California Genealogical Society blog: Oakland FamilySearch Library

11 April 2018

Free talk, free resources!

Posted by Jennifer Dix

The knowledgeable and always engaging Jane Lindsey will share tips about some of the best free websites for genealogy research, including USGenWeb, WorldGenWeb, RootsWeb, the state archives, Cyndi's List, and more. It's a great opportunity to learn how to use these popular sites or to refresh your knowledge.

This "casual talk" will take place Wednesday, April 18, at 2 p.m. at the Oakland FamilySearch Library, 4766 Lincoln Ave, Oakland. For more information, contact Teresa Coons at 510-531-3905.

17 January 2018

Want to Build Your Skills for Successful Family History Research?

Posted by Shannon Reese

Whether you are a beginners or an intermediate genealogist, then you should plan to join genealogy instructor, Pam Brett, for this 4-part series sponsored by the California Genealogical Society! What the course about? It's designed for family history researchers who want to build a strong foundation of genealogy research skills to avoid wasted time and unreliable family trees. Who wouldn't want to accomplish that?

Pamela Brett will cover six key family history research skills, including how to:

Know which records to look for
Find relevant records
Document the results of the search
Evaluate the sources you use and the records you find
Analyze the results of your research
Write a well-reasoned statement of your conclusions

This course will be held at the Oakland FamilySearch Library over four separate, Wednesday evening sessions. These session dates and times are:

March 07, 2018 6:00pm to 8:30pm
March 14, 2018 6:00pm to 8:30pm
March 21, 2018 6:00pm to 8:30pm
March 28, 2018 6:00pm to 8:30pm

Class details

In-class group exercises and optional homework assignments will provide participants to practice skills with a wide variety of genealogical records found in a many different places including online websites.
Class handouts will include basic strategies and cautions, as well as useful websites to use in your research.
It is strongly recommended that participants plan on attending all four classes as the skills are presented in a sequential pattern.

Registration information

This course will be held at the Oakland Family Search Library.
Pre-registration is required. Class size is limited so register early.
Register early to confirm your seat. Walk-ins will not be admitted.

About the Instructor

Pam Brett's interest in genealogy started over 40 years ago at the birth of her first child, but it wasn't until 1999 when she began serious pursuit of her family history. Most of her ancestors came to America early and moved often leading to research in 31 states and the District of Columbia.

In this series, she hopes to share skills acquired from many years of beginner's mistakes to help participants to focus their personal goals and to acquire new understanding of the lives of their ancestors.

Join Pam this March and work on strengthening your genealogy foundation. She hopes to have you in her class!