Mesa Arizona FamilySearch Library

United States Arizona  Libraries and Archives  Mesa FamilySearch Library

Note: Since November of 2014, the Library has been closed due to construction issues. Please refer to the website for further information about when the Library will reopen. Mesa FamilySearch Library

The Mesa FamilySearch Library, also known as the Mesa Family History Center, and as the Mesa Arizona Large Multistake Center, serves 59 Stakes in the Phoenix/Mesa Metroplex. The Center has 150 missionaries trained to help more than 35,000 patrons who visit the Center each year. The exceptionally good Youth Program includes training that helps youth learn the responsibilities of Ward Family History Consultants.

Contact Information

 * Website. Also available in Spanish
 * Home page
 * Youth page


 * Address Mesa FamilySearch Library 41 South Hobson Mesa, Arizona 85204-1021 USA
 * Location Map
 * On the east side of Hobson, just south of Main Street and east of the Temple.



Telephone: 480-964-1200 E-mail: [mailto:admin@mesarfhc.org admin@mesafsl.org]


 * Training Center. The Library also uses an additional building for some training at: 464 E. 1st Avenue Mesa, Arizona, USA
 * Location Map

Hours of Operation and Calendar

 * View the updated Calendar and Hours of Operation

Open Hours:


 * Monday 9am - 5pm
 * Tuesday 9am - 9pm
 * Wednesday 9am - 9pm
 * Thursday 9am - 9pm
 * Friday 9am - 5pm
 * Saturday 10am - 5pm
 * [[Image:Mesa Family History Building.jpg|right|300x220px|Mesa Family History Building.jpg]]

Schedule of Classes

 * Classes are free although some classes may have a nominal charge for elective materials.


 * Classes are held daily and taught by volunteers and missionaries at the Center. The Center uses class rooms both in the main building at 41 South Hobson and also at the Training Center which is located at 464 E. 1st Avenue, just west of the Temple.


 * There are two schedules of classes, one for the Main building and one for the Training Center. The Class Schedules are updated regularly and are on the main Mesa FamilySearch Library Website.


 * Class Schedules

General Resources

 * 129 computers and 14 film/fiche readers
 * Free access to subscription based Internet web sites, Including FamilySearch.org, Ancestry.com, Footnote, HeritageQuest, AmericanAncestors.org (formerly New England Historic Genealogical Society), World Vital Records, Godfrey Memorial Library and many other sites.
 * Pedigree Resource File CDs
 * Over 700 Commercial CDs with genealogical research data.
 * Over 30,000 to 40,000 Books, including many digital books. Index of the Digital Books
 * Over 81,000 rolls of microfilm and 52,000 microfiche. Additional films and fiche may be rented from the Family History Library.
 * Copiers and printers are available.
 * Genealogy software programs, forms, research outlines, word lists, etc., available at cost in our Copy Room.
 * Free Classes and Workshops --- Over 90 classes and workshops scheduled each month.
 * Research Specialty Committees.
 * Workshops -- with 26 computers at the Family History Training Center, 464 E. 1st Avenue for hands-on-training. See current class topics being taught below.

Library Catalog

 * The books and other resources of the Mesa FamilySearch Library can be searched through the library catalog:


 * Mesa AZ FamilySearch Library Catalog with author, title/keyword, content, subjects, call number, or hyperlink searches.


 * Also, you can search for microfilm and microfiche by number to see if the Mesa FamilySearch Library has any particular microfilm or microfiche. The numbers for searching must be obtained from the FamilySearch Catalog. Please see the Introduction to the FamilySearch Catalog


 * Film/Fiche Search of the Mesa AZ FamilySearch Library Catalog

Unique Resources

 * The Mesa FamilySearch Library has maintained several online resources of a local nature. These resources include the following:


 * Mesa FamilySearch Library Arizona Obituary Search: The Arizona Obituary Search allows you to search through a partial listing of obituaries published in Arizona newspapers. This is an index only. For original obituaries, go to the indicated newspaper. [Note: The City of Mesa Public Library also maintains a microfilm copy of the Arizona Republic Newspaper and charges $15.00 per obituary search request. The City of Mesa Public Library performs obituary searches only for persons whose obituary appeared in the Arizona Republic newspaper. An index to obituaries from 1997 appearing in the East Valley Tribune is available online. Microfilm copies of the East Valley Tribune and its predecessor newspapers for most years back to 1893 are available only at the Mesa Public Library Main Library.]
 * Interment search in the Mesa City Cemetery. This resource is a listing of most of the burials in the Mesa City Cemetery through Find a Grave.

