If you have Polish ancestors from Western New York, the PGSNYS databases are an indispensable—and often overlooked—research tool. We host 48 individual databases containing unique, indexed records you won’t find on Ancestry, FamilySearch, or other commercial platforms. Despite their value, many researchers remain unaware of these collections or the optimal strategies needed to search them effectively.

To help bridge this gap, we’ve created a new tutorial that demonstrates how to navigate our databases and locate digital images of historical records. Beyond the databases, this video offers a complete walkthrough of our website, showing you how to take full advantage of the assistance PGSNYS provides—including our curated research links, personalized member research support, and our ongoing projects to collect and preserve rare historical records.

There has never been a better time to dive in and discover your family history. Watch the tutorial today and see what you’ve been missing!