Your Personal Genealogist

Central Library is really fortunate to have two great volunteers working in its Genealogy Center on the 4th floor. Both Bernard Marks and John Burke have been generously giving their time for the past year so that the library can offer its popular – and free -- Book a Genealogist service to the public. As volunteers, Mr. Marks and Mr. Burke meet individually with people who are interested in getting a little extra help with their research – both beginners who would like some direction in getting started, and people with genealogy experience who might benefit from suggestions on new research strategies.

By working on his own family’s history for nearly twenty years, Mr. Marks has become passionate about the importance of genealogy and of teaching people to do their own research. He finds that being multilingual helps when working with people who have questions about the spelling of surnames. The ten languages he speaks include Polish, Russian, German, Spanish and Yiddish.

Mr. Burke’s interest in genealogy came from his desire to have a connection with his unknown Irish ancestors – to learn each one’s story. He describes the excitement of finding a long-missing piece of information about an ancestor’s life as “a real rush.” Now Mr. Burke’s goal is to pass along the information he uncovers to his children and grandchildren.

Without the help of these two dedicated volunteers, Central Library could not offer the Book a Genealogist service!

If you’re interested in meeting with one of Central Library’s Book a Genealogist volunteers, please make an appointment by calling the library at 916-264-2920, or visit http://www.saclibrary.org/.

B. Daugherty

Learning your Ancestors’ Stories

When I think about my interest in genealogy, I realize that discovering the stories about my ancestors’ extraordinary experiences is what keeps me motivated to do the research. An example of this came to me when we had a genealogy program on Ellis Island at Central Library a few weeks ago, given by speaker Lisa Lee. Speaking no English and traveling separately, I knew the journey through Ellis Island had not been an easy one for my grandparents. Learning more through Lisa’s talk, exploring some of the library’s books on Ellis Island and using some genealogy databases has made their experiences more real to me.

Every family has interesting stories to discover, and help in finding those stories is always available. Along with the resources available in the Genealogy Center at Central Library, I recommend taking advantage of these free programs:

At Central Library – Saturdays, 1:30 – 3:00 pm, in the West Meeting Room:

• March 21st: Introduction to Genealogy Research, with Glenda Lloyd
• May 2nd: Getting Organized, with Glenda Lloyd
• May 16th: Oral Histories: Getting your Family to Talk to You, with Lisa Lee
• May 30th: U.S. Military Pensions, with Barbara Leak

And if you are interested in getting some individual help in your research, take advantage of Central Library’s Book a Genealogist program. Genealogy volunteers are available to meet with you by appointment.

For information on Central Library’s genealogy programs, call 916-264-2920, or visit the library's new home page and click the "events" menu button near the top of the screen. If you’re interested in being on a mailing list to receive information about future genealogy programs at Central Library, please contact the library at askus@saclibrary.org.

Of course, there are other genealogy classes, seminars and organizations in the Sacramento area. For current information on genealogy events, take a look at these websites:
Sacramento Genealogical Society's Root Cellar, Sacramento Family History Center, and Genealogical Association of Sacramento.

Start learning your ancestors’ stories!

Digging Up Roots at Central Library

Genealogy – the study of one’s past – has become an avid pastime of many Americans. One of the easiest ways for a researcher to get their hands on extremely meaningful family information is to look at the obituaries or death notices of ancestors.

The Sacramento Public Library’s Central Branch holds runs of the Sacramento Bee back to 1857, the Sacramento Union from 1851 to 1994, the Sacramento Transcript, 1850-1851, and the Daily Democratic State Journal from 1852 to 1857.

Too busy to swing by Central and search the archives? No problem. Call us, snail mail us, e-mail us. Our reference staff takes the topic of genealogy very seriously – we boast one of the finest genealogy collections in Northern California, possess in-house indexes (Sacramento Bee Vital Statistics Index (1857-1905) and the California Information File) that you’ll find nowhere else, and welcome the opportunity to help you build your family tree.

Try us. Just give us a week and we can give you your roots.

Letter Mail: Sacramento Public Library, attn. Correspondence, 828 “I” Street, Sacramento, California 95814

E-Mail: askus@saclibrary.org

Phone: 916-264-2920

Discovering Your Roots, Part 2

As promised, the Central Library has some great genealogy programs lined up for the new year! Presentations are scheduled for three Sundays in January, 2008. They will be held in the West Meeting Room on the 1st floor at Central Library from 1:30 - 3: 00 p.m. Please join us for research hints from these knowledgeable speakers!

Beginning Family History Research, Lisa Lee, January 6th
Researching your family’s history can uncover fascinating information, and it’s easier to get started than you might think! Come to this program and learn about the basic tools, techniques and resources you can use to search for your ancestors.

Yes Indeed! Answers in the Land Records, Barbara Leak, January 13th
Land records hold answers to family puzzles, offering implied information along with the stated facts. Learn how to effectively analyze the information involved in property transfers.

Obituary Records – An Untapped Resource, Glenda Lloyd, January 27th
Obituary records may provide the tidbits of information needed to extend your family tree. In this program you will learn to search these records for clues for further research about your family.

Registration for these programs is preferred but not required. To register, click the title of the program(s) you want to attend. For more info, call Telephone Reference (916-264-2920) after 10 a.m. (12 noon on Sundays.)

~ Beth, Genealogy Librarian

Discovering Your Roots

Beth Daugherty, our Genealogy Librarian, writes:

Genealogy is one of the most popular hobbies in the United States today. Central Library is planning more exciting programs on this topic in the near future, because of the great attendance and enthusiastic response to the four programs we presented last month.

Details about the new programs will be posted here soon. Until then, you can get a head start on climbing your own family tree by going to the Research Guide on the library’s home page (click the link in the “Library Services” section,) or stop by to browse the how-to books on the fourth floor.

Other genealogy programs and seminars currently being offered in the Sacramento area:

Saturday, Oct. 13, 2007, 8:30 am. – 4:00 pm.
Family History Day
California State Archives
1020 “O” Street (corner of 10th and O Streets)
Genealogy classes and tours of the Archives. This fun event is free and open to the public.
More information

Every Wednesday evening, 7:00 – 8:30 pm.
Genealogy Classes
Sacramento Family History Center
2745 Eastern Ave., Sacramento, CA
These classes are free and open to the public. For a list, click the "Classes" button on the Family History Center's web site.

Saturday, Nov. 3, 2007, 9:00 am. – 3:00 pm.
Gathering the Harvest
Sacramento Family History Center
2745 Eastern Ave., Sacramento, CA
There is a fee for this day-long seminar, which is open to the public. For more info, click the "Seminars" button on the Family History Center's web site.