Mrs. Lane is a descendant of the author of the "Star Spangled Banner," Francis Scott Key. Her book traces Key's ancestry back to the American immigrant, Philip Key of London, who settled in St. Mary's County, Maryland in 1720, and forward to a number of Key lines in the U.S. of her own era.

Beginning in 1924, Proceedings are incorporated into the Apr. no.

"This book is divided into eight sections: a general introduction to the library, articles on genealogies and manuscripts, regional studies--Ne England, beyond the Northeast, Canada, and the British Isles and Ireland--and methodological articles on diverse topics" -- Introduction, p. ix.