The Periodical Source Index (PERSI) is a subject index to family and local history literature published in periodicals. Originally created in 1986 by the Genealogy Center at the Allen County Public Library (ACPL) in Fort Wayne, Indiana, it is the second largest family history library in the United States, in print and fiche formats. PERSI now includes more than 11,000 genealogical, historical, and patriotic periodicals, including magazines, newsletters, journals created by societies from around the...
Today’s episode of Research Like a Pro is about how to include contextual information in your genealogical writing. Whether you are writing a research report, proof argument, or a family history narrative, adding context will aid you. You may want to flesh out an ancestor’s life with details about their occupation and community, or add to your body of evidence by discussing the laws that prompted a record set’s creation. Tune in as we discuss...
Today’s episode of Research Like a Pro is about how to find articles using the Periodical Source Index (PERSI). There are two different search pages to use. Learn about the differences between them and how to use them effectively to find the articles that might help in your research. We also go over 7 ways to obtain the articles you find in the Periodical Source Index, and how to search using state postal codes. Update...
Update 2024: PERSI has moved from FindMyPast to Allen County Public Library, so the search strategies are different now. You can type your surname into the surname field, then after that, further refine results with postal codes using the search field on the results page. Have you tried searching the Periodical Source Index (PERSI) for a surname but come away empty? Me too. I searched with “Dyer” in the who field and “North Carolina” in...
Today’s episode of Research Like a Pro is about the Periodical Source Index (PERSI). This index to periodicals useful to genealogists was originally created by the Allen County Public Library and published in print and fiche formats. Now, genealogists can access the index online at FindMyPast! Join us as we discuss what you might find in the index and how the articles might be of use to you. Update 2022: The Allen County Public Library’s Genealogy Center...
Have you heard of PERSI, short for the PERiodical Source Index? I recently used this amazing resource to discover an article about a very specific research question. If you’ve heard of PERSI, but not known how to use it, today I’ll be sharing 4 steps to get you started. First of all, a little background on PERSI. For over a hundred years, genealogy articles have been written and published by thousands of societies and organizations...
