It may be time to start planning a visit to the
IGSI library for some genealogy research!
If you are doing Irish research and have not perused the library collection of the Irish Genealogical Society International (IGSI) at the Minnesota Genealogy Center (MGC), you may be working too hard at trying to find what is readily available at the library.
About 3000 items in the IGSI research collection are housed in the Hoffman Research Library along with the collections of the Minnesota Genealogical Society, its branches and other affiliates. Research collections of other Minnesota-based ethnic groups are part of the 20,000+ volume library: Canadian, Czechoslovakian, English-Welsh, Finnish, German, Norwegian, Ostfriesland, Polish, Pommern, and Swedish. You will find, in one convenient location, a wide variety of Minnesota, U.S., and international resources. What American Irish family doesn't include some non-Irish?
The Minnesota Genealogical Society has helpful information on its website to help you
plan your visit. (opens in a new window)
Normal hours for the Hoffman Research Library:
MONDAY 10 AM – 4 PM
WEDNESDAY 10 AM – 4 PM
THURSDAY 10 AM – 8 PM
SATURDAY 10 AM – 4 PM
Library hours are changing in January! Effective January 1 2025, we'll be open until 6 on Mondays and Thursdays.
Check the Minnesota Genealogical Society's website main page (www.mngs.org) for hours - the schedule may change on short notice.
Explore IGSI Resources
Check out 'Irish Saturday' on the second Saturday of every month when there are volunteers in the library who are Irish researchers who can provide informed direction and feedback on your Irish research. They will work with you to review and guide your research.
The IGSI collection includes history books, county-specific books, Irish cemetery transcriptions, church and government records, and more. Find maps showing all divisions of land in Ireland, including the townlands.
To search for materials in the IGSI collection, check the
library catalog (opens in a new window - we share a catalog with the Minnesota Genealogical Society).
Three patron workstations in the Hoffman Research Library are now configured for Irish research and provide access to electronic resources, such as Findmypast, Ancestry, Irish Ancestors (JohnGrenham.com) and other online databases. Or bring your own laptop and use the library’s Wi-Fi connection to investigate new resources. In addition, there are also microfilms from some Minnesota Irish Catholic churches which contain records of baptisms and marriages.
If you cannot visit on Irish Saturday, but would like to have some assistance or guidance by an Irish researcher when you do come to town, contact the
Librarian before coming, to set up a time to meet at the library.
The Hoffman Research Library is a "research" facility. Materials are for onsite reference use only -- they are not loaned out. However, a copy machine and a microfilm printer are available for your convenience. These copiers will also save to a flash drive. The library is free to members of IGSI and MGS-associated genealogical societies; non-members are charged a $10 per day fee.
Before visiting the library, check the online catalog for materials related to your research. Or check WorldCat to see if a particular title you need for your research is available at the library.
