The Maurice Patterson Research Room
The Maurice Patterson Research Room, located inside the Interlaken Public Library, holds a significant and long-time curated genealogy and local history collection. Materials in this space are non-circulating, meaning they cannot be checked out and taken home, but are available for research any time the library is open.
We urge visitors looking to access this collection for genealogy research to contact our Library Director, Chelsea Hastings, prior to their visit. While the Director will not research with you during your visit, materials can be pulled in advance of your arrival that are relevant to your search. It also gives library staff an opportunity to speak with our village historian and have more items available for you to see during your visit. We recognize that research takes time and we hope to assist you in maximizing your visit.
Much of our local newspaper collection has been digitized for easy searching, thanks to generous support from the South Central Regional Library Council Digitization Grant and the Delavan Foundation. Use the link to search by keyword, date, or newspaper.
Search this repository of historic digitized newspapers throughout NY State. While not every newspaper in New York State has been digitized or added to this collection, it’s one of the largest online resources for newspapers in our region.
Ellis Island processed more immigrants than all other US ports combined. While not all immigrants came thru Ellis Island, it can be a great tool to locate immigration records between 1820 and 1957.
Irish birth, marriage and death records from Irish ancestors.
Use your library card to search this vast genealogy database powered by ancestry.com! Don’t have a library card within the Finger Lakes Library System? Scroll down – you can apply for one online, it’s free, and you do not need to be a resident to get a library card.
FamilySearch is an online geneaology research and tree-building tool. Create a free login to access information, family trees, census records, military records, and other tools critical to genealogy research.
The NY State Division for Historic Preservation worked with Cornell University students in 1979 to inventory many of the buildings and homes in and around the Village of Interlaken. Use the link to search as a guest or create an account.
Please note these surveys are not exhaustive – not all homes were surveyed in 1979
Some of the items in our genealogy collection have been digitized and are available online. Hathi Trust has a wide variety of materials and a special online collection has been created that mirrors parts of our genealogy collection here. While not every item in the library is available in Hathi Trust, all of the items that are available can be searched for keywords or names. This can be particularly helpful in discovery during research, as many times a person’s name is listed in an index of a volume you wouldn’t consider checking.
Hosted online via Zoom twice per month, join fellow genealogists for research help, tips, and resource sharing. Registration is required but the program is free and meets twice per month on the 2nd and 4th Thursday at 11am EST.
Library Hours
Monday 9-1
Tuesday 11-5
Wednesday 9-1
Thursday 11-5
Friday 9-1
Saturday 9-12