Area Libraries with Holdings of Genealogical Interest

CALIFORNIA GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY & LIBRARY

2201 Broadway, Suite LL2, Oakland, CA 94612-3031

A few blocks from the 12th St. or 19th St. BART Stations.  Merchants’ parking lot at 12th and Franklin Street

Phone: (510) 663-1358

Website: https://www.californiaancestors.org

Hours: Thurs.-Sat.: 10:00 a.m.- 4:00 p.m.
Fee: $5.00 fee for non-members.  No fee the 1st Saturday of the month.

Holdings:  Extensive California and San Francisco materials, includes California Marriage and Death Index, U.S. Census for California, Bay Area city directories, passenger lists, bibles, wagon train unpublished manuscripts, some lineage charts, and an extensive collection of New England and Eastern States.  Included are the published Pennsylvania Archives Series and the Official Records of the Army and Navy for the War of the Rebellion.

CALIFORNIA HISTORICAL SOCIETY

678 Mission St., San Francisco, CA 94105.

A few blocks from the 12th St. or 19th St. BART Stations.  Merchants’ parking lot at 12th and Franklin Street

Phone: (415) 357-1848 x210

Website: https://www.californiahistoricalsociety.org

Hours: Tue.- Sun.: 11:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.; please call ahead.

Holdings: San Francisco and California histories, manuscripts, maps, and some city directories.

CALIFORNIA STATE ARCHIVES

1020 “O” St., Sacramento, CA 95814

Phone: (916) 653-2246

Website: https://www.sos.ca.gov/archives/

Hours: Mon.-Fri.: 9:30 a.m.-4:00 p.m.  Closed state and national holidays.

Holdings:  1852 state census, 1860 and 1880 Federal Census for California.  County records include some probate court records, wills, nationalizations, deeds, homesteads, and vital records for 1850-1987, Registered trademarks; also some school records, military records, prison records, and Supreme and Appellate Court cases.

CALIFORNIA STATE LIBRARY, CALIFORNIA HISTORY ROOM

900 “N” St., Rm. 200, Sacramento, CA 95814

Phone: (916) 654-0176

Website: https://www.library.ca.gov/california-history/

Hours: Mon.-Fri.: 9:30 a.m.-4:00 p.m.  Closed state and national holidays.

Holdings:  Extensive microfilm collection of California newspapers, early San Francisco newspaper index.  State wide birth and death records.  The Great Register of Voters, census records for California, county histories, city and town directories, DAR extraction index.  Also included are a card file and folders of early California pioneers, public officials, and notables. Material on many other states.

CALIFORNIA STATE LIBRARY, SUTRO

1600 Holloway Ave., San Francisco, CA 94132

Phone: (415) 469-6100

Website: https://www.library.ca.gov/sutro

Hours: Monday -  Friday 10:00 a.m.-4:p.m., (excluding State holidays)

Holdings:  Largest local collection (40,000+) of genealogy books, printed and microfilm.  U.S. county histories, city directories, 10,000 early telephone books; index, Soundex, and census for 1790-1930; ship records for New York and other eastern ports; DAR lineage books; and an extensive card index file.  Included are early English and European church records.  Most California genealogical resources are at the California State Library in Sacramento.  Occasionally, books and microform may not be available as patrons may check out some materials.

GRADUATE THEOLOGICAL UNION LIBRARY

FLORA LAMSON HEWLETT LIBRARY

2400 Ridge Rd., Berkeley, CA 94709

Phone: (510) 649-2500 (Library)

Website: Website: http://www.gtu.edu/library

Hours: The Tauber Holocaust Library is open by appointment only Monday through Friday. To make an appointment to visit the JFCS Holocaust Center, please call.

Holdings: 15,000 volumes of holocaust and holocaust-related information.  Thousands of photographs and artifacts.

JFCS HOLOCAUST CENTER

2245 Post Street, San Francisco, CA 94115

Phone: (415) 449-3717

Website: https://holocaustcenter.jfcs.org/

Hours: The Tauber Holocaust Library is open by appointment only Monday through Friday. To make an appointment to visit the JFCS Holocaust Center, please call.

Holdings:  Holdings:  15,000 volumes of holocaust and holocaust-related information.  Thousands of photographs and artifacts.

FAMILYSEARCH CENTER, DANVILLE

2949 Stone Valley Rd., Alamo, CA 94507

Phone: (925) 837-7010

Website: https://locations.familysearch.org/en/us/ca/alamo/2949-stone-valley-rd

Hours: Mon.: 10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. and Tue.: 2:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m., Wed.: 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. (Closed month of August; all major holidays, Thanksgiving week and last 2 weeks of Dec.)

Holdings:  Computers with Family Search, Ancestry.com, Fold3.com, Heritage Quest, MyHeritage.com, Origins.net, ProQuest Obituary Listings, Godfrey Memorial Library, Newspaper Archive, World Vital Records, Findmypast, LDS 1880 census, Ellis Island immigration records, and many others.   Expanding collection of reference materials.

FAMILYSEARCH CENTER, CONCORD

3700 Concord Blvd., Concord, CA

Phone: (925) 686-1766

Website: https://locations.familysearch.org/en/us/ca/concord

Holdings:  Computers with Family Search, film and fiche readers.  Reference materials.

FAMILYSEARCH CENTER, OAKLAND

4766 Lincoln Ave., Oakland, CA 94602

Phone: (510) 531-3905

Website: http://www.oaklandfhc.org/

Hours: Hours: Tues., Wed.: 10:00 a.m.-9:00 p.m.; Thurs.,Fri., Sat.: 10:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.  Hours may vary in July or August.

