Blog | California Genealogical Society

by California Genealogical Society (1/25/2023)

Old City Hall and Hall of Records, San Francisco. Courtesy of the San Francisco Public Library.

The California Genealogical Society is interested in reconstituting the San Francisco Special Interest Group monthly meetings, in person at the CGS library or online using the Zoom app. If you are interested in participating in this group, we’d like to hear from you. Please email the host at [email protected] to express your interest in reconvening. If there is sufficient interest, the meeting dates and times will be scheduled and announced in the CGS e-News, CGS website, Bay Area Genealogy Calendar, and Eventbrite. Eventbrite registration is required if attending in person.

SF-SIG Meeting Description:

Whether you’re just starting out researching your family history or have been searching for years and need ideas on how to get past brick walls or are interested in finding your ancestors’ records pre-and post-1906, including those gold rush pioneers, and ancestors in and around the San Francisco Bay Area, join the conversation with us at the CGS library hybrid meetings where you will be guided in building skills to uncover information that leads to creating a more complete family story.

Lead: Sandra Huber

Meeting Time: To be determined.

Contact: [email protected] for more information.

If there is sufficient interest, the meeting dates and times will be scheduled and announced in the CGS e-News, CGS website (californiaancestors.org), Bay Area Genealogy Calendar, and Eventbrite. Eventbrite registration is required if attending in person.

February Events at CGS

by California Genealogical Society (1/24/2023)

CGS logo with dates, 1898-2023

A running list of upcoming events can be found on our website: https://www.californiaancestors.org/events-and-education/

Live Events: (Register by clicking on the link)

Tuesday, Jan. 31: Organize Your Family History Research (view recording option until April 2).
There are as many ways to organize your data as there are researchers. The only “right” way to organize your genealogy is to do it in a way that you will consistently follow! Genealogist and past CGS president Linda Harms Okazaki will help you tackle that growing mountain of data.

Saturday, Feb. 25: Genealogical Proof for the Everyday Genealogist (view recording option until March 25).
Association of Professional Genealogists President Annette Burke Lyttle gives this overview of the Genealogical Proof Standard, the industry’s standard for producing reliable and credible genealogical research.

Recurring Monthly Events

First Saturday (Feb. 4) 2023 Intro to Genealogy – 1st Saturday Free! Overview and Focused Topics This month: Using the Census.

Second Saturday (Feb. 11) Online – CGS Monthly Board Meeting (for members only)

Second Wednesday (Feb. 8) CGS Member Roundtable Contact Lisa Gorrell: [email protected] or Jacqueline Henderson: [email protected]

Special Interest Groups (SIGs):

Third Saturday: (Feb. 18) FTM SIG hybrid meeting.

Fourth Monday: (Feb. 27) DNA Skills SIG Contact Mark McLaren: [email protected]

Fourth Wednesday: (Feb. 22) Roots Magic SIG

Quarterly: (Feb. 25) Eastern European SIG

The CGS Library is open Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays from 10 a.m.-2 p.m., and on the 3rd Saturday from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Please register in advance by signing up here. (Members are welcome to visit on Fridays without pre-registering.)

CGS Committees – Facilities

by Chris Pattillo (1/23/2023)

Roger Prince, Chair of the Facilities Committee

One in a series of blog posts describing the work of CGS volunteer committees.

In the past this was one of the easiest committee chair positions to be assigned. I had the position when I was still working full time so it was perfect for me. During the pandemic the position has been more complicated. Now that the COVID changes that were needed have been implemented, the job will hopefully simmer down again.

Purpose	The Facilities team deals with our physical plant and interfaces with the building owner when we need something like improved air filtration in the library.
Chair	Roger Prince
Meets	Roger meets with service providers on an as-needed basis.
Time Commitment	Varies depending on what’s happening in the library
Helpful Skills	Knowledge of building maintenance and experience working with tradesmen.
Work Location	From home and at the library.

Because this role has been relatively light in the past it has been a one-person committee by tradition. During COVID Roger has spent a fair amount of time interfacing with other committee chairs such as the Library Committee, Desk Duty and our Digital Historian.

One of the key responsibilities is to handle our office security by maintaining our door pass codes. Other responsibilities include maintaining our audio-visual equipment, helping to process mail, ordering supplies, helping other committees get equipment set up, and attending an annual emergency preparedness workshop sponsored by the Breuner Building owners.

The Facilities Chair makes sure our seller’s permit is current and posted, notifies the building management when cleaning or maintenance is needed and participates in our lease negotiations. The chair provides a monthly report for the Board of Directors.