Genealogy (Family History)

Are you researching your family history in Lackawanna County? The following basic genealogy sources are available in the Albright Memorial Library Reference Department. See also our listing of genealogy resources available at other agencies and our Local History and Genealogy Wiki.

U.S. POPULATION CENSUS DATA 1790-1930 (microfilm and Ancestry/Library Edition database)
Depending on the year of the census, data may include a person's name and age, number of years in the United States, marital status, birthplace of father and mother, and number of children born. [Please note: Due to the licensing agreement, Ancestry/Library Edition database is available for use only at the Reference Department computers.]

SCRANTON NEWSPAPERS 1866-1900 (microfilm, incomplete); 1900-present (microfilm)
Marriage notices and obituaries.

See Research Services from Albright Memorial Library.

Please note: The Scranton Times-Tribune website, thetimes-tribune.com, provides news from their newspapers back to April 1, 2001. Click on the "Go to Advanced Search/Archives" link at the top left of each page. The following information is from the Scranton Times-Tribune website:

If you are uncertain of the date of the article you are seeking, the staff of The Times-Tribune Reference Department will attempt to look it up for you. Your requests need to be as specific as possible. You can reach us by e-mail at library@timesshamrock.com, or call (570) 348-9140 Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays between 2 and 4 p.m.

Back to 1992, most of our back issues are archived electronically for the use of the Times-Tribune Newsroom staff. Prior to 1992, our archives are contained in clip files. Obituaries prior to 1992 are NOT archived in our clip files unless the deceased person was a prominent figure. If you have a date of death, they are easily accessed on microfilm [at the Albright Memorial Library].

The Times-Tribune Reference Department DOES NOT perform research projects or genealogical research for the general public. If you need us to do your research, we need a formal request in writing and a $25 deposit to start. After that, we charge $25 an hour for labor and 50 cents a page for photocopies. You will need to contact us first in person or by phone to make arrangements.

Please note: The Scranton Times-Tribune Reference Department is a division of the Times-Tribune and is not associated with the Albright Memorial Library Reference Department.

SCRANTON CITY DIRECTORIES 1861-1935 (microfilm, incomplete); 1867-present (incomplete set of books)
Scranton businesses, and names, addresses and occupations of people living in Scranton.

BIRTH AND DEATH RECORDS 1878-1905 (microfilm)
For births and deaths that occurred in Scranton during these years.

There is no charge to use this microfilm in the library. The fee for having the library perform a search for you is $25.00 (non-refundable). The probability of finding a record is estimated at 60-75%. The reason for the less-than-one-hundred percent probability is: official registration of births and deaths did not become mandatory in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania until 1906.

To have the library perform the search for you, send a check for $25.00 made out to the Scranton Public Library and a letter containing the following information:

1. Requestor's name and address
2. Full name of search subject
3. Complete birth/death date of search subject
4. Full name of birth parents

The turnaround time is four weeks upon receipt of letter and check.

Independent researchers in the Scranton area may be interested in performing birth/death record searches for you. Their fee may be more, less or the same as the library's fee. Please request a list of researchers from refdept@albright.org.

See also over 30 Genealogy Resources sites listed in our Online Resources database.