Our Library Collections: Reference Books, Part 1

One in a series by CGS member Chris Pattillo, highlighting some of our holdings at the CGS Library in Oakland.  For a fuller listing of books, journals, and more, consult the CGS Library catalog in WorldCat.

Two of the classic reference books available at our library

Currently our General Reference books are located in two places in the library. They outgrew the back corner so now there are four shelves of reference books at the end of the tables opposite the front desk. These shelves offer a rich collection of how-to books including most of the new and old classics. One such book is Evidence Explained Citing History Sources from Artifacts to Cyberspace by Elizabeth Shown Mills. For anyone who is a series researcher this is a must-have or use source. It is an intimidating book – nearly 900 pages that explains “how to cite every conceivable kind of source.” We have the second edition. The third edition from Amazon is $59.99 so the cost of a CGS membership is much cheaper.

We have the two-volume set of Genealogical Research: Methods and Sources by the late Milton Rubincam, published by the American Society of Genealogists in 1980. In the forward Rubincam is described as “everyone’s favorite genealogist, knowledgeable, indefatigable, conscientious, thorough, and amazingly unrufflable.” Chapter 1 of this book is titled "Adventures in Genealogy." This is a very readable book.

Google Your Family Tree by Daniel M. Lynch

Google Your Family Tree: Unlock the Hidden Power of Google by Daniel M. Lynch was a donation from CGS volunteer Barbara Hill. It has fourteen chapters starting with "Search Engine Basics" and including "Advanced Search Techniques," "Google Books" – which I have used a lot – "Google New Archives," "Google maps," and much more. There are five appendices including Appendix B – "Top Sites for Genealogists." The book is well illustrated and indexed.

One of a few reference books in our library that focus on specific ethnic or cultural group research

We have a couple of resource books for researching Jewish heritage. I found one book on the shelf for African American Genealogy by James M. Rose and Alic Eichholz titled Black Genesis. This book has chapters on general topics like "Oral History," "National Archives and Federal Records," "Military Records," "Migratory Patterns." These are followed by sections for each state that summarize what is available for each state.

Christine Schaefer's book about colonial American research

Another “Where To Look” book is the Genealogical Encyclopedia of the Colonial Americas by Christina K. Schaefer. In the preface she explains that the book “has been written out of my frustration at the lack of an existing single-source reference for Colonial America.” Schaefer addressed this problem by producing over 800 pages that help researchers find the records they seek from this period.

Practically every book in this section has something to offer. Next time you are in the library you might want to see what may be of help in your personal research.

Copyright © 2019 by California Genealogical Society

October 2019 Events

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Happy October! Culminating in All Hallows’ Eve, this is a month that's close to many a genealogist’s heart—who doesn’t appreciate a good cemetery or tales of those who’ve gone before?

You're sure to get a thrill at one of our events this month! Stewart Blandon Traiman’s popular “Excel for Genealogists” has already sold out, but there are still tickets available for other classes. They include:

October 10 - Trish Nicola’s presentation on “The Chinese Exclusion Act Case Files.” An introduction to the more than 50,000 case files for Chinese immigrants available at the National Archives-Seattle. This talk is offered twice, on October 10 and again on October 12 immediately following the -

October 12 - Quarterly Membership Meeting. All are invited to hear brief announcements and get a preview of the new CGS website to be launched early next year. Come at noon, bring a lunch and socialize before the meeting. Chinese Exclusion Act talk follows at 1 p.m.

October 15 – CGS Members’ Trip to Sutro Library. Did you know the Sutro has one of the largest genealogy collections in the U.S.? Pre-register to join this visit, which includes an orientation and tour by librarian/genealogist Dvorah Lewis.

October 26 – Book Building and Book Repair Workshop with Bill O’Neill A rare opportunity to learn book repair techniques and create your own book under the guidance of Bill O’Neill, a retired art teacher and former CGS Book Repair Committee leader.

And don’t forget our regular monthly offerings:

October 5 – Intro to Genealogy: Using the Census

October 19 - San Francisco Special Interest Group (10 a.m.)

October 19 – Family Tree Maker Special Interest Group  (1 p.m.)

All our Events can be found listed at the CGS Facebook page
Or on our website

Or at EventBrite.com (search for "California Genealogical Society")

Copyright © 2019 by California Genealogical Society

New Website Preview

A screen clip of our updated masthead

Chris Pattillo, Website Committee Chair, writes:

Last July I blogged about our new website and invited members to submit old family photos for the new home page. Several of you submitted some wonderful photos and member Lois Elling is working on how to display them on the new site.

In the meantime, the website committee has been working diligently with our representative from K2, the web design firm hired to implement the new design. Our goal is to launch the new site in December or January. At the October 12^th Quarterly Membership Meeting, we plan give a preview of the new site. While the look of the site has changed, all of the content and search features from our original site are still there, mostly from the same pulldown menus everyone is familiar with.

A need to update the CGS website was something we heard during the strategic planning process. There was a clear consensus that it needed a fresh, modern look and better organizing, so that is what we have attempted to do. We hope you will agree that the site is much improved.

Top 3 boxes on the home page

The new site’s home page has six boxes that describe and link to features of most interest to our members. The top three link to the list of upcoming "Classes and Events," "Visit Our Library," and to a list of Special Interest Groups. The link to classes and events goes directly to what is posted on EventBrite, so all of the details about classes is in one place. The link to "Visit Our Library" takes you to an explanation of what is available at the library and all our offerings.

