Using the Summary Guide to Private Records

• Select Search the Summary Guide to Private Records to link to an alphabetical listing of the categories of private records: church records, newspapers, organizational records, and personal papers
• Choose the category to link to a listing of the record series for that category
• Church Records are arranged alphabetically by denomination, and listings for denominations are further arranged alphabetically by church or other entity
• Newspapers are arranged numerically by series or call number
• Organizational Records and Personal Papers are arranged alphabetically by creator or title
• Certain terms and abbreviations occur in the series entries
• Each series entry is composed of the:
• series/call number
• name of the records creator (denomination, newspaper, personal or family name, author, editor, organization, or other entity and, where applicable, the division or unit)
• title of the record series
• inclusive date span of the series (i.e., the earliest date and the latest date represented in the series)
• bulk dates, where applicable (time period into which most of the records fall)
• quantity of the series (amount of cubic feet, volumes, microfilm reels, or other unit)
• statement of restriction on use or terms governing access of the series
• Access to some types of media requires prior notice
• Permission to reproduce and/or publish some material is required and noted where applicable
• For container listings, see SCArchCat, the online catalog to our holdings which also gives additional information for many series and allows searching by keyword, subjects, and titles at each level (series, record group, container/folder, or item) or all levels combined
• Researchers interested in obtaining more information about record series should contact the State Archives and identify the series/call number and series title when making an inquiry

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