Committee Spotlight: Library

Library Committee Chair Henry Snyder

2014 Library Committee Members:
Henry Snyder (Chairman), Janet McDonald, Kristi Wessenberg, Shirley Hoye, Arlene Miles, Carrie Fruzza, Gibran Roth, Nancy Schlegel, Marcelle White.

Libraries are out-of-date. The internet has made libraries obsolete. These statements appear more frequently as the use of digital resources grows. No one can deny that the internet has become a powerful force in making information available but not everyone is ready to give up the ability to personally hold and examine the resource they are consulting. Library Committee members agree with the need for the existence of libraries and at the same time acknowledge that online access is also crucial. Every single committee member interviewed emphasized how dynamic and important the library is not only for society members but for anyone doing genealogical research.

As an introduction to the committee, a few facts about the library itself will make clear the reasons for their dedication. If you have not looked through the catalog (available online via the website), you are missing the chance to explore a collection offering a wide range of research materials. According to Committee Chairman, Henry Snyder, there are 13,400 items in the online catalog. A quick browse of the catalog reveals numerous enticing sources whether your family history has roots in California, elsewhere in the U.S., or in other parts of the world.

In the more than 100 years of its existence, the library has been located at several sites in San Francisco. The original collection was destroyed by fire during the 1906 earthquake and had to be recreated from scratch. In the years following it shared locations with a number of different institutions and organizations such as the Sutro Collection Library, the San Francisco Public Library, the Sons of the American Revolution Library (in the War Memorial Building) and the California Historical Society before moving to two locations of its own in San Francisco and eventually to its present home across the bay in Oakland.

The committee has been fortunate to have had the expertise of professional librarians over the years and continues to attract enthusiastic volunteers who tend to the ongoing tasks needed to keep the library functioning. According to Dr. Snyder, “A major accomplishment this past year was the processing to completion of all the books, and problems awaiting attention on the shelves behind our desk. They are all cleared out! Moreover, we cleaned up three drawers of cards, all pulled because of some cataloguing issue. The backlog dated back to 2005.”

Shirley Hoye and Arlene Miles

There is a lot going on constantly behind the scenes at the library. Volunteers tackled an extensive manuscript collection whose contents were mostly unknown and which was unavailable for regular use. Although it is not yet part of the online catalog, the collection is searchable and available to researchers at the library. Another volunteer made the first lists of the microfilm and microfiche collections from which the online catalog entries for this collection were created. There is a wide range of information such as passenger and immigrant lists, military records and much more available on microfilm and microfiche. A current project needing volunteers involves cataloging the vertical files, 2 or 3 page documents that are stored in filing cabinets and which contain a wealth of information on innumerable topics. Along with scrapbooks there are composite volumes that group together unrelated materials like pamphlets, family Bible records and cemetery records. It is necessary to separate and catalog all these items to make the information in them useful and searchable. If you enjoy the hunt for historical treasure, this is a great project to volunteer for. Former committee member Jane Lindsey says that she has been told that the CGS library contains material that can be found nowhere else. There are many more “little gems” awaiting discovery.

However, not all of the library collection is unique; duplicates of existing items and material not relevant to the mission of the library have to be moved on to free up needed space. To help solve this problem, the eBay project was created. Marcelle White, who headed this project last year, reports that “Since the end of February 2013, almost 300 books have been sold, raising about $6,000 for the library.” She also registered CGS with PayPal’s “Giving Fund” program, which helps nonprofits keep more of the profits from eBay Sales. Thanks to the efforts of Marcelle, Henry Snyder, Arlene Miles, and Shirley Hoye, CGS is now a “top-rated seller” on eBay and ships books all over the U.S. and even to France. Direct sales are another part of this effort. According to Henry Snyder, “We have sold several thousand dollars’ worth of books at two meetings – our event with the New England Historic Genealogical Society and at the Ancestry Day extravaganza. The proceeds fund all our acquisitions and other library needs.”

Marcelle White and Arlene Miles

The combination of regular library tasks and special projects makes it possible for volunteers of different skill levels to make significant contributions as part of the Library Committee. Many volunteers are active in more than one area at a time. Long-time volunteer, Arlene Miles, manages the serials as well as assisting with or managing a myriad of other essential projects. Arlene and Shirley Hoye are at work doing a long overdue shelf list check to make sure everything on the shelves is in the online catalog. Carrie Fruzza has joined the team and has taken over some of the responsibilities for serials allowing Arlene to help in other areas. And there are still many projects to be done. One project that needs volunteers is checking the publications of California county historical and genealogical society publications against the CGS library resources to see what we need to acquire. Not many members are aware that the library owns pedigree charts recorded on long rolls of paper. These have just been unrolled and need to be reviewed and analyzed before they can be useful. For aficionados of maps, there is a whole map case that has to be organized. You do not have to be a professional librarian to help; the role of the library itself is diverse and there is a need for many different kinds of talents to assist in keeping it vital and relevant.