Bottom 3 boxes on the home page

The bottom three boxes include a link to our Blog and two new features that are intended to attract new members. At times we have heard feedback expressing concern about the safety of our downtown Oakland location. "Showcase Oakland" features the neighborhood surrounding the library and includes tips on nearby and new businesses. "Past Events," another new feature, has photos from many of the events CGS has hosted in the past – we think site visitors will be impressed by the type and breadth of programs we offer.

3 Get Started buttons

Under the heading "Get Started" we have added three easy links: one to videos created by Kathie Jones and Shannon Reese about getting started with research, one where you can sign up for our eNews, and one goes directly to the Research page for hiring a researcher.

Four new features at the bottom of the Home Page

At the bottom of the home page you will find four more new features. A "Shop" button will take you to a listing of all of the books and other items available for purchase at the library. "Support CGS" explains all of the different ways you can support the society, from donating books to listing CGS in your personal Trust. "Leave A Suggestion" is another new feature: this is where members can suggest new books, speakers, field trips or whatever good ideas you have. And, you will find a link to a new Calendar on the home page; it shows library hours, committee and board meeting dates, our classes and events and everything else that is happening at CGS.

It may take a few visits to get used to the new layout but once you do, we hope you will agree that the site is much improved. If you have suggestions of what can be made even better, now you have an easy way to share your ideas.

Copyright © 2019 by California Genealogical Society

CGS Champions: Our Shelf-Read Team

Our champion shelf read team at work

Chris Pattillo writes:

Recently whenever I have visited the library I’ve seen one or more CGS volunteers working on the shelf-read project. The other day I chatted with Arlene Miles, co-chair of the Library Committee, about this project, and learned that it is a two-part undertaking that began over a year ago. Part one was the “shelf read,” which is a spot check to make sure the books on the shelf are in the correct order and that no books have inadvertently been pushed back behind others. With volunteers coming in every Thursday to tackle the task, it took about seven or eight months to complete.

Linda Edwards, focused

Vic and Karen Halfon completed most of the shelf-read work. On this day, they were joined by Gibran Rath, Wendy Polivka and Linda Edwards, who were at the library working on the second part of the task - doing an inventory.

The inventory involves printing a list of the books we are supposed to have from the catalog and comparing that list to what is found on the shelf. Sounds easy enough; but it is not quite so simple. If a book does not appear in its proper place on the shelf these volunteers must first check if it is somewhere else in the library before they declare it missing.

Another volunteer, Phil Hoehn, reviews the completed lists and double-checks to confirm if a book is missing. If he cannot find it, Phil edits the catalog listing. Occasionally, a book is found on the shelves that was not listed on the inventory. In these cases Phil catalogs the book.

Gibran, Karen and Linda teamed up

This work requires focus and attention to detail. Fortunately, we have a great team of volunteers who show up faithfully and seem to enjoy working together. Next time you see one of them, be sure to say thank you. It takes a community to maintain our library – we are lucky to have members like Vic, Karen, Gibran, Phil, Wendy and Linda. 

Copyright © 2019 by California Genealogical Society

Our Library Collections: Wyoming

One in a series by CGS member Chris Pattillo, highlighting some of our holdings at the Library in Oakland.  For a fuller listing of books, journals, and more, consult the CGS Library catalog in WorldCat.

Bareback rider at Wyoming rodeo

Our hard-copy books shelved in the Wyoming section are modest – only five books. But our online card catalog indicates that we have forty-nine print books, fifteen articles, nine journals and two maps. The seeming discrepancy can be accounted for because Wyoming information is included in books filed in other sections of the library. The five books shelved under Wyoming look very interesting. The section begins with West of Yesteryear by Peg Layton Leonard, published in 1976. This book offers profiles of twenty-four pioneer families plus twenty-two profiles of early businesses in Wyoming. Part III is headed “Bits and Pieces” and includes chapters on Pioneer Graveyards, Frontier Life in Fetterman Country, Natural Bridge, Wyoming State Fair, A Glimpse at Courthouse History, and Christ Episcopal Church. The book includes good photographs.

A history book about Fort Bridger

Next is Fort Bridger, Wyoming: A Brief History by Robert S. Ellison. This too provides a narrative on pioneer life. “This little volume is the only complete history of Fort Bridger that has been written; and it has been prepared by the one man who knows it best.”

Letters of a Woman Homesteader by Elinore Pruitt Stewart was published in 1913. The book is divided into twenty-six chapters, each telling the story of a pioneer woman and her homesteading experience. Chapter headings are enticing: "The Horse-Thieves," "At Gavotte’s Camp," "A Thanksgiving-Day Wedding," "A Confession," and much more.

An ad in the
Cheyenne business directory

We also have a copy of History and Business Directory of Cheyenne and Guide to the Mining Regions of the Rocky Mountains. Clearly this is a specialized reference, but if you happen to have family who were miners in Cheyenne you will be delighted to find the book.

Finally we have Pages From Converse County’s Past – a centennial book published in 1986. Like other books of its type, it is filled with bios of local families and histories of events, Churches, Communities, Mines, Organizations, Schools, Land Acquisitions by Homesteading, and lists of County officials. This book is also filled with lots of photos.

One of many photos in Pages From Converse County's Past

Copyright © 2019 by California Genealogical Society