Michael Drabik Memorial Library
The Society owns and maintains the Michael Drabik Memorial Library Collection in the Grosvenor Room at the Buffalo & Erie County Public Library (B&ECPL, Central Library Branch).
The Michael Drabik Memorial Library Collection was dedicated on August 9, 2008, and contains approximately 300 titles. The Collection consists of materials pertaining to Poland and a variety of Polish-American topics nationwide. Many of the books are in Polish. The library’s holdings include, but are not limited to, the following subjects and types of resources:
- Bibliographies
- Biographies
- Church histories
- “How-to” books: Polish genealogy, general genealogy
- Immigration/emigration materials
- Periodicals
- Poland: general histories, histories of Polish towns/villages/regions, culture, literature, description and guidebooks, social life and customs
- Polish Americans: history, culture, social life and customs
- Surname dictionaries
Our current library catalog can be downloaded here.
Michael Drabik Archives
In addition to our library materials, PGSNYS offers access to an archive of personal research materials acquired by our founder, Michael Drabik, which is housed at the B&ECPL. Access to this archive is facilitated by staff of the B&ECPL. Researchers requiring extended time or in-depth assistance are encouraged to schedule an appointment with a PGSNYS volunteer by contacting information@pgsnys.org.
The collection focuses strongly on Polish parishes of Catholic churches on Buffalo’s East Side. Michael Drabik drilled into specific social groups and their leaders.
- Specific areas of study include Dom Polskis, Falcons, priests, undertakers and cemeteries, singing societies and performance.
- The collection randomly includes correspondence of Michael with church members in the Western New York region and beyond.
- Roman Catholic churches are the majority denomination studied, with significant content about the Polish National Catholic Church, and some attention to Baptists, Jewish temples, and Mormans.
- Various topics of focus include steamships, postage stamps, Dr. Fronczak’s activities, Polish veterans, and Buffalo’s sister city in Poland, Rzeszow.
- Since Michael Drabik was a past president of the Polish Genealogical Society of New York State (PGSNYS), his collection contains a few notes about PGSNYS projects along with genealogical tips.
The finding aid for this collection can be viewed and downloaded here.
The Buffalo & Erie County Public Library also offers a comprehensive Polish genealogy research guide related to their holdings.