Holdings:  Census microfilm, Soundex, and index for most of the U.S. for 1790-1900, no 1910 census; expanding collection for 1920, minimal 1930.  Computers with Family Search, some have PAF available.  Strong microform and book collection.  Also included are Germans to America and Filby immigration series.

NATIONAL ARCHIVES, PACIFIC REGION

1000 Commodore Dr., San Bruno, CA 94006.

Phone: (650) 238-3501

Website: http://www.archives.gov/pacific/san-francisco/

Hours: Mon. -  Fri.: 9:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.  Closed weekends and federal holidays.

Holdings:  U.S. Census Records, index books, Soundex films for 1790-1920; 1930 Census films and Ancestry.com, 1930 Census index.  Military records include Revolutionary War service and pension files; Civil War service and general index for pension files; service records for War of 1812, Mexican War, Indian War and more.  Passenger arrival records for Philadelphia, New Orleans, Galveston, Honolulu, San Francisco, and other West Coast ports, and an expanding list for New York.  Chinese and Japanese arrivals.  Immigration and naturalization records, and much, much more.

If you would like to view original records, please contact them in advance. Last pull time for original records is 3:00 p.m.

OAKLAND MAIN PUBLIC LIBRARY HISTORY CENTER

125 14th St., Oakland, CA 94612

Phone: (510) 238-3222

Website: https://oaklandlibrary.org/locations/OHR/

Hours: Mon.-Thurs.: Mon.-Thurs.: 10:00 a.m.-8:00 p.m.; Fri.: 12:00 p.m. - 5:30 p.m, Sat. - Sun: 10:00 a.m.-5:30 p.m.

Holdings:  .Extensive collective of the history of Oakland and the larger Bay Area including books, magazines, pamphlets, newspaper clippings, photographs, postcards, sheet music, trade catalogs, and scrapbooks.

PLEASANTON LIBRARY

400 Old Bernal Ave., Pleasanton, CA 94566

Phone: (925) 931-3400

Website: https://www.cityofpleasantonca.gov/your-community/pleasanton-library/

Hours: Mon.: 10:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m., Tues. - Wed. : 1:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.,Thurs.: 10:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m.; Fri. - Sat.: 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m, Sun:Closed.

Holdings:  Good collection of printed genealogical and reference materials. CD collection includes 1870 Census, LDS 1880 Census, an extensive collection of Family Tree Maker CDs, and more. Includes Livermore-Amador Genealogy Society Collection (http://www.l-ags.org).On-line access to Ancestry.com, Heritage Quest, and other genealogical sites is available via their website. Go to home page and click on "information resources," then "genealogy" for access

SANTA CLARA CENTRAL PARK LIBRARY

2635 Homestead Road, Santa Clara, CA 95051

Phone: (408) 615-2900 

Website: http://library.santaclaraca.gov/

Hours: Hours: Mon.-Thu.: 10:00 a.m.-9:00 p.m.; Fri. and Sat.: 10:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m.; Sun.: 1:00 p.m.-5:00 p.m.

Holdings:  Santa Clara County Historical and Genealogical collection, including local information, Germans to America.

SOCIETY OF MAYFLOWER DESCENDANTS IN CALIFORNIA LIBRARY

405 14th St., Oakland, CA 94612

Phone: (510) 451-9599

Website: http://www.mayflowersociety.com

Hours: Mon.: 9:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.; or by appointment.

Holdings:  Emphasis on New England.  Included are early Massachusetts vital reports (except Boston), post 1850 census by town for some New England states, and many city, county, and state histories.

SOLANO COUNTY GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY LIBRARY

610 E. Main St., Vacaville, CA 95688

Phone: (707) 446-6869  (Suggest call first – staffed by volunteers)

Website: https://www.scgsca.org/scgslibrary/

Hours: Mon. & Thu. plus 3rd Sat. of the month: 10:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. Closed Thanksgiving through December. (Suggest call first – staffed by volunteers)

Holdings:  Extensive Solano County materials include a card file with over 70,000 entries, California Death Index 1940-1989 and marriages 1960-1985.  Also included are general reference books, county histories, and some information on most states.

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, BANCROFT LIBRARY

U.C. Campus, Berkeley, CA 94720

Phone: (510) 642-6481

Website: http://bancroft.berkeley.edu/

Hours: Mon.-Fri.: 10:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m., closed Sat., Sun.  Hours may change during school breaks, call ahead.

Holdings:  Premier source for California research, extensive material for western states.  Use of materials is strictly regulated.

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, DOE LIBRARY

U.C. Campus, Berkeley, CA 94720

Phone: (510) 642-6657 - Reference Desk:

Website: https://www.lib.berkeley.edu/visit/doe

Hours: 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. Mon - Fri.; Sat. 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Sun. 1:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. Reference Service closes at 5:00 p.m. (closed Sat. and Sun.)   Hours may change during school breaks, call ahead.

Holdings:  Extensive historical, periodical, map, newspaper collection, and Government documents.  Many bibliographic sources.  Draper Manuscript films.  Some older and/or less used materials are at the Richmond storage facility and can be sent to Doe with 24 hour advance notice.

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, NORTHERN REGIONAL LIBRARY FACILITY

Bldg. 400, Richmond Field Station

S. 47th St. and Meade, Richmond, CA 94804

Phone: (510) 665-6738.  

Website: https://www.lib.berkeley.edu/visit/nrlf

Hours: Mon.: Closed, Tues. - Thurs.: 12:00 p.m.-4:00 p.m.  Closed Fri., Sat. and Sunday plus University holidays.

It is suggested you always call in advance of a visit and schedule with librarian.

Call for hours and availability. Need a library privilege card and limited to 3 visits per year. Storage facility for all Northern CA UC campuses. Doe with 24 hour advance notice.  Single microfilm reader.  Materials can be sent to Doe with 24 hour advance notice.