Debra menager, cvgs librarian
CVGSLIBRARIAN@GMAIL.COM
JUNE 2021 Library Corner
Last summer I wrote about our Genealogy Library’s beginning created by very dedicated and hardworking volunteers from a newly formed CVGS. A small start grew into a sizeable collection which the Thousand Oaks Library agreed to house, maintained by CVGS volunteers. We share our collection with the community. Last summer we couldn’t visit it; this summer’s quite different.
Last month I wrote about another small start: TO Library limited in-library-use, no library volunteers yet. Another small start; great hopes for more soon!!
“Many hands make big tasks small.” (Quoting my grandmother.) Our genealogy library needs your help. What can you do?? So many choices, not enough space to tell-all. Check out our Volunteer Opportunities! Thanks for considering!!
Last month I wrote about another small start: TO Library limited in-library-use, no library volunteers yet. Another small start; great hopes for more soon!!
“Many hands make big tasks small.” (Quoting my grandmother.) Our genealogy library needs your help. What can you do?? So many choices, not enough space to tell-all. Check out our Volunteer Opportunities! Thanks for considering!!
may 2021 Library Corner
Great news!! April 21st, Thousand Oaks Library started reopening for in-library use. As I write, no volunteers and limited occupancy -- expect small staff and number of users allowed, with limited days and time for in-library use:
Wednesday and Friday: 10 – 2; Sunday: 1-4
Entrance is only at Children’s Library door. Masks and social distancing required with signage and floor markings to direct visitors. No food or drink, vending machines and most seats have been removed – except for chairs at computer stations. Time at computers: 60-minute limits, library card required. Library staff disinfect computer stations between users.
Virtual Library and Curbside Pickup also continue.
For updates on hours and current Covid precautions:
https://www.tolibrary.org/services/library-reopening
Library of Congress, (LOC) our national library, remains mostly closed except online assets. They have digitized many records. Temporary limited-access Electronic Resources Center (restricted-access items, not online) in Madison Building, requires prior registration before visits:
https://www.loc.gov/about/pandemic-information/for-researchers/
Like a treasure hunt, explore LOC online resources. They try to help researchers: https://www.loc.gov/discover
Virtual orientations, how-to online classes, sporadically appear in lists arranged by dates. Skim occasionally for gems:https://loc.gov/events. To register, click “zoomgov” within listing.
Recently, an orientation on PPOC (prints and picture resources) led successfully to search my Civil War ancestor in their resources: https://www.loc.gov/pictures
“Picture is worth a thousand words.” I found five. That information led to further LOC newspaper searches, confirming stories told by my grandfather’s brother about their grandfather.
https://www.loc.gov/pictures/collection/cwp/timeline.html
Civil War Timeline, LOC compiled (numbers indicate photos) is another great resource if you are researching your ancestors’ military participation in the Civil War.
In-library or online, have fun!!
Wednesday and Friday: 10 – 2; Sunday: 1-4
Entrance is only at Children’s Library door. Masks and social distancing required with signage and floor markings to direct visitors. No food or drink, vending machines and most seats have been removed – except for chairs at computer stations. Time at computers: 60-minute limits, library card required. Library staff disinfect computer stations between users.
Virtual Library and Curbside Pickup also continue.
For updates on hours and current Covid precautions:
https://www.tolibrary.org/services/library-reopening
Library of Congress, (LOC) our national library, remains mostly closed except online assets. They have digitized many records. Temporary limited-access Electronic Resources Center (restricted-access items, not online) in Madison Building, requires prior registration before visits:
https://www.loc.gov/about/pandemic-information/for-researchers/
Like a treasure hunt, explore LOC online resources. They try to help researchers: https://www.loc.gov/discover
Virtual orientations, how-to online classes, sporadically appear in lists arranged by dates. Skim occasionally for gems:https://loc.gov/events. To register, click “zoomgov” within listing.
Recently, an orientation on PPOC (prints and picture resources) led successfully to search my Civil War ancestor in their resources: https://www.loc.gov/pictures
“Picture is worth a thousand words.” I found five. That information led to further LOC newspaper searches, confirming stories told by my grandfather’s brother about their grandfather.
https://www.loc.gov/pictures/collection/cwp/timeline.html
Civil War Timeline, LOC compiled (numbers indicate photos) is another great resource if you are researching your ancestors’ military participation in the Civil War.
