The Protocol Library
When one search stops, another door opens. Find a practical guide by record type, repository or the question you’re trying to answer.
13 protocols to explore
The FamilySearch Catalog
No name match? Search for the place, then browse the records an index may have missed.
The county courthouse
Follow the paper trail where land, estates and local legal business were recorded.
The state archives
Find the government records and overlooked collections beyond the county line.
The National Archives
Match your ancestor’s federal connection to the records that connection created.
The local library
City directories, local histories and obituary files can put a family back in its community.
University special collections
Family papers, business ledgers and community collections may be hiding in a campus archive.
Historical & genealogical societies
Use local knowledge, member publications and the records that never reached a large database.
Church archives
Follow congregations and denominations to records of faith, family and community.
Historical newspapers
Find obituaries, notices and small-town details that never made it into a vital record.
Cemetery & funeral home records
Look beyond the headstone for burial registers, plot owners and the people who made arrangements.
Land & property records
Trace owners, neighbors and transfers to understand where a family lived—and where it went.
Probate records
Go beyond the will to find heirs, guardians, debts and the everyday details of an estate.
Immigration & naturalization
Separate the journey from citizenship, then follow each paper trail on its own terms.
No matching protocols yet.
Try a broader term, such as “land,” “church” or “archives.”
More ways to carry the story forward.
Future directions for the library. These collections are planned; published protocols will appear here as they’re added.