Online Genealogy Resources

  • Library card required America's Historical Newspapers - Early American News Explore early American history to support school assignments, genealogical and local history research, and more. Features more than 1,000 historical newspapers from all 50 states. This database includes early American newspapers previously available in America's Genealogy Bank.
  • Available only in Library locations Ancestry Library Edition Interested in genealogy? We partnered with Ancestry.com to help you search billions of historical documents, photos, oral histories and more, from the 1500s to the present.
  • Library card required Black Life in America The experience and impact of African Americans as recorded by the news media, including over 400 current and historical Black publications from the 1700s to today.
  • Library card required Digital Sanborn Maps 1867-1970 Explore thousands of detailed maps charting the growth and development of Seattle, other Puget Sound communities and more than 12,000 cities and towns across the United States.
  • Available only in Library locations FamilySearch Search the Family History Library catalog as well as digitized records, which include over 2 million rolls of microform and hundreds of thousands of books and maps related to family history and genealogical research. Account registration required.
  • Library card required HeritageHub Explore your family history with this collection of U.S. obituaries and death notices for in-depth genealogical research from 1704 to today. This database includes obituaries previously available in America's Genealogy Bank.
  • Library card required HeritageQuest Online Explore these searchable and printable genealogy resources, including local and family histories, research guides and the complete U.S. Federal Census, 1790-1940. Powered by Ancestry.
  • Library card required New York Times Historical Curious about the past? Find full-text and full-image content from The New York Times, including articles, headlines, ads, obituaries and more. Contains full-text and images in PDF format of the New York Times from 1851 to three years before current year.
  • Library card required Seattle Post-Intelligencer (1901 - Current) Search fully digitized editions of The Seattle Post-Intelligencer, and download and print full-text articles. Depending on the issue date, different formats of articles may be available. A partial run of the The Seattle Post-Intelligencer (1901-1935) was purchased with a generous grant from The Seattle Public Library Foundation; however, the full run is currently available until further notice.
  • Library card required Seattle Times (1895- Current) Search fully digitized editions of The Seattle Times, and download and print full-text articles. Depending on the issue date, different formats of articles may be available. The Seattle Times Historical Archive (1895-1984) is made possible through a generous grant from The Seattle Public Library Foundation.