Copyright © 2014 by Kathryn Doyle, California Genealogical Society and Library.

We Need Your Books!

Henry Snyder at a California Genealogical Society used book sale.

The donation of books accounts significantly for the growth in holdings of the California Genealogical Society Library over the past century. Duplicate books and donated items that do not meet the library's retention guidelines are sold and the proceeds support the library.

Library Committee Chair Henry Snyder sent this plea for books:

The Library of the California Genealogical Society needs your books! Our library is built by gifts from members and friends. We are looking for books on family history, genealogies and local history. We accept one book or a whole library of books as long as they are within scope.

Books that are duplicate or out of scope are sold in the library or on ebay. The receipts are used for acquisitions and library needs.

In addition to our online and in-house sales we plan to have books on exhibit and for sale at our upcoming Ancestry Day in San Francisco on November 9, 2013. So we welcome duplicates as well as items new to our library. We will need time to ready the duplicates for sale so if you have books to donate we would appreciate receiving them this summer. 

Please call the library at 510-663-1358 and leave a message. A member of the library staff will return your call. We can make pickups in the East Bay and San Francisco in some cases. 

—Henry Snyder, Chair Library Committee

Photograph by Kathryn Doyle, 1/11/2011, Oakland, California.

Copyright © 2013 by Kathryn M. Doyle, California Genealogical Society and Library.

Purchase Used Genealogy Books and Support Our Library on eBay

eBay defines itself as "the world's online marketplace – a place for buyers and sellers to come together and trade almost anything." It is now also a way to give to the California Genealogical Society and Library.

Thanks to the generosity of our members, book donations continue to add to our library's collection but with so many gifts many are duplicates. Using our book donation policy as a guide, duplicate titles in better condition than our shelved volumes are retained. The rest accumulate until the library committee organizes a used book sale, usually held in conjunction with special events like the annual meeting, NEHGS Comes West, or our recent 115th Anniversary Celebration. The used book sales are always successful and are great source of revenue to support the library.

Now our library volunteers have taken their fund-raising formula to the "online marketplace"  with eBay Giving Works – a program designed to make it easy for nonprofits to sell online. Best of all,100% of the proceeds come back to CGS.

Shirley Hoye and Arlene Miles

Selling books on eBay is a team effort. Shirley Hoye researches each book to determine the price, makes a copy of the title page, notes the book's condition and weighs it. Marcelle White, who set up the society's eBay and Giving Works accounts, photographs the books and uploads them to the site.

Marci and Arlene Miles monitor sales and ready the books for shipping. Gibran Rath, Shirley and Library Chair Henry Snyder have donated packaging materials. One of the team will box up the books, print labels and ship them. Arlene commented, "It's quite a job to synchronize but we now have one heck of a team!"

Marcelle White and Arlene Miles

Henry noted, "Thanks to Marci, we now are approaching 100 items listed for sale on eBay. Even better, in the first week or so we sold seven titles for more than $200.00."Marci added, "I'm glad to be able to make our library's overstock available via eBay to family history researchers across the country."

While books are waiting to be added to eBay they are available for browsing in the library. Members may view the selection of used books during our open hours Thursday through Saturday. Books can be be purchased from the front desk volunteers who will issue a receipt.

Marcelle White and Henry Snyder

Visit the society's eBay online storefront CGSbooks4Sale at http://myworld.ebay.com/cgsbooks4sale to purchase our used books. You can even include a donation!

Or, start selling on eBay and donate a percentage of your proceeds (up to 100%) to the California Genealogical Society using eBay Giving Works at http://givingworks.ebay.com/charity-auctions/charity/california-genealogical-society/77399/.

Copyright © 2013 by Kathryn M. Doyle, California Genealogical Society and Library.

New Shelves in the Library!

There's been lots of activity in the library this month as the contents of close to 600 shelves of books were moved over a period of just two weeks. This was the culmination of a space review and "remodel" that included the purchase of ten new shelving units paid by an anonymous donor.

Once the new shelves were installed the process of "shifting" books began. Many responded to a call for volunteers, including members of the Library, Look-ups and Desk Committees.

Special thanks to our librarians Laura Spurrier and Diana Wild for overseeing the project and to our member volunteers who worked tirelessly: Judy Bodycote, Nancy Fike, Steve Harris, Jane Lindsey, Arlene Miles, Shannon Reese, Lavinia Schwarz, Pat Smith, Roland Smith, Jim Sorenson and Judy Zelver.

Temporary signs have been put up to help patrons locate books until our exhausted librarians have time to create new permanent ones.

Congratulations and thanks to everyone!

Photographs by Kathryn Doyle, 5/28/2011, Oakland, California.


