A Look-Up Resource for International
Genealogical Research
What is Books We Own?
Books We Own is a list of resources owned/accessed by individuals who are willing to look up genealogical information and e-mail or snail mail it to others who request it. This is a free service - volunteers may ask for reimbursement of copies and postage if information is provided via snail-mail. The project began in 1996 as a way for members of the ROOTS-L mailing list to share their resources with one another. Today, there are approximately 1250 volunteers.
Resource owners are volunteers with a limited amount of time and resources to spend looking up information. Before using this service, please review helpful tips for making requests.
Jenny Tenlen has served as Books We Own webmaster since February 1998, and is the third webmaster since this project was begun.
(For more information on the Books We Own, please read BWO Volunteer Gary A. Zimmerman's article for the Fiske Genealogical Library's December 2007 newsletter, and an article I wrote for the USIGS Newsletter in 2003.)
Volunteers Wanted!
New and returning contributors are always welcome! Please go to the Contributor's Page to volunteer or to change your current listings.
Request a Lookup!
Please go to the Requesting a Lookup page to get some tips on how to place a request. After you have familiarized yourself with the project, please visit the project Library to start browsing through the listings.
In Memoriam
I wish to remember our lookup volunteers who have passed away: Cynthia Abbott, Jane McMurtry Allen, Georgia Bristol, Carl Cason, Anne Cissel, Wayne F. Claire, Paul W. Cook, Elva Coombs, Nancy Hallberg, Shirle W. Hamrick, Chet Hollis, Terrance Jestin, Charmaine Keith, Lorraine Kemler, Sandi Koscak, Mary Magnuson, Robert R. McCausland, Glen F. Pritchett, David Pue, Gene Ballentine Rooks, Bev Ross, Deborah Lee Rothery, Delores Sanders, Adienne Schoverling, Nancy C. Sieck, Esther Snively, Richard Dennis Souther, Don Stanwyck, Stacey Starkell, Helen Tregillis, Catherine Van Cott, and Ken Wiltz. These volunteers made valuable contributions to the Books We Own project, and I extend my condolences to their families.
Project Updates
Subscribe to the BWO RSS Feed to receive notification of project updates, new listings, and other resources.