have only appeared in a serial publication, as well as family histories, and articles on the locations of your ancestors.It is important to know that while PERSI is very comprehensive, it is not a full-text index. Not every surname included in a given article is included in the index. The main family being researched is listed, while individuals mentioned only in passing usually do not appear in PERSI.
See how to locate PERSI on any of the ST. George FamilySearch Library computers.
To locate PERSI on any computer at the St. George FamilySearch Library follow these simple instructions:
1. Click on any browser to bring up FamilySearch (our home page.)
2. Click on the FHC Portal located in the book mark tool bar.
This brings up the Family History Center Services Portal page.
This brings up the Family History Center Services Portal page.
3. Click on Premium Family History Websites.
4. This brings up the Premium Family History Websites list. These websites are free here at our FamilySearch Library
4. This brings up the Premium Family History Websites list. These websites are free here at our FamilySearch Library
5. Click on Heritage Quest Online. This brings up the Heritage Quest Online page with a list of what is offered.
6. Click on Search PERSI Archive. This brings up the page with all PERSI offers
7. Click on whichever category you want to search. Good luck.