Batavia Public Library’s Local History Room, located on the main floor near the Reference Desk, contains extensive holdings of printed and microfilm materials about genealogy and the history of Batavia and Kane County; some histories of the Fox River Valley and Illinois; and numerous published guides to sources and how to do research in repositories elsewhere in the United States and abroad.
Collections in the Local History Room are for in-Library use only, but they are supplemented by similar printed materials in the circulating collection and by online reference databases.
Librarians at the Adult Services Reference Desk will be glad to help you locate materials that you need.
Newspaper microfilm includes the Batavia Herald (1893-1976), the Batavia Chronicle (1976-1990), the Kane County Chronicle (1990-present); the Aurora Beacon (1848-1913), with subsequent years to be added from time to time, and the Batavia Republican (1990-2000). There are occasional gaps in surviving files for early years. Other microfilm publications include Life (1963-1972, 1991-2000), New York Times Book Review (1992-2007), Newsweek (1964-2016), Time (1964-present), and U.S. News and World Report (1974-2011).
Census microfilm is available for Kane County for 1840, 1850, 1860, 1870, 1900, 1910, 1920, and 1930. Federal and state censuses for the United States for 1790-1930 can be accessed online at the Library through the Library’s reference databases HeritageQuest and Ancestry Library Edition. Patrons with a Batavia Public Library card can access HeritageQuest (but not Ancestry Library Edition) from their home computers.
Gaps in Our Holdings?
The Batavia Public Library would be glad to receive materials such as the following for our Local History Room:
Additional Links: (coming soon)
Published or typescript genealogies for current or former residents of Batavia and Kane County.
Published histories for Batavia churches, organizations, and businesses.
Other published accounts of life in Illinois, Batavia, Kane County, and the Fox River Valley.
Take Root in Your Family Tree: Resources for Genealogy and Local History in the Batavia Public Library
Genealogy and Local History subscription databases
Genealogy web sites (from the Library’s Genealogy on the Internet class)
Other sources in the Local History Room include:
Reference Databases:
Teen Programs
When: Tuesday, April 20, 2021 - 7:00 PM - 8:00 PMIllinois Student Assistant Corps representative Lauren Waitt addresses what happens after a FAFSA is completed, including the SAR (Student Aid Report), completing the verification process, using the IRS Data Retrieval Tool, reviewing aid award […]
When: Saturday, May 01, 2021 - All DayLooking for a fresh read and a few surprises? Try a Library teen book subscription! Register at the link below and let us know what you might like to read. We will fill a bag for you with a pre-selected YA library book, a craft, a snack, and a few themed […]
When: Sunday, May 02, 2021 - 7:00 PM - 8:00 PMAre you addicted to Among Us? Meet up with other players for some private games. Well make sure everyone is ready on Zoom and then chat during the games using Discord. The Discord server is BPL Game Night, and the channel we will use is #among-us-bpl. […]
When: Wednesday, May 12, 2021 - 6:00 PM - 8:00 PMChat time: 6-6:30pm Game time: 6:30-8pm Teens and young adults of all abilitiesand their families and friendsare invited to play UNO, Bingo, and other games online. High school volunteers are welcome. We now have prizes for bingo, as well as UNO […]
Adult Programs
When: Tuesday, April 20, 2021 - 6:30 PM - 7:00 PMJoin Misty & Aimee from adult services for 30 minutes of local exploration and a chance to reconnect with your neighbors. You will laugh with and learn from the people who make this community great. No registration required, but you will need a […]
When: Tuesday, April 27, 2021 - 6:30 PM - 7:00 PMJoin Misty & Aimee from adult services for 30 minutes of local exploration and a chance to reconnect with your neighbors. You will laugh with and learn from the people who make this community great. No registration required, but you will need a […]
When: Tuesday, May 04, 2021 - 6:30 PM - 7:00 PMJoin Misty & Aimee from adult services for 30 minutes of local exploration and a chance to reconnect with your neighbors. You will laugh with and learn from the people who make this community great. No registration required, but you will need a […]
When: Thursday, May 06, 2021 - 7:00 PM - 8:00 PMJoin us for a fireside chat with journalist, author and filmmaker Alex Kotlowitz. Alexs most notable books are An American Summer: Love and Death in Chicago and the award winning national bestseller There Are No Children Here.Our fireside chat will […]
Kids Programs
When: Tuesday, April 20, 2021 - All DayAll agesPick up materials to make an Upcycled Earth Day craft at home. One kit per child, please. No registration required.
When: Saturday, May 01, 2021 - All DayAges 3-6Books are great to listen to, but they really come alive when we add movement to them too! In this virtual recorded storytime, we'll act out stories and practice lively movement rhymes and songs. An online link will be available today to watch for one […]
When: Saturday, May 22, 2021 - 10:00 AM - 4:00 PMAll agesWhat do you get when you combine fresh air, light exercise, and a good book? A Story Stroll of course! Bring the family to the Depot Museum and enjoy Trains Run by George Ella Lyon. No registration required.
When: Tuesday, May 18, 2021 - 4:00 PM - 6:30 PMAll agesLooking for something fun for the family? Register for a 30-minute time slot to work together to build with Legos. Families will be given a bag of Library Legos to use, a space in the Youth Services department to work, and 30 minutes to create. […]