Genealogy from the Heartland Books
Midwest Genealogy Center’s Circulating Collection
Since 1992 Mid-Continent Public Library published catalogs to the circulating collection titled Genealogy from the Heartland: A Guide to Using the Collection. The original catalog was created in 1992 and supplements were added in 1994, 1996, and 1998. As books in the circulating collection can now be identified by searching Mid-Continent's online catalog, the printed catalogs have been discontinued. This guide will help users anywhere who wish to identify and borrow books from the collection.
All books in the Genealogy from the Heartland circulating collection are available free of charge to researchers nationwide through interlibrary loan. Interested researchers should contact their local public libraries for further information.
The Genealogy Circulating Collection began in 1984 with a small collection of books donated to the genealogy branch of the Mid-Continent Public Library by the American Family Records Association (AFRA). Mid-Continent agreed to circulate the books free of charge to researchers nationwide through interlibrary loan; AFRA agreed to actively solicit donations for the collection. From that small beginning, the collection has grown to approximately 16,000 genealogy and local history books.
Other collections have been added over the years -- the Missouri State Genealogical Association (MoSGA), the Heart of America Genealogical Society (HAGS), and the Gann Historical Society & Library, Inc. have added their libraries to our circulating collection and continue to add books that are donated to them. Appreciative users of the collection also donate books they no longer need or which no longer fit their research needs, and the Mid-Continent Public Library strongly supports this genealogy circulating collection by purchasing additional copies of popular titles and by transferring duplicate copies of books from its reference genealogy collection.
The genealogy circulating collection is housed in the Midwest Genealogy Center branch of the Mid-Continent Public Library. Donations of new or gently-used books are always welcomed and may be sent to the mailing address below. Please indicate that your donation is for the Genealogy from the Heartland Collection. Thank you very much for your support.
Genealogy Librarian
Midwest Genealogy Center
3440 S. Lee’s Summit Rd.
Independence, Missouri 64055
(816) 252-7228
