What You Missed: April 2013 Membership Meeting and Volunteer Appreciation Ceremony

Members gathered on Saturday, April 13, 2013, for a special celebration of volunteerism and creativity. Volunteer Coordinator Linda Okazaki and Membership Coordinator Diana Edwards unveiled a new meeting format and started a new tradition to honor long-standing volunteers. It was a success by every measure.

Linda Okazaki and Diana Edwards added festive touches.

Most of the members in attendance arrived early at 12:00 p.m. with lunch in hand to share company and lively conversation in the Sherman Room. Beverages were provided by the board of directors.

Members shared lunch and lively conversation.

After the celebratory cake was cut and dessert finished, the festivities moved to the classroom for the program and a few words of welcome by President Jeff Vaillant. Director Tom Gesner updated members on several changes in the library, including new computers, shelving, and display racks. Tom also announced three special events planned for the fall.

Pat Bonderud accepting her "Certificate of Recognition" from President Jeff Vaillant.

Next up was the volunteer recognition part of the program. Linda Okazaki gave some statistics, "Of our more than 1000 members, 170 have contributed their time in some way to the society. Ninety-three current members are scheduled to work in 2013 and fourteen new volunteers have joined our team since January."

Honorees Marston Watson (representing his wife, Kathy), Gloria Hanson, Pat Bonderud, Barbara Hill, and Dick Rees. Honorees not in attendance: Lois Elling, Ken Haughton, Lorna Jones.

Eight individuals who have held membership for more than two decades and who continue to serve the California Genealogical Society as active volunteers were presented with certificates of recognition.

• Kathy Watson, a member for twenty years since 1993, has held a variety of roles and currently serves as chair of both the Computer and Technology Committees. Kathy was unable to attend so her husband Marston, a past board member, accepted on her behalf.
• Lois Elling, also a member for twenty years since 1993, creates every layout of the California Nugget and has designed the society's bookmarks, business cards, and branding graphics.
• Gloria Hanson, a member for twenty-one years since 1992, has held a variety of positions including Desk Duty. Gloria is well known in the society for her extensive knowledge of Norwegian genealogy. She currently volunteers in the library as a copy cataloger.
• Pat Bonderud, a member for twenty-three years since 1989, helped with the architectural design of the media room and layout of the library. Pat partners with Linda Darby as Special Projects Co-chair. The two have organized the manuscript collection and vertical files.
• Lorna Jones, a member for twenty-nine years since 1984, has worked in a variety of positions in the library. For several years she led the French-Canadian Special Interest Group.
• Barbara Hill, a member for thirty-two years since 1981, volunteers on the Library Committee and handles library acquisitions. Barbara performs monthly desk duty on Saturdays.
• Dick Rees, a member for thirty-three years since 1980, has worn many hats for the society. These days he does special project work, teaches some introductory genealogy classes, and serves on the Book Repair Committee. 
• Kenneth Haughton, a member for thirty-five years since 1978, is our member of longest standing who continues to actively serve the society. Ken served on the board of directors and was CFO for many years. He is currently an advisor to the Investment Committee.

Diana Edwards introduced the last part of the program: Preserving Your Genealogical Work Through Publishing. Displayed around the room were charts, books, articles, and other materials created by members – wonderful family treasures that will be cherished by family members for years to come.

Tim Cox served as master of ceremonies and guide as he went around the room and introduced each item on display. Tim introduced the authors/creators and described their work.

After the program members were able to browse and examine the displayed items more closely. Past-president Steve Harris gave tours of his city directory library.

Linda Okazaki proclaimed the day "a smashing success."


Photographs courtesy of Ron Madson. More of Ron's photos from the day are posted at Wordless Wednesday.

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

Using Online Library Catalogs - Saturday, June 8, 2013

Saturday June 8, 2013
1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.

California Genealogical Society Library
2201 Broadway, Suite LL2
Oakland, California 94612

Browsing is fun. We've all whiled away the hours scanning the shelves of our favorite bookstores. But libraries aren't bookstores and browsing a library is not research!

