General notes and information   

 

All materials are for reference and research use only.

There are no circulating items; materials are not available for Interlibrary Loan. The staff of the library provides assistance to patrons, in-house, in using the materials in the collection, but cannot do research. A copy machine is available and copies are $.25 per page. Researchers should be aware that certain items, because of fragility and/or rarity may not be photocopied.  These items may be noted in the catalog or may be identified at the time of use by library staff. 

 

The library is open Monday - Saturday.

Operating hours are Monday through Friday, 10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.; Saturday, 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.

 

The library is located at 125 Church Street, Suite 104.

The front of the building faces Church Street.  Suite 104 is the back suite.  Access to the library is available through the front entrance of the building, but Church Street parking is time-limited (2 hours). The main entrance to the library is through the portico door on the back of the building, accessed by turning west on Meadows Street and going 1/2 block. The entrance is on the south side of the street.  There is convenient long term parking in the building lot at the corner of Meadows & Leader Street, and additional parking on the north side in Meadows Street park.

 

The library is closed in observance of the following holidays:

January 1 (New Year's Day), third Monday in January (Martin Luther King Day), last Monday in May (Memorial Day), July 4 (Independence Day), first Monday in September (Labor Day), fourth Thursday and Friday in November (Thanksgiving Day & day after), December 24th, 25th, 26th (Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, & day after). Holidays occurring on a Sunday will be observed the following Monday. The library will be closed the Saturday following a Friday holiday. There may be other special holidays and closings according to system policy, need or emergency. Out-of-town patrons are encouraged to call ahead to confirm the library will be open.

 

The Ohoopee Regional Library System is a member of Georgia Library PINES.

The catalog of the Ladson Genealogical Library may be accessed online through the PINES WebCAT. A link is available at the homepage of the Ohoopee Regional Library System, www.ohoopeelibrary.org or the PINES WebCAT at GA PINES. You may search by choosing the Ohoopee Regional Library System or specifically to the Ladson collection, Ladson Genealogical Library.

To further assist you in your genealogical research, the Ohoopee Regional Library System recommends that you use the PINES catalog to search the holdings of the many other excellent genealogical and local history collections in Georgia public libraries. Of special interest are the Genealogical & Historical Room of the Macon-Bibb County Libraries (MGRL) and the Ellen Payne Odum Genealogy Library at the Moultrie-Colquitt County Library (MCCLS).  To view genealogical and local history collections that may be of interest to you in other PINES libraries, use ALL as the search location and you will search the entire PINES database of over 200 libraries in Georgia.

Computers with Internet access are available for word processing and research use.

Through GALILEO (Georgia Library Learning Online), access is available to patrons in-house to various genealogical research subscription services including Ancestry Library Edition and Heritage Quest Online.  [NOTE: Ancestry Library Edition is available only in the library.  Heritage Quest Online may be accessed at home using a GALILEO password. Passwords change quarterly and may be obtained at your Georgia public library. GALILEO can be accesed directly through the PINES catalog using your PINES card number and password.] Word processing is available, however, family tree software is not compatible with the library's computers. To use the computers, Georgia residents must have a current, in good standing, Georgia Library PINES card. Out of state residents may use a limited temporary courtesy card.

 

Requests for information by telephone, mail, facsimile or electronic mail will be honored to the extent that they only require verifying library holdings and/or the contents of particular works.

 

NOTE:  There is a $5.00 minimum copy and mail charge; microcopies will be charged an additional $1.00 per citation.  Payment must be in advance and the request must include a self-addressed, stamped envelope.

 

The request must contain an exact citation -- what work and pages within the work must be specified-- and involve no additional research.  

 

Requests for photocopies of pages of materials in the library's collection, including the indexes of particular works, will be honored if the work and particular pages are specified.  There is a limit of 10 pages per request. The library cannot copy entire works, even with multiple requests. Compliance with copyright laws is the responsibility of the patron.

 

Requests for copies of information found on microfilm, including census records, obituaries, wedding & birth announcements, or news items published in local newspapers should include the full names of the parties and the dates of the event. Census records requests must have the exact reference: county and page number (for 1790 through 1870) or county, ED, sheet, and line (for 1880, 1900, 1910, and 1920). No more than three (3) requests will be honored at a time. 

 

Patrons intending to use materials within a published work that were obtained from a manuscript or special collection located in the Ladson Genealogical Library should obtain written permission from the library and the work should contain the notation: "Obtained with permission from the collection of the Ladson Genealogical Library, Ohoopee Regional Library System, Vidalia, GA."  Obtaining permission from authors or collectors is the responsibility of the patron.

 

The Ladson Genealogical Library staff offers research strategies and assists the researcher in locating materials that will aid in their research. We are unable to perform in-depth research for patrons, either in-house or by remote request. Requests that involve searches through a variety of sources, or do not specific sources and citations are considered in-depth research. Those persons needing professional genealogy services are encouraged to consult the researchers listed by resources including the Association of Professional Genealogists at www.apgen.org/, the Georgia Newspaper Project, part of the Digital Library of Georgia, at www.libs.uga.edu/gnp/genie.html, or other resources including the Georgia Genealogical Society, Independent Researchers for Hire at http://www.gagensociety.org/researchers.htm or the Georgia Genealogy website at gagen.i-found-it.net/.

 

All briefcases, laptop cases, packages, bags, coats, purses, etc. must be left at the front desk in the reception area.

Patrons must register before entering the library. Identification, consisting of either a valid Georgia Library PINES card or current photo identification, will be required.  

Cell phones and beepers must be turned off or placed on no-sound while users are in the library; all calls must be taken outside the library. 

Smoking or the use of tobacco products, food, and drink are not permitted in the library.

The Ladson Genealogical Library is a research library; the facility is separate from the Main Library. There is no youth area and there are no provisions or materials available for the entertainment and use of young children. 

Monetary donations for the purchase of materials or for maintenance of the building and collection are gratefully accepted. Please identify where you wish your donation to apply and send it to the Ladson Genealogical Library, c/o Vidalia-Toombs County Library, 610 Jackson Street, Vidalia, GA 30474. Please indicate if the donation is made in memory of John E. (Jack) Ladson, Jr.

Other information, reference and research guidelines and Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s) can be found at our Ladson Genealogical Library website.