PGSA/PMA Library Services

PGSA volunteers work at the library of the Polish Museum of America (PMA) on Wednesdays.

There are four types of library services that are available to you through PGSA and PMA:

1. You may mail in requests for specific services; see the table below.
2. You may come in to the Polish Museum Library when the volunteers are working, and request guidance on your research. PGSA volunteers are available on Wednesdays from 10 to 1. We accept telephone calls on Wednesdays between 10 and 1 Chicago time; call 773-384-3352.
3. At other times, you may visit the Polish Museum Library and work on your own. PGSA volunteers have prepared several notebooks for your use; these are kept on the bottom shelf of the Genealogy Collection.
   - Start with the Visitor’s Guide.
   - See the notebook of answers to questions that we have received.
   - Browse the notebooks containing articles about doing genealogical research.
   - Browse through our Genealogy Collection, which is arranged by topic. There are examples of family histories on the top shelf.
4. If you are in the Chicago area, you may arrange borrowing privileges from the library of the Polish Museum of America (PMA) for a modest annual fee. Interlibrary loan (ILL) services are NOT available.

Library Hours

Monday 10-4 | Tuesday 10-4 | Wednesday 1-7 | Thursday closed | Friday 10-4 | Saturday 10-4 | Sunday closed

For changes, see the PMA website

Mail Research Requests

Simple searches are done by PGSA volunteers for a fee and are limited to the following areas:

Please Note

The primary role of the Polish Genealogical Society of America is to help people do their own family searches. We do not have the staff to do genealogical research, but our volunteers are happy to try to help guide your research.

Requests for the above items cannot be accepted by telephone or email, although we will respond to simple questions sent by email. Examples of simple email requests: In what province is Lublin? Do you have a list of Polish genealogists?

We do not have immigration or naturalization records, but limited birth, baptism, marriage and death records are available (see above).

Many of the records we do have are in Polish. Translation guides may be found on this website.

Copies of pages from the Jubilee Books are not provided by PGSA but by the Archives of the Polish Museum of America. Click here for link.

Fees

The donation fees requested cover library overhead, equipment, and supplies. Only requests accompanied by the appropriate fee will be filled.

Members pay a discounted fee; non-members making numerous requests may wish to consider becoming a member.

Refunds are given only in the case of a PGSA error.