Researching archival documents and library materials consists of two stages. The first is researching their catalogs. Reviewing library registries usually poses no problems. At the same time, working with archival catalogs requires serious professional skills and is very time-consuming. The second stage is the direct research of the sources themselves.
Specifics of Archival Research
Archival Catalogs
In genealogy, archival research is divided into two types: genealogical searches and document searches. The first involves identifying and working with sources that contain genealogical information. These include parish registers, various population censuses, marriage banns, and more. Many archives have already compiled separate catalogs for such sources. For instance, the website of the Central State Historical Archive of Ukraine in Kyiv features a consolidated electronic catalog of parish registers, clergy records, and confession scrolls. Most state regional archives also maintain such catalogs, though they may be in paper form or as digital books. This significantly reduces the time spent on the first stage of research.
Consolidated catalogs of parish registers feature the bulk of genealogical sources, but not all of them. True work with archival catalogs begins when specific information is needed but the necessary documents are missing, or when the task is to identify other types of records that are not classified as genealogical sources. The problem is that thematic archive registries do not simplify the search. One must study their guides, lists, and collection inventories (opysy). This is a very time-consuming process.
An important aspect of working with catalogs is that the researcher must:
- Have a strong command of history.
- Understand the administrative-territorial divisions of the state during the era in question.
- Be proficient in historical record-keeping and bureaucratic procedures.
- Know how to apply this knowledge in practice.
Source Research
Every archival institution has its own operational specifics. Some are more accommodating to researchers, while others are less so. Despite the existence of a specific Order of Use for Documents of the National Archival Fund approved by the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine, access to documents in different archives is granted within different timeframes and under varying conditions. This significantly impacts both the duration of the research and its overall cost.
The vast majority of sources genealogists handle are handwritten. Some are written in a clear, beautiful hand and are easy to read. Others, however, are written in such a way that they require actual deciphering. Documents entirely typed on a typewriter are extremely rare and usually pertain only to the Soviet period.
Unfortunately, there is a possibility that even the full availability of sources does not guarantee a successful search result. This happens for various reasons:
- Omissions: The person who compiled the document failed to record the necessary data.
- Poor Preservation: Damaged, deteriorated, or faded pages.
- Missing Pages: Certain sections of the record are absent.
- Archival Errors: Improper organization or misfiling of documents within the archives.
- Unknown Life Events: The individuals mentioned in the documents may have had life events unknown to the researchers, meaning the records must be sought elsewhere.
- Incorrect Initial Data: Inaccurate starting information provided for the search.
Library Research
There are many libraries throughout Ukraine, but there are several primary ones used by historians: the Vernadsky National Library of Ukraine in Kyiv, the National Historical Library of Ukraine in Kyiv, the Yaroslav the Wise National Library of Ukraine in Kyiv, the Odesa National Scientific Library, the Vasyl Stefanyk National Scientific Library of Ukraine in Lviv, and the Korolenko Kharkiv State Scientific Library.
Unlike archives, to find the necessary materials in libraries, it is sufficient to use a thematic or alphabetical catalog. Working with them is not time-consuming. However, one must know what to look for and where to find it. Typically, library sources are issued either a few hours after they are ordered or the following day.
The vast majority of library materials are in printed form, so working with them is quite efficient. Researchers can focus solely on their content. A special part of library collections consists of early printed books and manuscripts. These require the same research methods as archival documents.