California Genealogical Society and Library
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CGS eNews Volume 3                                                                June 2007
Message From the President
by Jane Lindsey
 

Dear CGS Members,

 

Now that we are almost settled in our new home, plans are in progress to get our library materials in order.

            As you know, we have had a generous offer to underwrite the multi-faceted task of placing our card catalog online.  Making this information available will have very positive implications for CGS; we want people to know more about what we have in our library. 

            So far we have almost nine thousand titles online. We have had seven volunteers come forward to assist with this job. We are hoping we will get the catalog completed by mid-summer. Here is what remains to be done.  We need to solve the mystery of our "problem" cards. CGS member Rick Hunter has been working on this, but many more hands are needed.  Can you help?

If you can volunteer, for your first few visits we will match you up with someone who can give guidance about the work and field questions. In addition, we have listed below several other library tasks under Volunteers Needed that require many helping hands!

            I hope you all can join us! As a volunteer for library projects you will enjoy the camaraderie of the library, and gain a sense of accomplishment from helping CGS move forward. I look forward to hearing from you, either by email or by phone at 510-663-1358.

Special Announcements

FINAL CALL FOR FORT WAYNE ATTENDEES is JUNE 19

The B&B we are using for our trip to the Allen County Public library has asked for a FINAL count by JUNE 19. If you are interested in the trip please contact Jane Lindsey to reserve a place. It will be wonderful to use the brand new library. They do have good resources for most states, especially the Midwest. You can see the flyer on our Web site at: www.calgensoc.org or contact CGS.

 

CITY DIRECTORY COLLECTION AVAILABLE TO CGS MEMBERS

CGS member Steve Harris has moved his city directory library of over 6000 volumes into a room across the hall from CGS.  He is offering our members the use of these books in his space on the second Saturday of the month and the third Friday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.  His collection includes directories and phone books for many U.S. cities.

 

ALAMEDA COUNTY FAIR VOLUNTEERS  NEEDED

We have been asked to help staff the genealogy booth that the Livermore-Amador Genealogical Society has at the Alameda County Fair on June 22 - July 8, 2007.  Several CGS members helped last year. It was fun and good public relations for our society.  If you can help, please use this link where you can choose your shifts.  For questions, e-mail Gail Bryan . You will get free admission and parking to the fair. 

         

Calendar of Events

 

CGS LIBRARY FREE THE FIRST SATURDAY! Remind friends and fellow genealogists that the CGS library is free on the first Saturday of every month.

 

JUNE

June 22-July 8                                 Alameda County Fair Genealogy Booth

                                                    Signups needed 

JULY

Saturday, July  7   10:00 a.m.             TMG  group meets

Saturday, July 14    1:30 p.m.             Membership Meeting at the Library:

Speaker: Margery Bell "The Future of the Family History Center and                                                                    New  Family Search."

 

Saturday, July 14  10 a.m. to 3 p.m.      City Directory Library open

Friday, July 20      10 a.m. to 3 p.m.      City Directory Library open

 

AUGUST

Saturday  August 4  10:00 a.m.            TMG  group meets

Saturday, August 11 10 a.m. to 3 p.m    City Directory Library open

Tuesday, August 14                            FGS Conference begins Fort Wayne, IN

Friday, August 17   10 a.m. to 3 p.m      City Directory Library open 

Sunday, August 19                              Leave for Fort Wayne, IN

August 19 - August 26                         Research Trip-Allen Cty Public Library
 

SEPTEMBER

Saturday, September 8 1:30 p.m.        Membership Meeting

Speaker Chuck Knuthson. Topic to be announced.  

Saturday, September 810 a.m. to 3 p.m    City Directory Library open  

Friday, September 14   10 a.m. to 3 p.m   City Directory Library open   

Wednesday, September 26        Attend the CGS/NEHGS Seminar -save the date!

 

OCTOBER (FAMILY HISTORY MONTH)

Tuesday, October 16                Special Book Repair Workshop

SPACE LIMITED$15.00 per person.

Volunteers Needed

Volunteers needed FOR CGS EVENTS

  • volunteers to coordinate the Joint NEHGS and CGS Seminar on Wednesday, September 26: The venue, lectures and lunch have all been decided.  Please contact Jane Lindsey if you can help with the remaining organizational details.  
  • GERMAN RESEARCH DAY: Several people have suggested we have a day-long German Research Day. We have a number of members who are experts in areas of German research. Volunteers are needed to organize this. Can you help? 
  • NEW YORK RESEARCH DAY: The New York Special Interest Group has stopped meeting.  In southern California the special interest groups have one or two events a year where people speak about New York research. Anyone interested in organizing a similar event is asked to contact Jane Lindsey.

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR LIBRARY PROJECTS

 

o       New Front Library Committee

This committee will have the following responsibilities:
  • learn the breadth and depth of the collection
  • develop ways to make the library more user friendly
  • design handouts about specific parts of the collection
  • identify rare collections to be publicized
  • reshelf books
  • read shelves as needed to keep material in order 

o       Volunteers are needed for the New Technical Library Services. This group, headed by Laura Spurrier, processes new books and other library information. This committee also chooses books and other materials for the library, orders them, catalogs them, and gets them onto the shelves and onto our Web site.  You can help with the following:

  • acknowledging book donations   
  • assisting with developing a list of books to be ordered for the library     
  • solving problems with books/cards, such as a card and no book or book and no card  
  • copy cataloging 
  • assisting in processing used books to be sold or donated 

o     MANUSCRIPT DEPARTMENT VOLUNTEERS NEEDED: A committee is being set up to write procedures to determine what is in a manuscript. Volunteers will then be trained to sort a project to review materials to see what is important and what can be discarded.  This will help us evaluate our manuscripts and make them available to members.  Some materials found will be placed in our vertical file.

 

o      INDEXERS NEEDED FOR MORTUARY RECORDS:  Over a year ago, CGS and the SFPL acquired many mortuary records that Halstead-Gray was keeping in storage. The records from 1859-1920 are stored in the SFPL.  We agreed to index them. This project is just getting started so any volunteers will need to come to CGS.  More information will be available later. If you are interested, please send a note to CGS and Verne will keep your name, email and phone in a list to be contacted.

 

Websites of Interest
 

If you discover a valuable website,  please send it on to CGS.  We will publish it here for all to see.

 

When researching, do not forget to look at state archives.  Many states are adding searchable databases to their sites.

 

Please try our new card catalog and let us know what you think. Go to:

http://hosted.surpasssoftware.com/calgensoc/.

 
Northern New York Historical Newspapers http://news.nnyln.net/
 

Please send interesting websites you have found to Kathy Watson.

California Genealogical Society and Library