Where in the world is ... ? A guide to finding people using the Mount Clemens Public Library by Cynthia Ladensack Reference Librarian, Mount Clemens Public Library

Looking for someone?

Are you trying to find a long-lost friend? Seeking information about a birth parent or an adopted child? Planning a school, family, or military reunion? Whatever the reason, trying to find someone is seldom a simple or quick process.

The Mount Clemens Public Library has resources that may make your search a little bit easier and more successful. This pamphlet is a guide to the printed and electronic materials available in the library that can help you locate that missing person.

Directories

Phone directories are a good starting point for current contact information.

The Library has in the reference area:

• Current white and yellow pages for many Michigan communities
• Axciom Directories — Home National residential phone directory on CD-ROM

In the Michigan Room:

• East Area directories 1980 to present, some missing
• Mount Clemens City Directories 1896 to 1966, some missing
• Bresser’s Cross-Index Directory for Macomb County 1982 to present, some missing

Books

These how-to books from the Mount Clemens Public Library can give you added direction in your search.

General people finders

• Culligan, Joseph J. You, too can find anybody. North Miami, FL: Hallmark Press, 1993. (Call number R363.2336 C)
• Eriksen, Ronald. How to find missing persons: a handbook for investigators, 2nd. rev. ed. Port Townsend, WA: Loompanics Unlimited, 1994. (362.8 E)
• Gunderson, Ted. How to locate anyone, anywhere without leaving home. New York: Dutton, 1989. (362.8 G)
• Johnson, Richard S. Find anyone fast: by phone, fax, mail and computer. San Antonio, TX: MIE Pub., 1995. (362.8 J)

Adoption searches

• Aigner, Hal. Faint trails: a guide to adult adoptee- birth parent reunification searches. Greenbrae, CA: Paradigm Press, 1987. (362.8 A)
• Alexander-Roberts, Colleen. The essential adoption handbook. Dallas: Taylor Pub. Co., 1993. (362.734 A)
• Askin, Jayne. Search: a handbook for adoptees and birth parents. New York: Harper & Row, 1982. (362.8 A)
• Gilman, Lois. The adoption resource book. New York: Harper & Row, 1984. (362.734 G)

Reunions

• Gathering the generations: a guide to family reunions. Better Homes and Gardens Family Network, n.d. (790.191 B)
• Hannema, Philip. Let’s have a reunion! A how-to-do-it guide for your class reunion. Chicago: Second Thoughts, 1978. (371.89 H)
• Hoffman, Linda Johnson. The reunion planner: the step-by-step guide to make your reunion a social and financial success! Los Angeles: Goodman Lauren Pub., 1992. (371.89 H)
• McKinzie, Harry. Family reunions: how to plan yours. Los Angeles: McKinzie Pub. Co., 1987. (394.2 M)
• Masciangelo, Bill. Military reunion handbook: a guide for reunion organizers. San Francisco: Reunion Research, 1991. (362.86 M)
• Ninkovich, Thomas. Reunion handbook: a guide for school and military reunions, 2nd ed. San Francisco: Reunion Research, 1989. (371.89 N)

Internet resources

The Internet is a wonderful tool for finding people anywhere in the world. Try one or several of the unique web sites listed.

Directories

AnyWho
www.anywho.com
Search with a partial phone number using reverse lookup.

Canada 411
www.canada411.sympatico.ca
Canadian phone and fax directory.

Infospace
www.infospace.com
Use the excellent reverse lookup to find everyone on a given street or even in a small town.

Online Phone Books of the World
www.mtb-solutions.com/phone/phone.htm
Link to hundreds of international directories.

Switchboard
www.switchboard.com
A basic, simple phone directory on the web.

WhoWhere
www.whowhere.com
Look for e-mail addresses, personal home pages, and lots of other interesting information.

Yahoo! People Search
people.yahoo.com

Zip Code Lookup and Address Information
www.usps.gov/ncsc/
Find zip code information from the US Postal Service.

General people finders

NAVYSPIES Investigations Organization
members.aol.com/navyspies/help4u.htm
Free service that provides great tips and links for searchers (not affiliated with the US Navy).

Reunions Magazine
www.reunionsmag.com
Features a list of military, class, and family reunions across the country, plus other resources for reunion planners.

ReunionNet
www.reunited.com
Find out about school, family, and military reunions or post a notice about your reunion.

Searching for People Page
www.searchingforpeople.com
This collection of links bills itself as “the starting point in finding someone.”

The Seeker
www.the-seeker.com
Post a message or browse messages posted by others. Categories include beneficiaries, relatives, military, and general.

Adoption searches

These are some of the larger and more comprehensive of the many adoption-related web sites.

Adoptee’s Right to Know
www.absnw.com/right_to_know/
This site, which supports the adoption open records movement, contains good links and legal information.

AdoptioNetwork
www.adoption.org
“A volunteer-operated information resource for the adoption community.”

Adoption Identity Movement of Michigan, Inc
www.geocities.com/Heartland/Hills/8073/aim.html
This Michigan non-profit organization provides search and support service to members.

Adoptee Birthfamily Connections
www.birthfamily.com
Features a comprehensive collection of links.

Birthquest
www.birthquest.org
International searchable database for adoptees, birth parents, adoptive parents, and siblings.

CANADopt
www.nebula.on.ca/canadopt
Information for people with Canadian adoption search interests.

Coalition for Adoption Registry Ethics (CARE)
www.plumsite.com/care/
Encourages standards among online adoption registry sites and endorses reputable registries.

Military searches

Military Buddies, Pals, Shipmates, Families and Friends — Register, Search and Locate
www.shipmates.com
Information and links useful in searching for former and current military personnel.

Military USA
www.militaryusa.com
Valuable resources for locating veterans, including the National Reunion Registry.

Veterans National Archives
www.vets.org
Tracks more than 12,300 outfit reunions and offers a search service to help locate veterans and military personnel.

School searches

Classmates
www.classmates.com
Helps high school alumni find each other.

World Alumni Net
www.alumni.net
Search for and send e-mail to alumni from US and international colleges and high schools.

Missing children

Childquest International
www.childquest.org
Non-profit group devoted to the protection and recovery of missing and exploited children.

The Lost Child EBS
www.lostchild.net
Offers tools, links, and contact information for people searching for missing children.

National Center for Missing and Exploited Children
www.ncmec.org or www.missingkids.com
Search the NCMEC database and find information about missing children.

Other tips and tricks

• Try to find your subject’s relatives by tracing genealogies. Refer to the pamphlet “Finding Your Roots at the Mount Clemens Public Library.”
• Contact neighbors or the current residents at the last-known address of your subject.
• Private investigators for hire can be found on the internet or in the yellow pages.

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