In-library or online, have fun!!
April 2021 Library Corner
April, already Spring is here again! So are Rabbit Tracks – in my garden and in our genealogy. In March, Georgine sent out a new Rabbit Tracks – our CVGS publication. Filled with information I enjoyed, it made me think.
In genealogy as in my garden, tracks and rabbit holes appear. Startling as sudden. A rabbit makes a quick dart across my yard; it disappears in foliage near our garden fence. Down a NEW rabbit hole!! Time passes in the pursuit.
Unexpected and delightful Rabbit Tracks can lead to places, events, people as characters previously unknown or incompletely understood. As Alice in Wonderland discovered: the nature or path of our quest is not always predictable. Quite a diversion. So much to explore. Time seems lost -- or may be found again -- in the past. Ancestors leave clues behind, forgotten but now recalled.
Last month I mentioned sources for old newspapers, where you might look for them. Here are a few more suggestions:
Note: depending upon how you search, your results may include “locked” items. You can view these also. Referred to as “embargoed” while private entities digitize, you can see them on their sites. Read how at
https://cdnc.ucr.edu/?a=p&p=help
If and when you take your family search back to Europe, their resources include historic newspapers back to 1600s.
https://www.europeana.eu/en/collections/topic/18-newspapers
Note: other collections include maps, migrations, early manuscripts, photos, industrial heritage & working lives, WWI, Jewish heritage, Pandemics, and more.
https://www.canadiana.ca
Note: Serials is a vastly varied collection. Magazines and periodical journals range from popular magazines to specialized ones -- military, political, business, industry trade, student newspapers and journals.
City directories and annual reports from schools, churches and businesses are also within this collection.
Historic newspapers from around the world. List is growing. Their goal: one place for online search of historic newspapers internationally.
https://elephind.com
These old news sources may point you down paths you hope to travel. I wish you luck in following yours and encourage you to share your finds along the way. We are fortunate to be within a wonderful community of genealogists.
Our current historical life events, our past memories and genealogy finds are potential treasures for new and future genealogy researchers yet to come. Are there tracks and paths you want to share? Now or in the near future. Submissions to CVGS Rabbit Tracks and elsewhere can be trails your family and future descendants will be delighted to find.
As my great-uncle told me: We are all future ancestors. Uncle Joe and my grandfather were born almost 100 years before my son. I feel so fortunate when I discover bits of the trails they and other family left behind.
Enjoy your genealogy pursuits. Explore more paths, bring companions as you travel in those journeys.
Have fun!!
In genealogy as in my garden, tracks and rabbit holes appear. Startling as sudden. A rabbit makes a quick dart across my yard; it disappears in foliage near our garden fence. Down a NEW rabbit hole!! Time passes in the pursuit.
Unexpected and delightful Rabbit Tracks can lead to places, events, people as characters previously unknown or incompletely understood. As Alice in Wonderland discovered: the nature or path of our quest is not always predictable. Quite a diversion. So much to explore. Time seems lost -- or may be found again -- in the past. Ancestors leave clues behind, forgotten but now recalled.
Last month I mentioned sources for old newspapers, where you might look for them. Here are a few more suggestions:
- California Digital Newspaper Collection
Note: depending upon how you search, your results may include “locked” items. You can view these also. Referred to as “embargoed” while private entities digitize, you can see them on their sites. Read how at
https://cdnc.ucr.edu/?a=p&p=help
- Europeana
If and when you take your family search back to Europe, their resources include historic newspapers back to 1600s.
https://www.europeana.eu/en/collections/topic/18-newspapers
Note: other collections include maps, migrations, early manuscripts, photos, industrial heritage & working lives, WWI, Jewish heritage, Pandemics, and more.
- Canadiana
https://www.canadiana.ca
Note: Serials is a vastly varied collection. Magazines and periodical journals range from popular magazines to specialized ones -- military, political, business, industry trade, student newspapers and journals.
City directories and annual reports from schools, churches and businesses are also within this collection.
