Tuesday, September 25, 2012

FAQs - Frequently Asked Questions

The State Archives staff and the organizing committee receive many questions about what attendees can expect at Family History Day (FHD). Below is a list of the most Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): 

Where can I park? Parking options include Light Rail; the free parking lot across from the State Archives; a free parking lot on P Street between 11th and 12th Streets; and metered street parking.  Read the details for each option.

Is the State Archives and the Secretary of State buildings handicapped accessible?  Yes.

What time does FHD start? Doors open at 8:00am for Class Syllabus payment and pick-up. The 4th floor exhibitor area will open at 8:30am. The welcome and keynote will begin at 9:00am in the auditorium.

How can I get a Class Syllabus? Reserve your syllabus by sending an email to fhdmailbox@gmail.com. Distribution will be in the lobby of the State Archives until 9:45a.m. after which a copy may be obtained at the Reference Desk on the 4th floor of the State Archives. In the lobby, there will be a table for reserved syllabi and a table for non-reserved syllabi.

How much does the Class Syllabus cost? $5.00, exact change please, cash only, at the door.

Can I get a Class Syllabus if I arrive late? Yes. Starting about 9:45a.m., go to the volunteer at the State Archives 4th floor Reference Desk to obtain the Class Syllabus.

Can I get a Class Syllabus even if I am unable to attend FHD? Yes. Please send an email for fhdmailbox@gmail.com indicating you can't attend but want a syllabus. Arrangements will be made for payment and getting it to you.

Do I need to register for the classes I want to attend? No. Go directly to the classes you wish to attend. Seating is first come, first serve. When all chairs in the room are occupied, the session will be closed.

Where can I get a Class Schedule? The class schedule is posted on the FHD blog under the tab "Class Schedule". The most current version of the class schedule will be handed out on October 13th in the State Archives lobby with syllabus distribution.

Will a map be provided showing how to get from the State Archives classrooms to the Secretary of State classrooms? Yes. Volunteers will also be stationed at various locations to direct attendees to classrooms.

Where do I sign-up for tours? Each Mini Tour of the State Archives is limited to 20 people.  This tour is popular; it is suggested that you sign-up in the morning for your desired tour time. Tours of the Preservation Lab will meet on the 3rd floor of the State Archives.

Can I wear my period costume? Yes. Many exhibitors and volunteers will be dressed in period attire. Doing so adds to the festivities!

Can I bring food and drink into the State Archives and Secretary of State buildings? No. All beverages and food must be consumed on the first floor of the State Archives or outside. Beverages include water, coffee, tea, soda pop, etc. Food includes candy. A drinking fountain is located on the 4th floor of the State Archives.

Where can I get something to eat or drink? La Bou Cafe will be open especially for FHD attendees. We encourage you to patronize them. Located at 11th and "O" Streets, La Bou Cafe will be open from 9:00a.m. to 2:00p.m. on Saturday, October 13th. Pastries, sandwiches, soups and beverages are available for ordering. Indoor and outdoor seating is available. Tables and chairs are available but limited in the lobby of the State Archives where you can eat your La Bou Cafe lunch or bring a brown bag lunch instead. Remember that no food or beverages can go beyond the first floor of the State Archives.

Who should I go to for questions throughout the day? Volunteers wearing bright green "Ask Me" buttons will be available in the State Archives and the Secretary of State buildings to answer your questions or get the answer for you.

Will any materials be available for purchase? Yes. Some exhibitors will have books or indexes available for purchase.  Your purchases will benefit non-profit organizations.

Can I bring information I have about an ancestor? Yes. Pedigree charts and family groups sheets would be helpful to refer to when talking to exhibitors. Some exhibitors will have laptops for internet look-ups.

Will The California Museum be open on FHD? Yes. The California Museum will offer free admission to FHD participants on Oct 13th only. Tickets will be available at the State Archives 4th Floor Reception Desk. Tickets must be turned in at the Museum Admissions Window in the lobby of the State Archives next to the Gift Store BEFORE entering the Museum (same floor). The gift store will be open also. Both will open at 10:00a.m.

Where do I put my completed FHD Evaluation Form?  A box labeled "Evaluation Forms" will be located on the table near the elevator in the 1st floor lobby of the State Archives.   You may also give the form to a volunteer wearing an "Ask Me" button.

If you have a question not listed here, please send an email to fhdmailbox@gmail.com.

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Reserve a Class Syllabus - send email to fhdmailbox@gmail.com.
posted by Denise H. Richmond

Sunday, September 23, 2012

State Archivist Inducted as Society of American Archivists Fellow

When you meet Nancy Lenoil, State Archivist of California, at Family History Day be sure to offer her congratulations.  She recently became a Fellow of the Society of American Archivists, the highest honor awarded by the organization.

