Tiffin-Seneca Public Library Has Completed A Huge Digitization Project

The Tiffin-Seneca Public Library recently completed a digitization project for the Seneca County Digital Library that included 27 volumes of Seneca County naturalization records from the years 1832 to 1930.

Prior to 1906, the local courts (city, county, state) were in charge of the naturalization process, which involved two steps: a Declaration of Intention, where emigrants make an oath to become citizens of the United States, and then submit a petition for naturalization after living in the United States for five years. These documents included full names of petitioners, countries of origin, names of spouses and children, physical characteristics, signatures, and more. Some books included handwritten documents.

Each book was either scanned or photographed cover to cover, and every piece of hand-written information was recorded in the computer to make it searchable. All information, including individual names, can be found on the Seneca County Digital Library at http://bit.ly/SCDigialLibrary.

The volumes were on loan from the Seneca County Probate Court and were returned upon completion. The entire process took two Library staff members and two volunteers approximately three years to complete.

For more information, call the Library at 419-447-3751 or visit tiffinsenecalibrary.org.

Pictured about is JoAnne Schiefer (left), Technical Services and Digitization Manager and Emily Rinaman (right), Technical Services and Digitization Librarian.