A recent survey of 600 genealogical society members revealed that more than half were not using online library catalogs. If you are a part of that majority, you are missing out on a valuable research tool.

Join California Genealogical Society librarians Barbara Hill and Laura Spurrier for an informative class on using online public access catalogs (OPACs) and how they can aid your genealogy research. Libraries large and small (including our own) have these databases you can access from home. Barbara and Laura will share their expertise so you can search effectively and utilize these powerful tools.

Register online.

This class is limited to thirty participants and is a free benefit of membership. Non-member fee is $20.00 (non-refundable) and can be applied towards membership on the day of the class.

Preregistration is required. Walk-ins will not be admitted. Registration confirmations will be sent to the first thirty registrants. Additional names will be collected and placed on a waiting list in case of cancellations.

Barbara Hill retired after thirty-three years of library work, with experience in a public library, a school library, a small scientific research library, and an academic library. Her last position, at the U.C. Berkeley Library, involved ordering books from all over the world. She ascribes her interest in genealogy to "prenatal influence," as her mother was researching the family tree at the Library of Congress before Barbara was born. Although she did not begin active pursuit of her ancestors until after her marriage, she has been at it ever since. Barbara has been a member of the California Genealogical Society since 1985 and currently serves on the Library Committee.

Laura Spurrier retired from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory after serving as a reference librarian, head of cataloging, and technical information specialist. Among her M.A. degrees, she has an M.L.S. from U.C. Berkeley. 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. Laura has been a member of the society since 1996 and currently serves on the Library Committee.


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

July Membership Meeting: All About the CGS Library

Saturday, July 9, 2011
1:00 p.m.

California Genealogical Society Library
2201 Broadway, Suite LL2
Oakland, California 94612

Join CGS librarians Laura Spurrier and Barbara Hill for So Many Books, So Little Time! Demystifying the California Genealogical Society Library – a discussion of the vast resources at the society's library.

Have you ever wondered...

• Why are there a lot of books on some geographical areas and only a few or none on others?
• What's in the Dorman Room?
• If there's an easy way to find books when browsing the aisles?
• Are there any tips or tricks for using the online catalog?
• If you can still use the old card catalog?
• How to donate genealogy books to CGS?

Laura and Barbara will answer these questions, and will take questions from the audience.

Laura Spurrier retired from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory after serving as a reference librarian and the head of cataloging. Among her M.A. degrees, she has an M.L.S. from U.C. Berkeley. Her interest in genealogy dates from her teenage years, with Quaker genealogy being a specialty. Laura has been a member of CGS since 1996 and is currently volunteers as the chair of Library Services.

Barbara Hill retired after thirty-three years of library work, with experience in a public library, a school library, a small scientific research library, and an academic library. Her last position, at UC Berkeley Library, involved ordering books from all over the world. She ascribes her interest in genealogy to "prenatal influence," as her mother was researching the family tree at the Library of Congress before Barbara was born. Although she did not begin active pursuit of her ancestors until after her marriage, she has been at it ever since, and has been a member of CGS since 1985.


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

Come One, Come All - Used Book Sale & Fundraiser for CGS

Attention, bibliophiles!

The California Genealogical Society and Library invites you to come browse our book sale on Saturday, November 8, 2008 from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The sale is part of the special Thanksgiving at CGS! event to honor our volunteers.

CGS Library Committee volunteer Arlene Miles reports that there are some great bargains among the wide variety of used genealogy books and periodicals set aside for the sale. Donated books continue to be a welcome source of materials in the library and the society is selling those which are duplicates of items already in our collection and some which do not meet the strict collection policy. Also priced to sell are older editions or printings of books on our shelves that have been replaced by newer versions.

The CGS Library recently received a donation totaling fourteen boxes of materials from one member. About half of the items are new to the library and will be kept for the society collection. The balance will be sold and I am told by volunteer Librarian Barbara Hill that "there is lots of good stuff."

