resources

Local History Research

Research your family and regional history in our Local History Room or with our online resources!

    • Local cemetery index Montgomery county tombstone inscriptions

    • Montgomery County Department of History and ArchivesLocated in Fonda, NY the archives holds a large collection of local genealogy and historical materials.

    • Family Search Provided by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. The Mormon Church has the largest genealogical library in the world; family genealogies, church records, census records, probate records from all over the world.

    • Social Security Death Index Find the birth date, death date and the place of death for Americans who died after 1962.

    • Vital Records How to obtain birth, death, marriage, or divorce records from different states and territories.

    • NY Gen Website Volunteer run website giving historical information about communities throughout NY State.

    • Fulton Montgomery Photo ArchivesA compilation of historic photos from various repositories, including The Johnstown City Historian, The Johnstown Historical Society, The Johnstown Public Library, and The Montgomery County Archives.

    • New York HeritageA gateway to hundreds of digital collections from libraries, museums, and archives all over New York State.

    • American MemoryA gateway to rich primary source materials relating to the history and culture of the United States. The site offers more than 7 million digital items from more than 100 digital collections. Enter the name of your hometown to find historical images.

    • Information files on local families and local landmarks

    • Books relating to Mohawk Valley History

    • Bound volumes of local family genealogies

    • Canajoharie High School yearbooks

    • Information files on local families and local landmarks​

Research websites and Databases

Whether you are writing a paper, looking to build an addition to your home, or have a legal research question the Arkell Museum and Canajoharie Library can help you find answers and solutions.

We offer a large range of Reference materials for use in the Library and from home! You can access Online Databases free of charge, 24 hours a day and 7 days a week. Use them to locate reliable information in magazines, newspapers and scholarly journals to satisfy your everyday interests, research and/or study needs.

community resources

Explore official New York State resources for various community needs.

  • To access local crisis shelters, temporary housing, and food/Medicaid benefits, individuals must contact regional housing networks or social services directly:

    • Montgomery County Department of Social Services (DSS): Located at 64 Broadway, Fonda, NY 12068. Unhoused adults can walk in Monday through Friday (8:30 AM–4:00 PM) to apply for emergency shelter beds, SNAP food assistance, and Medicaid enrollment. Phone: (518) 853-4646.

    • After-Hours Emergency Placement: If shelter or immediate emergency assistance is required after 4:00 PM or on weekends, individuals should contact the Montgomery County Sheriff's Department at (518) 853-5500 to be placed in temporary emergency lodging.

    • Catholic Charities of Fulton and Montgomery Counties: Provides holistic case management, housing support navigation, and substance use/mental health resource connections for vulnerable populations. Main Phone: (518) 762-8313.

    • Interfaith Partnership for the Homeless (IPH) / Danielle's House: Located at 218 E. Main St, Amsterdam, NY, this facility offers emergency seasonal shelter, permanent supportive housing matching, and community case management. Main Intake Line: (518) 384-5145.

    • 211 Northeast New York: A free, confidential 24/7 hotline that instantly matches users with local food pantries, dynamic health clinics, or substance use recovery groups. Dial 211 or visit 211 NENY

    • National Hotlines and Search Tools

      • USDA National Hunger Hotline: Call 1-866-3-HUNGRY (1-866-348-6479) or text "food" to 914-342-7744 Monday through Friday to connect with nearby emergency food providers.

      • Feeding America: Use the Feeding America Local Food Bank Locator or the Feeding America Help Page to find mobile pantries, SNAP application help, and meal programs.

      • 211: Dial 211 or visit United Way 211 to find local food pantries, meal deliveries, and senior nutrition programs.

    • Veterans Crisis Line: Call or text 988, then press 1 (available 24/7).

    • National Call Center for Homeless Veterans: Call 1-877-424-3838.

    • Military OneSource (Peer Support & Counseling): Call 1-800-342-9647.

    Regional & Local Services

    • Albany Vet Center: Offers confidential, free counseling for PTSD, depression, and the effects of military sexual trauma in a non-medical setting. Visit the Albany Vet Center for details.

    • Disabled American Veterans (DAV): Provides assistance with VA benefits and medical transportation. Find local chapters using the DAV Locator

    • Housing and Community Aid: Organizations like the Veterans & Community Housing Coalition offer safe housing and support services for veterans and their families.

    • State & Day Programs: Explore specialized day programs and regional assistance through Living Resources Veterans Services. You can also review national programs for housing stability via VA Homeless Programs.

    • Montgomery County Health Department offers free health resources and educational materials for Montgomery County residents.

    • Medicaid: Offers free or low-cost health coverage for eligible low-income individuals and families. You can learn more at HealthCare.gov.

    • CHIP (Children's Health Insurance Program): Provides low-cost health coverage for children and pregnant women in families that earn too much for regular Medicaid.

    Free and Low-Cost Clinics

    • HRSA Health Centers: Federally funded health centers offer primary care, immunizations, and prenatal care regardless of your ability to pay. Find a nearby clinic through HRSA.

    • Hospital Charity Care: Federal and state laws require many hospitals to provide free or discounted emergency and medical care to patients with low incomes.

    How to Search for Local Resources

do-it-yourself computer lessons

Get Tech Help at the Library!

    • Digital Learn offers beginner courses about 6 to 20 minutes long, depending on the course. Each course contains a transcript and a certificate of completion for you to print out after you’ve completed it. It’s also available in Spanish!

      Courses include:

      • Navigating a website

      • Intro to email

      • Online scams

      • Intro to Facebook

      • Microsoft Word

    • This site offers a variety of online classes, not just computer classes. The computer classes they do offer are beginner to intermediate courses. It offers written lessons and video tutorials.
      Courses include:

      • Typing tutorial

      • Internet safety

      • Image editing 101

      • Using cloud-based software

zoom backgrounds

Artful Zoom Backgrounds

Try one of our Zoom backgrounds. All images are part of the permanent collection of the Arkell Museum. All you have to do is download the file and follow the directions below. 
*Please note the Zoom mirror effect - the logo and text will appear backward to you when you apply the background. This is a mirror effect, others will see the text written correctly, only you see it backward.*


How to Add a Virtual Background

Click the "download file" button under the image. It will open to a new window. Right click and save the image to your computer.

Next time you log into your Zoom account for a virtual meeting, select the video icon on the bottom left hand side of your screen. Select the “choose virtual background” option. Here you can upload one of these images to be your virtual background.

A zoom background featuring the Arkell Museum and Canajoharie Library logo. The painting is "Life on the Towpath" by A. Wordsworth Thompson. It features a farmer walking horses and a dog by a river, with ducks entering the river.
For more detailed instructions
A zoom background featuring the Arkell Museum and Canajoharie Library logo. The painting is "The Mohawk Valley at Little Falls, New York" by William Rickarby Miller. It is a muted scene of the Little Falls area showing trees, buildings, and the river
A zoom background featuring the Arkell Museum and Canajoharie Library logo. The painting is "New York and the Erie Canal" by William Coventry Wall. It is a painting of the Erie Canal and the landscape around it.
A zoom background for "Beach on Nova Scotia" by William Glackens. The painting features multiple people on the beach enjoying the nice weather, while boats are in the water. One figure is waving to the sailboats nearby.
A zoom background featuring the Arkell Museum and Canajoharie Library logo. The painting is "On the Beach" by Winslow Homer. The painting is a beachside with rocky waves, and a group of women in bathing suits on the left facing away from the viewer.