Digital Books

 * The Mesa FamilySearch Library has an extensive collection of digitized books online. Including some books not available anywhere else. These books are mostly listed in the regular catalog with a link to the individual books, but there is also an index.


 * Index of digital books by call number.

You should also check the FamilySearch.org Books catalog where many of the Mesa FamilySearch Library books are also available.

What We Do

 * Provide Research Help. We do not perform the research for patrons, but we answer questions and suggest possible sources. Come to our reference desk.
 * Provide Training. See the schedule of classes listed above.
 * Conduct Tours. Tours of the center are available during our regular hours for groups of all ages. Call ahead to reserve a time for Youth Tours and discuss the goals of the tour. Call after 3:00 pm for tours scheduled between 3:00 pm - 8:00 pm. Take a photo tour on line in English and Spanish any time.
 * Assist in cleaning up data files.
 * Provide Service Opportunities for missionaries and volunteers. (Call 480-964-1200)

Research and Geographic Committees

 * The missionaries and volunteers at the Mesa FamilySearch Library are organized into committees by research interests and geographical areas. Each of the committees has a basic introduction to its area of expertise called a Quick Start. Quick Starts are short statements about how to start doing research on a particular subject or in a particular geographic area.


 * Below are each of the committee's mission statements and links to its QuickStarts.

Land/Probate

 * The committee teaches research techniques for finding land and probate records in both federal and state jurisdictions. These records often contain detailed family relationship information.


 * Land Records: Individuals to Individuals Quick Start
 * Land Records: State-Land States to Individuals
 * Land from Federal Government to Individual
 * Probate Records Quick Start

LDS Ancestor Research

 * The LDS Ancestor Research Committee assists patrons in finding their LDS ancestors. Many records are available from the early days of the LDS Church to the present day. Some of these records include membership records, LDS passenger immigration lists, pioneer journals, travel logs of handcart and wagon trains, Bishop’s reports, histories, newspapers, cemetery and burial records. The Quick Start will direct patrons to many useful sources.


 * LDS Ancestor Research

British Isles

 * The British Isles committee helps and assists patrons research their ancestors in England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland. Assistance may include searching the three major research sources for these countries, which are Census Records, Civil Registration and Church Records. Information that can be found in these records are; parents name, children, age, occupation, birth, marriage, death, burial and immigration dates. For additional help, please select the Quick Start below that applies to the area you are researching.


 * England &amp; Wales Quick Start
 * Ireland Quick Start
 * Scotland Quick Start

German

 * German Research Quick Start

Military

 * All of the Military Quick Starts link to a PDF file directly from the Quick Start link page on the Mesa FamilySearch Library Website. Please go to the link page by clicking on one of the entries below:


 * Revolutionary War
 * Civil War
 * Pre-20th Century Wars
 * 20th Century Wars

Native American

 * The Native American Committee assists patrons to find Native American records and the history of their ancestors. We also help the African American patrons to make the connection with the Native Americans. We also have resources to help with Polynesian records and those resources found in Hawaii. We meet the 2nd Monday of the month at 9:30 am.


 * Native American Quick Start
 * African American Quick Start
 * Hawaiian Quick Start

Canadian

 * Canada Quick Start
 * Ontario Quick Start
 * Quebec Quick Start

Hispanic

 * The Hispanic Committee is concerned with all aspects of Hispanic research. The Mesa FamilySearch Library has over 2000 rolls of microfilm relating to Latin American records and many other resources. The committee members provide support for patrons doing research in the Spanish language.


 * Hispanic Training


 * To view the information in Spanish:


 * Capacitación in Español

Immigration/Emigration

 * Our committee helps direct patrons in their search to find records and information on their US immigrant. Since many researchers are trying to find the country of origin - assistance may include help in finding; naturalization records, passenger lists, border crossings, US passport applications, US census records, etc. Any of these records may include an immigrant’s name, age, occupation, destination, and sometimes the place of origin or birth. Researching an ancestor before 1820 is vastly different than after 1820, when passenger arrival records began. Please select the QuickStart for the appropriate time frame you are researching.


 * Immigration Before 1820 Quick Start
 * Immigration After 1820 Quick Start

Netherlands

 * Netherlands Quick Start

Scandinavian

 * The Scandinavian Committee helps and assists patrons, missionaries, and volunteers to identify and find their Scandinavian ancestors, primarily in Denmark, Sweden, Finland, and Norway. Our purpose is to be a resource for patrons, missionaries, and volunteers. We update our skills continually to be able to assist and educate others in the use of the resources available here at the Mesa FamilySearch Library to help them in their genealogical research. The expertise we offer includes many quick starts that explain how to read the different languages, interpret Census records, birth dates, christening dates, death dates, and other pertinent information to the seeker of genealogy records of Scandinavia. You may select from the multiple quick starts below to get started.