- Elephind
Historic newspapers from around the world. List is growing. Their goal: one place for online search of historic newspapers internationally.
https://elephind.com
These old news sources may point you down paths you hope to travel. I wish you luck in following yours and encourage you to share your finds along the way. We are fortunate to be within a wonderful community of genealogists.
Our current historical life events, our past memories and genealogy finds are potential treasures for new and future genealogy researchers yet to come. Are there tracks and paths you want to share? Now or in the near future. Submissions to CVGS Rabbit Tracks and elsewhere can be trails your family and future descendants will be delighted to find.
As my great-uncle told me: We are all future ancestors. Uncle Joe and my grandfather were born almost 100 years before my son. I feel so fortunate when I discover bits of the trails they and other family left behind.
Enjoy your genealogy pursuits. Explore more paths, bring companions as you travel in those journeys.
Have fun!!
MARCH 2021 LIBRARY CORNER
As I write today March is just around the corner.
February is our shortest month, but for me it’s been filled with wonderful genealogy discoveries. I hope your month has been just as happily spent. And RootsTech Virtual conference offers a promising end to February which may spill over into March and well beyond. I hope you are filling your Viewing Lists with titles you want to view later or again. Many are available to watch after the conference; some select sessions may also be available for download. Have you watched the “Road to RootsTech" you-tube videos? Note: Use English captions to translate those speaking foreign languages.
March midmonth marks the one-year anniversary of “Safer at Home”. The start of Covid19-library closures and more affected us all. Like many, we postponed our family’s plans: our road trip with genealogy research at multi-state historical sites and archives. Just a few days away from us departing when closures began. Now, virtually from our home computers, we do what we can. Luckily, tech means we can do a lot that way. And hopefully, with more vaccinations ahead, we all soon will safely travel again.
Are you making lists, with detailed plans, for where you want to go? Another great use of our computers and virtual museum tours/exhibits: View ahead for detailed planning. Zoom meetings may define more to consider. Our upcoming March CVGS Zoom Meeting on the Civil War may very well add details to that postponed road trip – the National Park site of the fort my Civil War 2nd Great Grandfather defended, and associated archives, on our agenda.
Lisa Cooke at our CVGS Zoom Meeting in February made excellent points about looking online for newspaper items free, then fee, before going on fieldtrips to archives.
The Library of Congress offers a great newspaper collaboration for free. I have found many family news accounts via:
* “Chronicling America” – 1690 to 2021; Search fields can include state, county, city, date, keywords. Or browse by newspaper title: https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/search/titles
Several other options may be free through databases in our TO Virtual Library:
* Ancestry – Look through their Card Catalogue under Newspapers and Periodicals to see what titles they offer. I saw they list 118 newspapers and 44 periodicals and magazines.
* Heritage Quest searches obits 1800s to current based on Newspapers.com – the search provides only an index-view. Clicking the image for more may require a fee as it takes you to Newspaper.com – free only with a subscription or if you can save your finds to do on a free trial.
*American Ancestors – Journals and Periodicals: 23 in this category – one example from truly an old newspaper, one of the nation’s oldest, is the New Hampshire Gazette abstracts 1756-1769.
*Gale General One File – Full text from magazines, journals. It may not be a newspaper article, but I recently found a wonderfully detailed article about an event and location with my ancestors in 1734.
*LA Times, from 1881 to current – Full articles. Note it did not necessarily need to happen there to be reported.
*New York Times, from 1851 to current – Full articles. Note, again, it did not necessarily need to happen there to be reported.
*America’s News – Large number of newspapers, domestic and foreign, with full text articles most from within last 15-20 years.
Enjoy your searches into the past as well as your plans into the future.
Email CVGSLibrarian@gmail.com if you have any questions or want assist. Happy hunting!!
February is our shortest month, but for me it’s been filled with wonderful genealogy discoveries. I hope your month has been just as happily spent. And RootsTech Virtual conference offers a promising end to February which may spill over into March and well beyond. I hope you are filling your Viewing Lists with titles you want to view later or again. Many are available to watch after the conference; some select sessions may also be available for download. Have you watched the “Road to RootsTech" you-tube videos? Note: Use English captions to translate those speaking foreign languages.
