SLQ connecting families

At State Library of Queensland we regularly help visitors who are researching their families, trying to piece together the puzzles of their family tree and satisfy an innate desire to know where they come from.

Our family history section is always busy with visitors using our vast resources, including:

• immigration and shipping records
• convict records
• births, deaths and marriages indexes
• adoption records
• land records
• notices and articles in newspapers, and
• indigenous family history records.

But family research is not just about delving into the tales and characters of the past. SLQ has seen wonderful stories unfold of visitors who have discovered living relatives and made lasting connections with current generations of their family.

Recently, an overseas visitor came to SLQ and was able to trace the Queensland branch of her family, make contact with them, and cement a life-long connection with Brisbane.

Another visitor, who had been adopted at birth, had just a few clues as to her family’s past. Yet we were able to help her trace her family line, and within 24 hours she had met her elderly birth mother for the first time, returning to SLQ to let us know the outcome and express her thanks.

Our library team are dedicated to helping you with your family research needs. We encourage and assist you to make the best possible use of the information you have, and use the records and resources available through SLQ to help you in your quest for answers.

Embarking on the family research adventure is sure to yield some fascinating information about your family’s past – and there’s always the chance that it will change your future too!

For information about how to get started and what resources we have, visit our Family History web page, which contains many useful and practical info guides.

You can also visit us at SLQ, or use our Ask us service, where you can:

•  phone us on 07 3840 7810 (Mon to Fri, 9am-5pm)
• use our online form (we will answer within 10 working days)
• make an appointment with our staff, or
• use our instant message service (Mon to Fri, 9am-5pm).