Missouri and Rhode Island

If you have any ancestors from Missouri who served in WWI, or just have an interest in the war in general, Missouri Over There may be of interest to you. Also, here is an article about, and a
link to,  court records from colonial-era Rhode Island. (source: Research Buzz)

World's Oldest Profession and the Census

Here is one of several articles linked from Cyndi's list regarding prostitutes and the census.

Colored Conventions

 Free and fugitive blacks came together in state and national "Colored Conventions"from 1830 until sometime after the Civil War. There, they discussed how to achieve educational, labor and legal justice for African-Americans. The website coloredconventions.org is digitizing the minutes of those conventions, which include both prominent and long forgotten names. You can view what has been transcribed so far, and also assist with the transcriptions. (source: ResearchBuzz)

Abolitionist Diary

The diary of  Philadelphia's William Still, an important figure in the Underground Railroad, is online at the Historical Society of Pennsylvania's digital library.  Covering the years 1852-1857, this diary documents the names, physical characteristics, and other details of escaped slaves.  An  article from the Philly Voice talks about the history of the diary and about plans by the Historical Society to create a searchable database of the names mentioned in it.

Until then, researchers will have to search page by page. The best way to view the diary is to click on "zoom/more media" below the viewer.  Some pages are illegible, but other portions can be read as is, or with the help of your computer's magnifier (for Windows,  press the Windows logo key and the + or - signs to bring up the magnifier and  zoom in and out).
(source: ResearchBuzz)

Free New York records

The New England Historic Genealogical Society (NEHGS) will allow free access to its New York databases for the month of June. There are 23 databases including church records, property records, marriage notices, and cemetery inscriptions. (source: ResearchBuzz)

Scotland genealogy

The National Library of Scotland has a collection of 400 family histories that can be read online or downloaded for reading off line. While you're there, look at what else their site has to offer.

Using Maps in Genealogical Research

This article by the U.S. Geological Survey at census.gov talks about how maps are helpful in tracking down your ancestors. Determining where someone lived can be tricky as place names and boundaries can change more than once over the years. Also included are list of books and free online resources. The library can help you locate and borrow material through inter-library loan, and assist with navigating the Web and Ancestry.com.