Most types of directories are available at any major record center or even a local library. In addition, your local Chamber of Commerce can help you locate directories. The Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. and the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah, also have large collections of directories. For information about these two libraries, see the topic Libraries with a national focus, including LDS. Below is a description of where to locate common types of directories.

Telephone directories can be found in almost any library in the United States. You can most often find them in book form and in microfiche form. There is, however, an easier way to find the names, addresses, and numbers of living relatives and possible relatives -- on CD-ROM phone discs. CD-ROM phone discs normally contain names and addresses for the entire United States. These discs could enable you to find relatives much more quickly and easily than if you were looking through hundreds of microfiche copies of city phone books. Check with your local library to see if they have CD-ROM phone discs. You can also purchase phone discs from private companies. Check with your local software retailer or software catalogs.

City directories can also be found at most major record centers and libraries. Libraries, state archives, and historical societies usually have a large collection of city directories from around the state as well as some directories for large cities outside the state. In addition, you'll find major collections of city directories at the Library of Congress, the American Antiquarian Society, located in Massachusetts, and the LDS Family History Library. These directories can be found in paper form and in microfilm form.

Techniques on how to find professional directories will vary depending on the type of directory. Law directories used to be kept on the local and state levels. Today, you'll find most law directories on a national level (except for those coming out of large metropolitan areas). You can locate these directories in most law libraries, large public libraries, local and state bar associations, the Library of Congress, and from the publishing companies that published the directories.

Medical directories were not published consistently, so you may find that certain years aren't covered. Because of this, it may be a good idea to check local business directories and city directories for lists of doctors. Medical directories are organized on a state level, and current issues can be found in most medical school libraries. The Eccles Health Science Library at the University of Utah and the Library of Congress each have a collection of all the directories that are open to the public. In addition, you may find older issues of medical directories through local and state medical associations.

The Library of Congress keeps all recent civil and military directories. You can find older directories at the National Archives. For information about the National Archives, see the topic The National Archives and regional centers. In addition, all state archives and libraries keep copies of these directories. For information about state libraries and archives, see the topic Resources by state.

Religious directories can most often be located in a particular denomination's church archives. You may also have luck searching for these directories in a particular denomination's seminary or training libraries. Local libraries may also contain directories of denominations in the area, and university libraries that were once denominational have a good chance of having records such as these. In addition, you can always try the Library of Congress or your state archives or library.

College directories can most often be found in university libraries or by contacting the national headquarters of the organization involved. You may even find that the Library of Congress has the college directories you are looking for.

You'll have luck locating business directories in local public libraries, state libraries, the Library of Congress, the LDS Family History Library, and private directory libraries.

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