 * Denmark Quick Start
 * Norway Quick Start
 * Sweden and Finland Quick Start
 * Scandinavia Quick Start
 * Books for Scandinavian Research
 * Other Tools for Scandinavian Research
 * How to Use the Danish National Archives
 * Notes on Dansk Demografisk Database
 * Notes on Using DIS-Denmark, a Danish Genealogical Resource
 * Landsarkivet
 * Notes on Norway.no and Norge.no for Maps of Counties and Communes
 * How to Use Norway National Archives

Eastern European

 * Eastern European Quick Start
 * Eastern European Map and List of Countries

Youth Programs

 * Youth And Family Programs

Other Resources

 * Family History Research Training and Class Schedule
 * Mesa FamilySearch Library Volunteer's Page

Links

 * See the FamilySearch Libraries for information on all of the FamilySearch Libraries.
 * Click here for more information on Mesa, Arizona

Alternate Repositories
If you cannot visit or find a source at the , a similar source may be available at one of the following.

Overlapping Collections


 * National Archives—Pacific Region (Riverside), CA. Federal court records and federal agencies in Arizona.
 * State Library, Phoenix, has a large book/periodical collection including immigration, vital records, courts, wills, county histories, and Internet sites. The  starting place for AZ family history research.
 * State Archives, Phoenix, marriages, wills and probates, civil and criminal records, brands, taxes, coroner records, voting registers, prisoners, state agencies, maps, newspapers, photos.
 * Bancroft Library, Univ. Calif. Berkeley Early settlers, migration trails, stagecoaches, miners, and histories. They probably have more Arizona historical material than any repository in Arizona.
 * Southwest Museum Braun Research Library, Los Angeles, CA. Includes the Monk Library of Arizoniana, California and Arizona history, and records of southwest American Indians.

Similar Collections


 * Family History Library, Salt Lake City, has many Arizona cemeteries, census, church, court, histories, immigration, land, military, and naturalization records on microfilm.

Neighboring Collections


 * Arizona State University Library, Tempe, a good place to look for early Arizona families.
 * Phoenix Public Library, Burton Barr Central Library The Arizona history collection is a good place for genealogy research.
 * West Valley Genealogical Society, Youngstown, an active society with a good little library. Probably represents outside Arizona better because of retirees who contribute from all around the U.S.
 * Maricopa County Office of Vital Registration births 1950-present; and deaths.
 * Maricopa County Superior Court Clerk marriages, criminal, civil, divorces, probate and tax court cases.
 * Maricopa County Recorder's Office land and mortgage records 1871-present.
 * U.S. District Court civil, criminal, appellate, and bankruptcy cases.
 * Maricopa Historical Society, Wickenburg, exhibits and publications.
 * Arizona Jewish Historical Society, Phoenix, exhibits and genealogical classes.
 * Repositories in surrounding counties: Gila, La Paz, Pima, Pinal, Yavapai, and Yuma.
 * Arizona Historical Society, Tucson Library and Archives, has a Mexican and an early Arizona collection, Colorado River topics, manuscripts 1860-present, oral histories, maps, and photos.
 * University of Arizona Special Collections, Tucson, materials on Arizona, Southwest American history, and the U.S./Mexico Borderlands, including rare books, manuscripts, and photographs.
 * Northern Arizona University Cline Library, Flagstaff, includes Arizona history, Arizona photographs, archives, and oral histories.
 * Pima County Public Library, Joel D. Valdez Main Library, Tucson, the Arizona collection, and the Southern Arizona Genealogical Society collection are housed here.
 * Repositories in surrounding states (or nations): California, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah; in Mexico: Baja California, Sonora, and Mexico.
 * California State Archives, Sacramento, has county records of the state, such as court records, prison records, wills, deeds, as well as military records, state census records, and school records.
 * Nevada State Library and Archives, Carson City, births, marriages, deaths, censuses, military.
 * New Mexico State Records Center and Archives, Santa Fe, government records since 1621, manuscripts, Catholic church records, census, wills, family histories, letters, diaries, maps, photos.
 * Utah State Archives, Salt Lake City, newspaper, death, land, court, history, naturalization, military, directories, criminals.
 * Archivo General de la Nación, Mexico City, church, civil, census, court, history, military, migration, land.