The Halifax Public Libraries wrote in a recent blog post that its librarians will look for obituaries in local newspapers for free. Other libraries provide a similar service.
Halifax Central Library’s Local History collection has many vital statistics newspaper indexes that contain genealogical information, including cemetery transcriptions.
To request an obituary, you must fill in the contact form. A librarian will search up to three obituaries per request. Once they have finished finding the obituaries, you can submit another request.
Due to copyright restrictions, the library is unable to email copies of obituaries. If you live in the Halifax Regional Municipality, you can pick up a copy of your request at any Halifax Public Libraries branch. If you live elsewhere in Nova Scotia, across Canada, or in the United States, your obituaries will be mailed free of charge.
Niagara Falls
The Niagara Falls Public Library will send you scanned images of birth, death, marriage, and anniversary notices, and related news articles that have appeared in the Daily Record, the Evening Review, and the Review since 1908.
To find out if your ancestor was mentioned in these newspapers, you can search for them in the online Newspaper Index.
My cousin had an excellent experience with the Niagara Falls Public Library. Within 24 hours, they sent her three or four announcements by email for free. I am not sure if that is typical of their service, but it was worth contacting them.
Other libraries
I had a very good experience with the Brampton Library in Ontario.
On a Facebook group, I learned the library held microfilm copies of the Brampton Conservator newspaper, so I sent an email to the library, with the subject line, “Brampton Conservator, March 1897,” and began my message with, “Hello from Montreal.”
I asked if someone would be able to look up and copy an article about an ancestor’s drowning or suicide on March 11, 1897. I provided the name of the ancestor and asked what the charge would be.
Within three days, the library sent me an image of the newspaper page on which the article appeared and a note to say there would be no charge. I replied with a short thank-you message.
Around the world
A few years ago, I received equally good service from the library in Maynard, Massachusetts and a library in Sydney, Australia.
While policies and available resources to search for notices and articles differ from library to library, it doesn’t hurt to ask.
Then, cross your fingers and hope for a positive response.