March midmonth marks the one-year anniversary of “Safer at Home”. The start of Covid19-library closures and more affected us all. Like many, we postponed our family’s plans: our road trip with genealogy research at multi-state historical sites and archives. Just a few days away from us departing when closures began. Now, virtually from our home computers, we do what we can. Luckily, tech means we can do a lot that way. And hopefully, with more vaccinations ahead, we all soon will safely travel again.
Are you making lists, with detailed plans, for where you want to go? Another great use of our computers and virtual museum tours/exhibits: View ahead for detailed planning. Zoom meetings may define more to consider. Our upcoming March CVGS Zoom Meeting on the Civil War may very well add details to that postponed road trip – the National Park site of the fort my Civil War 2nd Great Grandfather defended, and associated archives, on our agenda.
Lisa Cooke at our CVGS Zoom Meeting in February made excellent points about looking online for newspaper items free, then fee, before going on fieldtrips to archives.
The Library of Congress offers a great newspaper collaboration for free. I have found many family news accounts via:
* “Chronicling America” – 1690 to 2021; Search fields can include state, county, city, date, keywords. Or browse by newspaper title: https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/search/titles
Several other options may be free through databases in our TO Virtual Library:
* Ancestry – Look through their Card Catalogue under Newspapers and Periodicals to see what titles they offer. I saw they list 118 newspapers and 44 periodicals and magazines.
* Heritage Quest searches obits 1800s to current based on Newspapers.com – the search provides only an index-view. Clicking the image for more may require a fee as it takes you to Newspaper.com – free only with a subscription or if you can save your finds to do on a free trial.
*American Ancestors – Journals and Periodicals: 23 in this category – one example from truly an old newspaper, one of the nation’s oldest, is the New Hampshire Gazette abstracts 1756-1769.
*Gale General One File – Full text from magazines, journals. It may not be a newspaper article, but I recently found a wonderfully detailed article about an event and location with my ancestors in 1734.
*LA Times, from 1881 to current – Full articles. Note it did not necessarily need to happen there to be reported.
*New York Times, from 1851 to current – Full articles. Note, again, it did not necessarily need to happen there to be reported.
*America’s News – Large number of newspapers, domestic and foreign, with full text articles most from within last 15-20 years.
Enjoy your searches into the past as well as your plans into the future.
Email CVGSLibrarian@gmail.com if you have any questions or want assist. Happy hunting!!
FEBRUARY 2021 LIBRARY CORNER
January: how did it breeze by so quickly??
February, our sweetest (Valentine’s Day!!) and shortest month may fly even faster. So many special days just in this month: President’s Day, or Washington’s Birthday and Lincoln’s Birthday, plus Susan B Anthony’s Birthday, Super Bowl, Mardi Gras, Groundhog’s Day… and more.
February is also “Library Lovers Month”. And for those who love Genealogy too. Here are just a few suggestions:
Connect, Interact, Share, and Learn more. RootsTech plans aim at all ages and interests. Heritage, culture, dance, food and more will be on the program. Encourage friends and family to come share this event.
Register now, if you haven’t already. Sign up for their newsletter for further information, and to prepare what to see and do.
Thurs, Feb 25 through Sat, Feb 27
Library lovers enjoy 360-degree tours of the grand library built in 1890.
History lovers and genealogist discover details in close-up views of rare documents and historical photographs on display within online exhibitions. Make the most of the virtual experience.
Click and drag, using your computer mouse, to rotate any direction. Shift and CTRL keys on your computer, use to zoom in and out, to see more details on these rare historical documents (read manuscripts close up, then resume the tour until you see another item to examine closely).
Note: Adobe Flash Player must be installed on your computer in order to do this tour.
Online events calendar:
Numerous events with free tickets were available when I looked. Find one of interest, click “here” to register. Their events are via Zoom.
Online catalogue:
125,000 digitized items.
Note: For digitized historical maps, their website links to the Ordnance Survey of Ireland website. OSI provides access to an archive of digitized maps produced 1829 -1913 with genealogical data (location of schools, churches, graveyards and workhouses).
A few I’ve signed up for include: “Archives in the Digital Era” and another specific to research methods and resources for Schleswig-Holstein by a group focusing on that region (where my Mom’s grandmother immigrated from).