Arlene, Barbara, Laura Spurrier and Gloria Hanson are to be commended for their efforts. I admit I sneaked a peek at some items that Barbara was processing and I noticed a copy of Pennsylvania Line: A Research Guide to Pennsylvania Genealogy and Local History. This is a classic that went out of print years ago. I'm also told that one batch of donated items on sale is heavy on Virginia and Kentucky.

Please note that all sales are final. First come, first served. See you there!

It's Catching! More Cousins Discovered in the Library...

It seldom happens that you meet someone in person whom you connect to genealogically, although it seems to be happening quite frequently at the CGS Library. First Marianne Frey, Dick Rees and Lavinia Schwarz discovered that they shared New England ancestors, then board members John Moore and Shirley Thomson found that they were fifth cousins, once removed.

Now it has happened again to member Dorothy Koenig, nationally-recognized expert on early Dutch families in New Amsterdam. On Saturday, November 11, 2008. Dorothy volunteered her services as a consultant as part of the California Genealogical Society October Family History Month activities. Laura Spurrier, one of our volunteer librarians, signed up for a one-on-one, members only session with Dorothy. Laura was pretty sure she had a Dutch line but needed help documenting a link in the early nineteenth century. Laura came to the meeting with charts to help explain the problem. Dorothy looked, looked some more, and came to the realization that one of Laura's charts contained her own ancestors! The cousins connect via the Hegeman, Van Wyck, Polhemius and Rapalje families.

The story became even more astounding when another CGS volunteer librarian entered the discussion. Barbara Hill was also in the library that day and connects to both Dorothy and Laura through the early Rapalje line. Just like that – three instant cousins, instead of two.

Dorothy wrote to let me know that the cousins share another coincidence: "All three of us – Laura, Barbara, and I – have retired from our careers at the Library on the University of California Berkeley campus. It must be the genes we share!"

So is there a statistician out there who can calculate the odds of finding a cousin at the California Genealogical Society Library? They're starting to look pretty good to me!

Red Hat Ladies at CGS

Yesterday the California Genealogical Society Library was the third and last stop of a full day field trip for members of a local chapter of the Red Hat Society. Barbara Hill, a CGS volunteer librarian, planned the day of shopping, lunch and genealogy research for her fellow red hat enthusiasts.

The Red Hat Society had its roots in a tradition started in 1998 by Sue Ellen Cooper of Fullerton, California. Inspired by the poem "Warning" by Jenny Joseph, Cooper began giving red hats to her friends as birthday gifts with a copy of the poem which begins "When I am an old woman I shall wear purple. With a red hat which doesn't go and doesn't suit me."

Barbara sent this description of the group:

The Red Hat Society has been around for ten years now, and is a "disorganization" for women over 50 who just want to have fun. There are no rules, and only a few traditions, so chapters don't have to have elections or by-laws or dues or charitable functions unless that is what they want to do.

Women under 50 can be "pink hatters" and wear lavender clothing with a pink hat. When they turn 50, they "reduate" and then wear purple clothing with a red hat. (During your birthday month you can wear reverse colors, red clothing with a purple hat.

We try to do things for fun as a group that we wouldn't think of on our own. Some of our outings have included going to tea, touring museums, painting pottery blanks, a Jelly Belly factory tour (fascinating!), a Scharffenberger's chocolate factory tour, going to plays, and many other activities, often along with other chapters. I once arranged for my chapter to have a lesson on how to play pool, with a professional woman billiard player as the instructor. The ladies who went have never stopped talking about it!

Standing: Susan Kaasa and Chapter Queen, Judy Fox;
Seated, left to right: CGS Librarian, Barbara Hill,
Jane Kaasa and Mary Louise Prentice.
[Photograph courtesy of Jane Knowles Lindsey.]

Yesterday's excursion seemed to yield many smiles despite the absence of a pool shark. Lavinia Schwarz and Jane Lindsey stepped in to help Barbara guide the purple-clad neophytes with their first attempts at genealogy research. All four left with copies in hand of census, WWI draft registrations and other finds.

The California Genealogical Society welcomes interested groups to come and tour the library and spend some time exploring our genealogy resources. Contact CGS at (510) 663-1358 to schedule a field trip.

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.