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GENEALOGY LIBRARIES

Orange County Libraries
 Los Angeles County Libraries
 Riverside County Libraries
 San Diego County Libraries
 Sutro Library in San Francisco

The following is a selection of libraries in or near our area. If you know of more please tell the Registrar. Before visiting, call ahead to confirm hours open; it might save you a trip. Remember, schedules may vary during Holidays. Bring rolls of dimes and quarters for copy machines and film/fiche printers. Make copies for your own use and for submission with your application! If you copy information from a book ALSO copy the title pages so the proper citation is assured. Nothing is more frustrating than having a page with the desired information and not having any idea of which book it came from.

Never, NEVER, use a highlighter! This darkens with age and obscures the underlying information. And such copies can not reliably be copied again. To emphasize specific information on a page underline it neatly with a colored pencil.
 

Orange County Libraries

Huntington Beach Public Library, Mezzanine floor, North side

7111 Talbert Ave, Huntington Beach 714.842-4481
http://www.hbpl.org/
Thomas Guide 857 H2
Excellent book collection
Family genealogies
Local histories
New England, Southern States

Mission Viejo City Library

25029 Marguerite Parkway, Mission Viejo 949.830-7100
http://www.cmvl.org/
Thomas Guide page 922, grid C2 (Parking entrance from south-bound Marguerite)
Useful book and CD-ROM collection

Mission Viejo Family History Center

27976 Marguerite Parkway Mission Viejo 949.364-2742
Thomas Guide 922 C7

Orange Regional Family History Center

647 S. Yorba St., Orange 714.997-7710
Thomas Guide 800 A6
Good book collection
4 Family Search Computers [top]

Los Angeles County Libraries

Los Angeles Family History Center

10741 S. Santa Monica Blvd 310.474-9990
http://www.lafhc.org
Thomas Guide 632 C4
Large collection books
Huge collection microfilm
Some items not found in SLC library

Los Angeles Central Library; 4th Lower Atrium level.

630 W. 5th St., Los Angeles 213.228-7000
http://www.lapl.org
Thomas Guide 634 E4
Excellent book collection
Large family histories collection
Many local history books

Geting downtown is nerve-wracking and parking there is expensive. A much easier solution is to drive to a convenient Metro Line station (such as at Long Beach Blvd and Willow St., 795-D2, for free covered parking) and take the light rail. The Blue Line ends just one block from the Library. http://www.westworld.com/~elson/larail/index.html

Pomona Public Library, (gen. area) Lower level, North side

625 S. Garey Ave, Pomona 909.620-2043
http://www.ci.pomona.ca.us/city_departments/library/
Thomas Guide 640 J2
Genealogy area is open fewer hours than main library. Call first.
Large book collection
Family genealogies
New England States

Southern California Genealogical Society Library

417 Irving Drive, Burbank, CA 818.843-7247
http://www.scgsgenealogy.com
Thomas Guide 533-F4
Excellent book collection second in size only to Los Angeles Public's Central Library Collection. Approximately 35,000 volumes all on open stacks, fully indexed. Large family history and local history collection. Numerous volunteers to assist you. Large computer room with many CD, film and fiche on file.
 

Sons of the Revolution Library

600 South Central, Glendale, CA 818.240-1775
http://www.srcalifornia.com
Thomas Guide 564-E6
An organization somewhat similar to the S.A.R., they have an excellent library of colonial and Revolutionary era materials and genealogies.  Their catalog is not on the web.  Park on the street, not in the church's parking lot across the side street.[top]

Riverside County Libraries

U.S. National Archives, Riverside Federal Records Center

23123 Cajalco Road, Perris, CA 92570-7298 951.956-2000
https://www.archives.gov/frc/riverside
Complete U.S. Census on Microfilm
Military Service Records:
  Army 1789-1912
  Navy 1798-1885
  Marines 1789-1904
  Coast Guard 1791-1919
  Confederate 1861-1865
  Veterans 1775-1916

San Diego County Libraries

Carlsbad Public Library ; 2nd floor

1250 Carlsbad Village Dr. Carlsbad 760.434-2931
http://www.ci.carlsbad.ca.us/library/genealog.html
Thomas Guide 1106 F4
Exceptional book collection
Large family history collection on fiche [top]

San Francisco

Sutro Library

While San Francisco is not very local to our area, if you find yourself in San Francisco, it is well worth spending a day or two there. This may be the largest collection of genealogical material west of the Salt Lake City! It is located at 480 Winston Drive, San Francisco. Check their hours on the California State Library web page at http://www.library.ca.gov/ [top]