California Genealogical Society blog

12 August 2013

Field Trip to the Oakland FamilySearch Library - Wednesday, September 25, 2013

Posted by Kathryn Doyle

Wednesday, September 25, 2013

10:30 a.m. - 12:00 noon

Oakland FamilySearch Library
(formerly Oakland Regional Family History Center)
4766 Lincoln Avenue

Oakland, California 94602

For members only!

Join Jane Lindsey for an in-depth view of the Oakland FamilySearch Library and learn about the hidden resources often overlooked even by frequent visitors to the center. Our tour guide will be the center's director, Ralph Severson. Bring your lunch and enjoy the breathtaking views from this Oakland landmark, followed by an afternoon of research on your own.

The tour will include an introduction to the following resources:

card index of 35,000 Alameda County obituaries
online subscriptions, including genealogybank.com and newspapers.com
map case
periodical reading room
expert consultations, including database management
future changes at FamilySearch Family Tree and the Research Wiki
special days for African-American, Azorian, Jewish, and Swedish research

Register online.

This field trip is organized for members of the California Genealogical Society. Non-members interested in participating are encouraged to become members prior to August 31, 2013. The maximum group size is thirty members.

There is no fee for the field trip but preregistration is required. 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.

The Oakland FamilySearch Library is one of the largest and most accessible centers for genealogical research in California, with more than 9,000 volumes of books, periodicals, family histories, city and county histories, city directories, plus over 37,000 reels of microfilm and 9,000 microfiche containing millions of local vital records and historical census data from all over the world.

The library is open:

Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday - 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Friday, Saturday - 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Closed on Sunday and Monday

Their online catalog includes the holdings of all fifteen Bay Area centers. When you find a resource of interest, be sure to click on the "Show Copies" tab to see which location has the book, film. microfiche or CD you are interested in.

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

09 August 2013

Book Repair Workshop: Build a Book and Learn Book Repair Techniques

Posted by Kathryn Doyle

Saturday, September 21, 2013

9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

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

The California Genealogical Society is taking reservations for the popular Book Repair Workshop, taught by Book Repair Committee Chairman Bill O'Neil.

Workshop participants learn book repair techniques by creating a book for themselves. Pages are provided and the pupils create the binding. The finished product will be a copy of a "how to" pamphlet written by the late Dick Thrift, founder of the CGS Book Repair Committee. Everyone goes home with a self-made instruction book and souvenir of the day.

The workshop is limited to eight participants. The fee is $25 for members and $45 for non-members. ($20 of the non-members fee may be applied towards society membership on the day of the workshop.) Fee includes all materials and supplies.

Pre-registration is required. Registration confirmations will be sent to the first eight who register. Additional names will be collected and placed on a waiting list in case of cancellations.

PLEASE NOTE:

Walk-ins will not be admitted.
Fee for materials must be pre-paid.

Photograph by Kathryn Doyle, 10/23/2008, Oakland, California.

05 August 2013

Back to School: Intro to Genealogy

Posted by Kathryn Doyle

It's back-to-school time at the California Genealogical Society!

Join us for a free introductory class on Saturday, September 7, 2013, from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m., at our library at 2201 Broadway, Suite LL2, Oakland, California, in the historic Breuner Building.

The class – Genealogy: An Introduction – is part of our monthly First Saturdays Free open house when we welcome non-members and the general public. We open the library and share our resources with anyone interested in learning more about their family history. The library is a benefit of membership and is available to non-members for a $5.00 day fee during the rest of the month.

The September class, taught by Lavinia Schwarz, will focus on basic research methods and terminology. Learn about common (and uncommon) family history records and the resources available, both online and in libraries, repositories, and archives. The two-hour session also includes a tour of the library and an overview of our extensive holdings.

And don't think you have to be a beginner to benefit from the class! Our instructors do a great job of tailoring each session to the experience and needs of the participants so everyone comes away with new knowledge.

A genealogist since 1999, Lavinia Gilbert Schwarz is a former member of the California Genealogical Society board of directors. She currently serves on the society's research committee. She graduated from U.C. Berkeley with a degree in English Literature, then earned a masters at Tufts in education. Schwarz completed the National Institute on Genealogical Research (N.I.G.R.) program in 2008 at the National Archives in Washington D.C. and College Park, Maryland. She has traced her ancestors to France, England, Scotland, Ireland, Holland, Germany, Cuba and San Domingue (now Haiti).

03 August 2013

Announcing Three Special Fall Events!

Posted by Kathryn Doyle

02 August 2013

Mad about Maps Genealogy Seminar with Melinda Kashuba - Saturday, September 14, 2013

Posted by Kathryn Doyle

Portion of an 1895 panoramic map of Stockton, California from Library of Congress, Geography and Map Division

Saturday, Sept 14, 2013

1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.

California Genealogical Society Library

2201 Broadway, Suite LL2

Oakland, California 94612

Maps assist genealogists in not only locating physical addresses but also providing context for the lives of their family. Maps provide details about the places where an ancestor lived, worked, worshiped, attended school, shopped, and recreated. Dr. Melinda Kashuba is back with three talks to show how maps and online map tools can help you flesh out an ancestor’s life.

Using Maps for Urban Research
This lecture is designed to introduce different types of historical city maps that are useful in locating urban ancestors, their homes, and workplaces.

Locating Foreign Maps for Genealogical Research
Ready. Set. Jump into research abroad. This lecture will teach you how to locate maps that detail your ancestors’ lives in the home country.

Online Mapping Tools and Apps
New tools available on the Internet can help you document your ancestor’s life, a genealogy research vacation or help solve research problems. Google Earth, Crowd Map, Click2Map, and others will be showcased in this fun lecture that shows you how to create customized maps.

Register online

This in-house seminar is limited to thirty participants. The fee is $20.00 for members. Non-member fee is $40.00 (non-refundable). Non-members who attend can receive a $20 discount on a new membership only 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.

Dr. Melinda Kashuba holds a Ph.D. in Geography from the University of California, Los Angeles. She is a professor of geography at Shasta College and a professional genealogist. Dr. Kashuba is a popular lecturer and the author of Walking with Your Ancestors: a Genealogist’s Guide to Using Maps and Geography (Family Tree Books, 2005) and numerous articles. Her research specialties include nineteenth and twentieth century American records and maps. She performs genealogical research for clients and lives with her family in Northern California.