The E-Sylum:  Volume 5, Number 39, September 29, 2002, Article 7

CITY DIRECTORIES:  THE NEXT STEP.

  Dick Johnson writes: "For three weeks I have been writing
  about how numismatists can use City Directories in their
  numismatic research.  I received an email from Dave Bowers
  this week that reveals his use of these research tools. Here is
  what he said:

  "About 25 years or so ago a full set of all of the microfiche
  catalogues (directories to 1861) was available, and I bought
  [the set] for $5,000.  This was done, if I recall, by John J.
  Ford, Jr.  He called a number of interested people and
  rounded up five (I think) subscribers -- then simply made a
  deal with the compiler of the microfiches."

  Wow! What a fortunate purchase.  If you recall last week
  I mentioned the current cost of that set of microfiches was
  over $26,000. Five times what Dave and a handful of other
  farsighted researchers paid.  Name a coin that has increased
  five times since 1977!

  Dave went on to suggest a consortium of researchers might
  do the same today.  Frankly, I would rather put that kind of
  money in numismatic book purchases.  The reason?: the ease
  of obtaining these microfiches --  and Dave mentioned this --
  on Inter-Library Loan.

  "One thing," he wrote, "that is essential to anyone is this:
  Nearly  all microfilms can be obtained by inter-library loan,
  obviating the necessity to buy them.  All you have to do is
  establish a rapport with a friendly local public or university
  library and have them order the microfilms on loan.  I have
  done this for many years with hundreds of microfilms, and
  the system is efficient and superb!"

  I would like to add another tip here if you are researching
  people. City Directory microfilms (and a vast library of
  information) can also be obtained at your local Mormon
  Church.  I like researching at these just as much as the
  university libraries Dave mentioned.

  Call your local Mormon Church (Church of Later Day Saints).
  Ask if they have a Family History Center, and learn of the
  hours they are open.  Often these include an evening or two
  and a full day session, sometimes on Saturday.  They welcome
  people of all faiths to search people of the past.  They can
  borrow microfilm from Salt Lake City and you can use it in
  this Church Center. Sometimes it is crowded, but the staff can
  often answer questions that would stump public or university
  librarians.

  Dave's additional comments are pertinent: "Concerning
  available microfilms of later directories, these have been
  compiled on a catch as catch can basis, and for a given city,
  say Cincinnati, it is difficult to get a FULL set of anything.
  Newspapers are even worse, as often a particular "popular"
  newspaper (such as, for San Francisco, the Alta California)
  has been chosen for microfilming, and a dozen or more other
  newspapers have never been filmed (in the meantime, as with
  SF newspapers, existing archives of originals continue to be
  scattered)."

  After you have exhausted your City Directory search, then
  what?  The next step is Census Records, or as Dave suggests,
  newspapers.  Next week I'll discuss researching in these
  historical newspapers.  Doesn't all this research talk make you
  want to start digging about some numismatic item of interest
  to you?"

  Wayne Homren, Editor

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