Copyright © 2011 by Kathryn M. Doyle, California Genealogical Society and Library

Book Donation Policy

The California Genealogical Society Library appreciates donations of books and periodicals that have genealogical content. The generosity of many people has greatly enriched the CGS Library collections in the past. Donations will be gratefully received by the CGS Library Committee and will be reviewed by Committee members, who will make decisions regarding retention.

Desired donations include: family genealogies or family histories; county histories and local histories with biographical sketches of residents; indexes to, or abstracts of, vital records or newspapers; and genealogical periodicals. Works on CD-ROM or microfilm will be accepted if not available in other formats. 

Due to limited shelf space, NOT ALL donated items can be added to the Library collection. Examples include: encyclopedias lacking genealogical content, most biographies or autobiographies of famous persons, general histories, Who’s Who-type publications, works of fiction, photocopied books still under copyright, yearbooks, and many media materials. If received, CGS may give such items to other libraries, exchange them for more desirable works, or sell them in periodic book sales, the proceeds of which help to support Library operations.

Duplicate copies of items already owned by CGS may be retained if they are in better condition than copies currently in use. Small printed items that cannot be catalogued for the book collection may be added to the Surname File.

Donors (when known) will be identified with bookplates inside front covers noting items as gifts. Letters of thanks will be sent to donors, or to their heirs if gifts are from estates. CGS is not allowed by law to appraise or value any donation, but donors are welcome to fill out and sign the Instrument of Gift form for their uses.

Decisions regarding donations of unpublished works, such as scrapbooks, original documents, pedigree charts, correspondence, personal diaries, photographs and photo albums, will be the responsibility of the CGS Archives Committee rather than the Library Committee, or may be made jointly by both committees in special instances.

Donated items become the property of the California Genealogical Society and Library, to be used in whatever way is most beneficial to the Library. CGS reserves the right to withdraw donations from the Library collection if they become obsolete or can be replaced by newer editions. CGS does attempt to extend the useful life of withdrawn materials, whether by exchange, sale, or donation to other collections.

Copyright © 2010 by Kathryn M. Doyle, California Genealogical Society and Library

CGS Library Committee

What better place for a group of genealogists to spend National Library Week than the Family History Library in Salt Lake City? I'm going to put a little twist on genea-blogger Lori Thornton's summons and write a tribute to the California Genealogical Society Library Committee and librarian volunteers.

The Library Committee is composed of several volunteers with years of experience in all areas of librarianship. They are experienced genealogists as well, who know how to catalog, locate new publications and out-of-print books, keep good records and, best of all, freely give their time and expertise. Past and present committee members include: Gloria Hanson, Barbara Hill, Arlene Miles and Laura Spurrier.

L to R: Laura Spurrier, Arlene Miles, Gloria Hanson. Not shown: Barbara Hill

Gloria Hanson has experience in libraries from Korea to St. Louis. After obtaining her Masters in Library Science (M.L.S.) from the University of Southern California, Gloria decided to "see the world" and worked as a civilian employee for the U.S. Army in Korea where she ran three libraries. Stateside she has worked as a cataloguer for the St. Louis Public Library system and retired from the San Francisco Public Library as a branch district manager. Now Gloria puts her experience to work for CGS primarily in periodical processing and cataloging and receiving books.

Barbara Hill has a total of thirty-three years of library work experience, including time in public, school, technical and academic libraries. Her favorite jobs involved working in library acquisitions which is her focus for the CGS Library Committee. She often humorously ascribes her interest in genealogy to "prenatal influence" since her mother was pregnant with Barbara while researching the family at the Library of Congress. (It probably influenced her career choice as well.) Barbara and her mother collaborated on the family's U.S. and Canadian research for many years until her mother's death.

Arlene Miles is a retired library technician who has acquired an eclectic resume in specialized libraries, including air quality management, law, environmental as well as volunteer work at an electric railway museum. Arlene joined CGS in 2007 intending to do family research but she couldn't resist keeping her fingers "in the library pie." She soon set to work on the uncataloged periodicals, setting up a spreadsheet to organize incoming titles, identify missing issues and process subcription renewals.

Laura Spurrier chairs the Library Committee and acts as head librarian. Her credentials include masters degrees in history and East Indian Area Studies from the University of Wisconsin and a M.L.S. from the University of California, Berkeley. Laura worked for fifteen years at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory where she retired as a technical information specialist. Genealogy was the family hobby in the Spurrier household so Laura caught the bug as a teenager. She is a specialist in Quaker research and has lectured on the topic to the society.

Please join me in honoring the CGS librarians for the valuable work they do.

Photograph by Kathryn M. Doyle, Salt Lake City, Utah, 4/16/2008.

Copyright © 2008 by Kathryn M. Doyle, California Genealogical Society and Library.