Are the records in the Historical Archives computerized?
No. Searches are done in collections of individual handwritten ledgers from local parishes. There is no way to simply enter a name and receive all documents that contain that name. Rather, searches are done by hand in ledgers of varying degrees of clarity and physical condition. It is for this reason that it is important to have reasonably specific information about the place where the event (birth, marriage or death) occurred, the date of the event, and a plausible Lithuanian spelling for the person’s last name. Sometimes more than one parish will have to be investigated because of uncertainty about the location of the event. There is, though, a practical limitation on how uncertain the information can be and still support a meaningful search.
Related Questions
- May court records be transferred to another agency, like a local library, historical society, genealogical society or archives?
- How do I get access to records of Manitoba government departments and agencies held by the Archives of Manitoba?
- Do searches extend to records outside the Historical Archives?
