The Family Research Guide to DPLA

DPLA is totally free to use and open to all – no library card, subscription, or sign-up required! Our collection, with items from many institutions, offers a unique research resource for family historians and genealogists.

Explore DPLA

Use our Search Tips to get the most out of your DPLA experience! You may be interested in searching for family names in DPLA, but don’t stop there. DPLA also offers the opportunity to dig deeper and add context to the lives of our ancestors, exploring questions such as:

What was discussed at my ancestor’s local political club meeting?
What did downtown Memphis look like in the 1910s when my family lived there?
What route did my fortune-seeking ancestor take to California during the Gold Rush?

What else can you use?

Explore collection highlights of particular interest for family research!

: Family photographs

: Family Bibles

: Correspondence, from the Civil War for example.

: Local maps

: Yearbooks

: Military records including photographs and service records

: Oral histories

: Family History and Genealogy books

To find even more historical materials to help develop context, browse by topic. As you discover useful materials, create lists of items to come back to later without having to repeat your search.

Find out more information

Want to learn more? This recording of a genealogy webinar and this recording of a follow-up webinar with genealogist Allison Ryall, presented by the DPLA Outreach and Assessment Working Group, are helpful resources. You can also watch video of past family research workshops or email us at education@dp.la for support and free giveaways for an event. Follow us on social media!
Subscribe to our Genealogy email list