New Policy Change

The Pennsylvania Room, as the name implies, is the Library's resource center for the study of local history. This study can entail areas as diverse as the French and Indian War, the coal mining industry as well as individual family histories. Resources are listed in the computer catalog by either subject, title and author. IMPORTANT NOTICE
Resources of The Pennsylvania Room
Policies of The PENNSYLVANIA ROOM
RESOURCES

County Histories
 THE PENNSYLVANIA ROOM has state and county histories for genealogical purposes. Locally, we have four histories of Fayette County index which is also available in the Pennsylvania Room. We also have county histories for the surrounding counties in Pennsylvania and West Virginia.

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City Histories And Directories

  • The Library has city histories of Uniontown, Connellsville and Brownsville which were written in the early part of this century.
  • City or town directories list names, residences, occupations, etc. for a given time. These directories are particularly useful for research around the turn of the century. 
  • Although the collection of early directories is incomplete, for some of these materials our collection begins in 1859; other parts of the collection encompass the years 1900 through 1960. 
  • We have no directories for Brownsville after 1910.
  • We also have town histories for Smithfield, Perryopolis, Mill Run and Dawson.

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Newspapers
The library has microfilm copies of the local newspaper beginning in 1805 to the present. An alphabetically arranged name index to obituaries in the newspaper from the late 1800s to 1930 is filed on catalog cards in the Pennsylvania room. Similarly, an alphabetically arranged file of index cards highlights "Headlines of Fayette County" beginning in the 1880s. For example, Coal Mining Explosion, Schools & Businesses.

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Veteran Information
The Pennsylvania Room has a variety of tools such as history books covering both specific and general areas of American or local history. Other materials include copies of official government records detailing military service. Names are arranged alphabetically within listing by state, region and company. Based on these records, information such as enlistment dates, discharges, rank, residence, injuries pension information or honors may be obtained by contacting state or national archives. We have some books which record the history of military units composed of Fayette County enlistments.

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Cemetery Information
Fayette County has approximately 440 know cemeteries which the 
"National Society Colonial Dames of the XVII Century" mapped. 
The Pennsylvania Room has an index for some of these 440.

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Church Records
These records (often in book form) contain information about births, 
baptisms, marriages and deaths. The Pennsylvania Room has information about local churches and some churches in the surrounding counties. We also have examples in broader subject areas like Quaker records. Information is listed chronologically by day unless an alphabetically arranged name index has been compiled to accompany the records. These records were created and kept by the minister who served congregation. This practice often accounts for vague or missing records within a given church's history.

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Correspondence File
The correspondence file and the Pennsylvania Room guest book 
register provide family names, addresses of researchers and subjects 
which are being researched in the Fayette County area.

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Specific Genealogical Resources
The Pennsylvania Room has some family histories which earlier 
researchers have compiled and/or published. Passenger ship lists are 
also helpful in research.

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Maps and Atlases
The Pennsylvania Room has copies of early land grants, warrants, 
surveys which have been indexed. In addition, the Library also has 
atlases showing owners of property for the year 1858, 1865 and 1872 (indexed).

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Census
Census records are especially useful in genealogical research. 
The Pennsylvania Room has census information for Fayette County 
in either book or microfilm format starting with the 1790 Census continuing through the 1920 Census. The Library also has some census information for the entire state. Information in census records is arranged alphabetically by township.

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Colonial Records and Pennsylvania Archives
The Pennsylvania Room has copies of the colonial records and the Pennsylvania Archives. Dr. Mary Dunn, a native of Uniontown, created an index of the colonial records. The Friends of the Uniontown Public Library sponsored the publication of this index, which is also available in the Pennsylvania Room.

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POLICIES

General Policy

  • Please sign the guest register upon entering the PA Room. 
    Everyone entering the Room must register by signing; you may 
    (but are not obliged) indicate your area of interest.
  • Brief cases or carriers are permitted in the Room, but not opened 
    on the worktables. The Library reserves the right to inspect carrying cases at any time.
  • Children must be accompanied by an adult. This adult must assume all responsibility for the child. Children are expected to sit quietly or they will be asked to leave the Room.
  • Students, aged 14 and older, are permitted to use the resources 
    of the PA Room provided they can comply with all the policies of the Room.
  • The Library is not responsible for any lost or stolen items.
  • No food or drink permitted. Please whisper and walk

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Handling Of Materials

  • You must ask the Curator to get material you wish to view. 
    Only ONE source will be available at a time.
  • You must be seated with the material securely placed on a 
    flat surface when reading, skimming or viewing.
  • Do not write on or in the material.
  • We ask that you use only a pencil, pen and notebook 
    (laptop computer) at the worktables as space is limited.
  • When you're finished using the material, leave it on the worktables; the Curator will re-shelve materials.

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Copy Machine Policy

  • We reserve the right to deny copies of materials. This may 
    often be due to the physical condition of the material.
  • When making copies of the work of other researchers, 
    please acknowledge the researcher/author, the source and the 
    PA Room. Please do not present this work as your own as there are laws against plagiarism and copyright infringement.
  • Copies are 15 cents per page

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Microfilm

  • A 1.5 hour time limit will be imposed on the use of the microfilm 
    readers due to their limited number.
  • There is a first-come, first-serve policy observed for the use of 
    the unscheduled blocks of time for use on the microfilm readers. 
    No one patron or group of patrons can expect exclusive all-day use of the microfilm readers unless no other patron is waiting.
  • Microfilm copies are $.50 (fifty cents) when searched for by the
    patron and reproduced using the self-service coin operated machines. Mail and telephone requested microfilm copies will cost $2.00 (two dollars) per copy plus postage if the day, month and year are provided.  The microfilm copies will cost $4.00 per copy plus postage if only the month and year are provided. These microfilm requests must be specific in terms of the date of the information desired.
  • Only one roll will be available at a time. After viewing the film, 
    leave the film out. Staff will return the microfilm to the storage drawers.
  • Patrons will be charged full replacement cost for torn or damaged microfilm.

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Mail Or Telephone Requests

  • All requests for research by post must be accompanied by a 
    self-addressed, stamped envelope as well as funds to cover the costs of copies desired (50 cents per copy in advance for copies from books or vertical files and $2.00 for microfilm). All work will be done at the pace dictated by the availability of volunteers.
  • Telephone requests should also follow the same guidelines as mailed requests.

  • We regret that we cannot guarantee positive results.  Please know that we cannot offer a more detailed level of research due to the large volume of requests that we receive.  We will include a list of researchers one of whom you may wish to hire in order to continue your research; this is not an endorsement for we accept no responsibility for their services.

  • If you have questions concerning the status of your query, please telephone us.  Requests will be answered as soon as possible depending on the volume of requests that we have received.  Please allow up to two months for the results of your research.  Most queries will be answered sooner.

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Pennsylvania Room Rates
Prepaid cost to search sources located in the Pennsylvania Room $20.00
Obituaries or other microfilmed articles (cost is per copy) $2.00
Obituary Card Catalog Surname Search $5.00
Common surname search such as “Smith” $10.00
Charge per page from the book/sources after the initial index search $.50
Microfilmed censuses -please provide the township and page number $2.00
Maps- sections only-copies, shipping and handling…up to  $2.50

Please prepay by check or money order payable to the:
“Uniontown Public Library”

Please include an additional 6% PA Sales Tax when making your request.
All research listed above is per surname, except the obituary search.
We are not able to accept e-mail requests at this time.

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