Genealogy & Local History Online Resources

Genealogy & Local History Databases and Newspapers



Available Remotely (No Library Card Necessary)

Archive.org Digitized books from the Hayner Collection, including yearbooks, Alton city directories, and other items.
Illinois Digital Archives Alton Area Local History Collection Photographs digitized by the Genealogy & Local History Library staff.
Branching Out Genealogy Webinars Created by the Genealogy & Local History Library staff.
State Genealogy Research Guides Created by the Genealogy & Local History Library staff.
Madison County Cemetery Maps
Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps Available through the University of Illinois Library (includes Alton).
Elijah P. Lovejoy Films and Bibliography



Available Remotely with a Hayner Library Card

Fold 3 Access military records, including stories, photos, and personal documents of the men and women who served.
Newspaper Archive Worldwide Newspapers, including the Alton Telegraph 1836-2012 and The Edwardsville Intelligencer as well as thousands of other newspapers from around the world.
Alton Telegraph from NewsBank January 2020-Present Includes full-color newspaper pages from January 1, 2020–present, including today’s newspaper. Also includes text (no images) for the Alton Telegraph from 2007–present.



In-Library Use Only (Available at All Hayner Library Locations)

Ancestry Library Edition World’s most popular consumer online genealogy resource.
Alton Telegraph November 2012–December 2019 Not available remotely due to copyright restrictions.