Repository Visit – part two

An assignment for a client recently sent me heading up Route 17 along the Carolina coast to Jacksonville. Home of the United States Marine Corps’ Camp Lejeune, Onslow County is about a 130 miles round trip from Wilmington. The rain had just about eased up as I pulled out of the driveway. Off I set with computer bag and research plan in the passenger seat. The thrill of spending a day at the library never gets old. No matter how much content goes digital!

Tucker Littleton Room, Onslow County Public Library

The Onslow County Public Library (OCPL) main branch is located in a residential neighborhood of Jacksonville. However, there is plenty of free parking in the library’s adjacent lot. Named for Tucker Littleton, a North Carolina historian and author, the genealogy room in the OCPL is a quiet little room nestled away at the back of the building.

The room is small. Three to four researchers and a librarian would make it easily overcrowded, but that day I was alone. A large window brings in a lot of natural light which on this over cast day was still helpful. I set up my computer, my camera phone and my research plan on the conference table in the center of the room. There are no restrictions on what a researcher may bring in.  Nevertheless, I recommend that you limit yourself to what is necessary to leave a smaller footprint.  It is also always good practice to only use pencil at any repository.

I had emailed ahead to the library to advise them of my planned visit. I always ask for any standard instructions for use of the facility, and about any specific source I maybe interested in. Roxanne Puder, the Genealogy and Local History Library Assistant for OCPL responded with a welcoming and informative reply. My initial inquiries were all addressed. While Roxanne advised she would not be working the day I visited, she had kindly left instructions with the front desk assistants to expect me.

Resources

An overview of resources available in the Tucker Littleton Room can be found here.  I’d interpret the description of the list of early Onslow County records as a misnomer. On this particular day they really were not early enough for the research I was doing. I was focused on late 1700s – early 1800s. The local newspaper, available on microfilm, does not begin until 1938. Maintained alphabetically in a vertical file cabinet in the room, are family files that are easily accessible.  The files vary with regard to content. However, many include photocopies of wills, deeds, lists of negro ages, family group sheets, and even copies of historical sketches available in a number of published Onslow County sources. While not typically including source citation material, the files can give an overview as to what might be available for research.

With book shelves neatly shacked around the room genealogical reference materials are all within easy fingertip grasp. There are two computer stations in the room. Access to a number of online databases, such as HeritageQuest and the Onslow County Register of Deeds are available.

Contact Information

Onslow County Public Library

Tucker Littleton Genealogy Room

58 Doris Avenue, East

Jacksonville, NC 28540

• Roxanne Puder, Library Assistant, Genealogy and Local History
  • (910) 455-7350 x 1422

Open M-R 9:00 am–9:00 pm. Friday & Saturday 9:00 am–6:00 pm. Sunday 1:00 pm-5:00 pm. No appointment required.