Several upcoming events on the IGG site include:
Early-Bird discounts for registration before March; conference runs Saturday 17 July to Saturday 24 July.
So much more that I could add. Enjoy February, and more to come!!
February, our sweetest (Valentine’s Day!!) and shortest month may fly even faster. So many special days just in this month: President’s Day, or Washington’s Birthday and Lincoln’s Birthday, plus Susan B Anthony’s Birthday, Super Bowl, Mardi Gras, Groundhog’s Day… and more.
February is also “Library Lovers Month”. And for those who love Genealogy too. Here are just a few suggestions:
- RootsTech Connect 2021 – FREE and Virtual, combining Live-Events and On-Demand. RootsTech.org
Connect, Interact, Share, and Learn more. RootsTech plans aim at all ages and interests. Heritage, culture, dance, food and more will be on the program. Encourage friends and family to come share this event.
Register now, if you haven’t already. Sign up for their newsletter for further information, and to prepare what to see and do.
Thurs, Feb 25 through Sat, Feb 27
- National Library of Ireland https://www.nli.ie/wwi/
Library lovers enjoy 360-degree tours of the grand library built in 1890.
History lovers and genealogist discover details in close-up views of rare documents and historical photographs on display within online exhibitions. Make the most of the virtual experience.
Click and drag, using your computer mouse, to rotate any direction. Shift and CTRL keys on your computer, use to zoom in and out, to see more details on these rare historical documents (read manuscripts close up, then resume the tour until you see another item to examine closely).
Note: Adobe Flash Player must be installed on your computer in order to do this tour.
Online events calendar:
Numerous events with free tickets were available when I looked. Find one of interest, click “here” to register. Their events are via Zoom.
Online catalogue:
125,000 digitized items.
Note: For digitized historical maps, their website links to the Ordnance Survey of Ireland website. OSI provides access to an archive of digitized maps produced 1829 -1913 with genealogical data (location of schools, churches, graveyards and workhouses).
- International German Genealogy Partnerships https://iggpartner.org
A few I’ve signed up for include: “Archives in the Digital Era” and another specific to research methods and resources for Schleswig-Holstein by a group focusing on that region (where my Mom’s grandmother immigrated from).
Several upcoming events on the IGG site include:
- “Research in Germany with CompGen” – free webinar, requires registration, Ohio German SIG – Discussion and information about CompGen: the largest genealogy society in Germany, host of major databases there.
- “Researching Together Worldwide” – Virtual Conference, International German Genealogy Society
Early-Bird discounts for registration before March; conference runs Saturday 17 July to Saturday 24 July.
So much more that I could add. Enjoy February, and more to come!!
JANUARY 2021 LIBRARY CORNER
Writing today my thoughts are upon 2021.
Hopes and wishes, resolves and objectives for a new year filled with fresh possibilities. My hopes, that for all of us it will be a much better year than the one we leave behind. My resolve, that we can bring along good parts of the past year.
Yes!! There were some good parts. I’ve pushed myself to learn technology beyond what I previously knew. I hope to continue to learn more – then utilize and share it. Knowledge and lifelong learning are important parts of my journey. As genealogists, I am sure they are also central parts of yours.
Thousand Oaks Virtual Library offers a varying calendar of Zoom Classes, free but register ahead.
*January 20th there is a Zoom “Genealogy Research Class” on the library’s genealogy databases; the presenting librarian can answer your questions about using these databases in your research. It requires prior registration. Go to:
https://libcal.tolibrary.org/calendar/classes
Listed by date, upcoming classes (take several!!) – click class for more info. It links to “Begin Registration.” Name and email address are required; they email you a Zoom link to the class.
*Important Library Database Update: AmericanAncestors database is now fully accessible online.
A technical flaw previously prevented full access to our CVGS paid subscription. We apologize for any frustration in prior attempts!!
