The Periodical Source Index, or PERSI, is the largest and most widely-used index of genealogical and historical periodical articles in the world. (Periodicals are simply publications produced regularly as part of a series—magazines, newsletters, journals, etc.) There is an amazing amount of genealogical information and knowledge that is published in these periodicals every year. Created by the Allen County Public Library in Fort Wayne, Indiana, PERSI is widely recognized as essential for high-quality genealogy research.

PERSI is a comprehensive subject index to genealogy and local history periodicals written in English and French (Canada) since 1800. The collection also includes literature dating from the 1700s, although the material before 1800 is less complete. In printed form, PERSI spans over two dozen volumes and takes up several feet of shelf space.

Last year, the Allen County Public Library added more than 100,000 citations, bringing the total number of fully searchable records to more than 1.1 million. The index catalogs almost 5,000 different periodicals, listing every article according to locality, family (surname), and/or research method. PERSI is available on CD-ROM and to Ancestry.com subscribers.

When you find an appropriate citation in PERSI, you will be able to follow a link from the citation to information on the publisher of the periodical. Below is an example of a publisher's information:

Periodical Title: Essex Institute Historical Collections
General Subject Area: U.S.
Topics: MA
Other Titles: new title: Peabody Essex Museum Collections
Notes:
ACPL Holdings: v.1-128 1859-1993
ACPL Call Number: 974.401 Es7esa
ISSN Number: 0014-0953

Other repositories holding this title include: Allen County Public Library, Los Angeles Public Library, Dallas Public Library, Family History Library, Library of Congress, New York Public Library, Newberry Library, New England Historic Genealogical Society Library, Public Library of Cincinnati & Hamilton Co., State Historical Society of Wisconsin Library
Publisher: Essex Institute
Publisher Address: 132 Essex St
Publisher City: Salem
Publisher State: MA
Publisher Zip: 01970
Subscription Price: 0.00
PERSI Code: MAEI

The periodical is the "Essex Institute Historical Collections," also known as "Peabody Essex Museum Collections." At the bottom, you find the publisher's name and address. If the publisher no longer exists, you will be encouraged to check with your local library or historical society for availability of the periodical. There is also a list of other repositories which hold this title included in the information. Check with these repositories before you visit to make sure they have the particular issue/article that you need. Links to many of these libraries' homepages and catalogs can be found in Juliana's Links

You may also contact the Allen County Public Library, which owns a copy of each periodical indexed in PERSI, for photocopies of articles. A form for ordering photocopies is available at:

http://www.acpl.lib.in.us/database/graphics/order_form.html

Send the form describing the articles to be copied, and provide the full entry from PERSI with the name of the journal. You may request a maximum of six articles at a time. The charge is $7.50 for each letter, pre-paid, plus $0.20 per page copied to be billed to you. Requests are NOT accepted by phone, fax, or e-mail. Mail the completed form to:

Allen County Public Library Foundation
P.O. Box 2270
Fort Wayne, IN 46801-2270

Please allow at least 8 weeks for processing. Also, be sure to double check your requests, and give the complete citation (Article Title, Periodical Title, Code, Volume, Issue, Date, etc.). Incomplete information may delay processing.