Albany is a wonderful place to do research, with the NYS Archives and the NYS Library. The Archives has the NYS Vital Statistics. Until this year, it was the only place to access births, marriages and deaths for NYS beginning in 1880. However, not all jurisdictions reported to Albany at first. NYC is not included, if I remember correctly. One advantage to research in Albany is that you can walk over the the office to request (order) certificates. ($11 each) They will come in the mail within a few weeks unless the researcher is on vacation. It takes months if you order by mail! The NYS Vital Statistics are now available in Rochester, and I think Syracuse, but this is new this year. Another favorite resource of mine is US Government Patents. They have indices in the NYS Library, where you can look up by name or by type of invention. Get the information, and then go get the microfilm for the date and number. I found patents held by many relatives. You can print them out. Newspapers----they have most of the old newspapers on microfilm. You can fill out a form and order up the microfilms that you want to look at. I have found many obits, etc. Search on the website for the holdings, so that you can save time when you get there. The librarians are very helpful, and there is usually a volunteer from a genealogy club there who can help you get your bearings. Good luck with your search! Anne Trabold Melbourne, FL