Here are the steps:
• TO Library Virtual Research: https://research.tolibrary.org/az.php
• Click AmericanAncestors; your library access page appears – Enter your Library Card # + PIN
• NEHGS Site appears; Top right, Green Box, click “login” – Log in to your NEHGS Guest Acct or create one, its free. (note: guest acct + library login provides Full Access; without library, guest is partial access)
Usually In-Library access, AmericanAncestors subscription is temporarily online. 2020 Library closures brought it to the Virtual Library. My hopes are that we will soon be able to safely go out and about again to explore museums, archives, libraries – and more importantly see family and friends in person – and that we can also bring a mix of virtual innovations with us.
2020 was a “bizarre” year, as a friend recently said, bringing much we never expected. 2020 was also a historic year. Events from this past year will eventually fade in memory, probably not quickly.
California History Society along with many other history museums and archives are requesting submissions of written personal accounts. Lessons learned, priorities refocused, events big and small are history not to be forgotten. Do you have something to add??
One of my joyful discoveries this past year was unexpectedly discovering online several family stories written by my grandmother’s cousin of their parents and grandparents immigration from Canada to Nebraska – what it was like, why they came, and some of their mixed emotions about what they left behind. My resolve: write down family stories for our future budding genealogist to uncover. My son, his cousins, my grandson, his second cousins (my siblings’ grandchildren) … whoever that future genealogist may be. Records and stories need to be strewn like breadcrumbs for future discovery.
Genealogists are family historians. Are you writing your life stories? Add written records, what you recall about family and friends for your future family historians to uncover. Join our CVGS Writing SIG. Submit stories to our CVGS Newsletters or Rabbit Tracks…and other places too!!
Hopes and wishes, resolves and objectives for a new year filled with fresh possibilities. My hopes, that for all of us it will be a much better year than the one we leave behind. My resolve, that we can bring along good parts of the past year.
Yes!! There were some good parts. I’ve pushed myself to learn technology beyond what I previously knew. I hope to continue to learn more – then utilize and share it. Knowledge and lifelong learning are important parts of my journey. As genealogists, I am sure they are also central parts of yours.
Thousand Oaks Virtual Library offers a varying calendar of Zoom Classes, free but register ahead.
*January 20th there is a Zoom “Genealogy Research Class” on the library’s genealogy databases; the presenting librarian can answer your questions about using these databases in your research. It requires prior registration. Go to:
https://libcal.tolibrary.org/calendar/classes
Listed by date, upcoming classes (take several!!) – click class for more info. It links to “Begin Registration.” Name and email address are required; they email you a Zoom link to the class.
*Important Library Database Update: AmericanAncestors database is now fully accessible online.
A technical flaw previously prevented full access to our CVGS paid subscription. We apologize for any frustration in prior attempts!!
Here are the steps:
• TO Library Virtual Research: https://research.tolibrary.org/az.php
• Click AmericanAncestors; your library access page appears – Enter your Library Card # + PIN
• NEHGS Site appears; Top right, Green Box, click “login” – Log in to your NEHGS Guest Acct or create one, its free. (note: guest acct + library login provides Full Access; without library, guest is partial access)
Usually In-Library access, AmericanAncestors subscription is temporarily online. 2020 Library closures brought it to the Virtual Library. My hopes are that we will soon be able to safely go out and about again to explore museums, archives, libraries – and more importantly see family and friends in person – and that we can also bring a mix of virtual innovations with us.
2020 was a “bizarre” year, as a friend recently said, bringing much we never expected. 2020 was also a historic year. Events from this past year will eventually fade in memory, probably not quickly.
California History Society along with many other history museums and archives are requesting submissions of written personal accounts. Lessons learned, priorities refocused, events big and small are history not to be forgotten. Do you have something to add??
One of my joyful discoveries this past year was unexpectedly discovering online several family stories written by my grandmother’s cousin of their parents and grandparents immigration from Canada to Nebraska – what it was like, why they came, and some of their mixed emotions about what they left behind. My resolve: write down family stories for our future budding genealogist to uncover. My son, his cousins, my grandson, his second cousins (my siblings’ grandchildren) … whoever that future genealogist may be. Records and stories need to be strewn like breadcrumbs for future discovery.
Genealogists are family historians. Are you writing your life stories? Add written records, what you recall about family and friends for your future family historians to uncover. Join our CVGS Writing SIG. Submit stories to our CVGS Newsletters or Rabbit Tracks…and other places too!!