Scholar in Residence Program
Many libraries, historical societies, and other archival institutions hold extensive research materials that have never been formally studied or evaluated for their use in genealogy or family history. Through its Scholar in Residence program, the NYG&B engages an expert genealogist for a short-term appointment to survey an institution’s holdings for relevant historical documents and research related to a particular family history topic.
The NYG&B began its Scholar in Residence program in 2023, with an initial project to research the documentation of Jewish families in the NYG&B’s holdings, which encompass collections of original and compiled materials, beginning in 1869, as well as transcriptions, abstracts, and compiled genealogies found in the NYG&B Record, the NYG&B's scholarly journal continuously in print since 1870. Many of the NYG&B's physical collections reside at the New York Public Library (NYPL), where more than 28,500 cataloged items are accessible to researchers. Additionally, the NYG&B’s online collections contain tens of thousands of records.
Future projects could explore materials at other institutions or within the NYG&B’s holdings on a diverse range of subjects for tracing ancestors throughout New York State. The NYG&B welcomes funding proposals for additional projects at development@nygbs.org.
Projects
Documenting Jewish Families from the Colonial Times to the Present in New York State
In September 2023 Michael Waas, MA, was appointed as the NYG&B's first scholar in residence. He was tasked with researching accounts of Jewish families in the NYG&B’s materials and producing a first-of-its-kind survey of NYG&B resources available for tracing Jewish heritage. This project was made possible through a generous grant from Ambassador John L. Loeb, Jr.
Mr. Waas examined materials at the NYG&B headquarters, the New York Public Library, and online—evaluating them for Jewish scholarship. Nearly 45% of the resources Mr. Waas reviewed were identified as pertinent to Jewish genealogy.
Related Links
- A Q&A with Michael Waas: Mr. Waas shares highlights of the project and what researchers can expect.
- The NYG&B's New Scholar in Residence: An article on Mr. Waas’ appointment as the NYG&B’s first scholar in residence
Forced Settlement: Documenting Descendants of Enslaved Americans and Their Scottish Connections
Millions descend from the more than 150,000 Scots who settled in North America by 1785. Many of those settlers took part in the transatlantic slave trade. With a generous grant from the Scottish Government’s Scottish Connections Fund, in 2024 the NYG&B engaged the services of expert researchers Pauline Jarvis and Dr. Shelley Viola Murphy to compile a guide and accompanying resources that will assist researchers in tracing biographical and genealogical connections to those enslaved individuals. The information gathered provides an introductory framework for those seeking to identify connections to this important—but unexamined—element of the Scottish diaspora.
Tracing Immigrants to New York
In 2025 the NYG&B’s Scholar in Residence program will focus on identifying NYG&B resources for tracing immigrants to New York between the 1840s and 1924. This project is made possible through a generous grant from Adrienne Auerbach, Vice Chairman, NYG&B.