The September 2012 edition of The Voice, a publication of The Jewish Federation of the Sacramento Region, includes an article about the honor bestowed on Nancy on page 9.  The article also includes a mention of the Sacramento Archives Crawl and Family History Day.

Nancy became the State Archivist in 2006, the first woman in California history to hold that position.  She is very supportive of Family History Day and personally advocated for several new event features this year such as additional classroom space and parking.  She, Archivists on her staff and I have met monthly this year to discuss plans for Family History Day.

Congratulations Nancy!  

posted by Denise H. Richmond

On the Road to Family History Day

Source: Microsoft Clipart
FANs (friends/families, associates and neighbors) are banding together to travel over hill and dale to attend Family History Day at the California State Archives in Sacramento on October 13, 2012.  They will be able to select from 24 genealogy classes, tour the State Archives, and chat with 26+ exhibitors eager to talk about the resources they provide.  Have a period costume?  Join many others who will be dressed to the nines -- the 1759s or 1889s that is, or whatever era you choose.

Here's a list of some of the locations from where people are coming.  Hmmm, who's coming the farthest?

Citrus Heights
Columbia
Concord (Hi Peggy and Joan!)
Davis
Elk Grove
Fair Oaks
Florence, OR (Hi Jacquie!)
Grass Valley
Huntington Beach
Laverne
Livermore
Merced
Nevada City
Oakland
Orangevale
Placerville (Hi Judy!)
Roseville (Hi Jack!)
Sacramento!
Salt Lake City, UT (Hi Dan!)
San Andreas (Hi Linda & 10 others from the Calaveras Genealogical Society!)
San Francisco
Seal Beach
South Lake Tahoe
Stockton
Suisun City (Hi Michelle!)
Turlock
Walnut Creek
Yuba City


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Reserve a Class Syllabus by sending an email to fhdmailbox@gmail.com
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posted by Denise H. Richmond

Tuesday, September 18, 2012

Coming from Near or Far?

What city or county are traveling from to get to Family History Day at the California State Archives?

Whether you are 10 miles away like me or hundreds of miles, let Blog Readers know the name of your "homebase".

The city or county and your first name only is all that's needed.  Send it to fhdmailbox@gmail.com




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Ad nauseam footnote:  Reserve a Class Syllabus by sending an email to fhdmailbox@gmail.com.
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posted by Denise H. Richmond

Carpooling Guest Bloggers Wanted!

CalaverasEnterprise.com
A fully-restored 1856 stagecoach
that once carried passengers
and goods between western
Nevada settlements
and Placerville has a
new home in Angels Camp
Are you "carpooling" to Family History Day at the California State Archives like several members of the Calaveras Genealogical Society

The FHD Blog Team would like to hear from you. 

Regardless of your mode of transportation or whether you are part of an organization or coming with your genealogy FANs (friends/family, associates and neighbors), we want to profile your story here. 

Send a short story to fhdmailbox@gmail.com and we'll post it on this blog.


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The Class Syllabus has gone to the printer!  Make sure you have one.  Send your "reserve my syllabus" email today to fhdmailbox@gmail.com.
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posted by Denise H. Richmond

Calaveras Genealogical Society Members Carpool to Family History Day

Several members of the
Calaveras Genealogical Society will be carpooling down the hill to attend Family History Day.  The organization was founded and incorporated in 1991 for the purpose of providing educational tools and research assistance to the genealogical community. Calaveras County, with its rich historical legacy affords the Society many areas of focus.

Our membership has a wide range of genealogical interests and our goal is to provide a diverse range of educational opportunities. Some of these include:
  • Monthly guest speaker series featuring well-known experts in the family history field
  • Annual Spring Seminar
  • Publication of the popular quarterly newsletter The Froghorn
  • Extensive county Death Index and the ongoing Obituary Project
We are very proud of our evolving website and the Genealogy Collection maintained by CGS volunteers and located in San Andreas at the Calaveras County main library.

We have taken to the road to take advantage of research opportunities; traveling to the Sutro Library in San Bruno, the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, and now with another trip down the hill to the annual Family History Day at the California State Archives in Sacramento. We look forward to all the great workshops, speakers, touring the Archives, and meeting fellow researchers who share similar research interests.

See you soon!

About Calaveras County
Calaveras County, established in 1850, is located in the heart of the California Gold Country of the Sierra Nevada foothills roughly 70 miles southeast of Sacramento. It's home to a wide variety of distinct California communities, each with its own personality and wonderfully rich history. They include Mokelumne Hill, West Point, San Andreas, Valley Springs, Copperopolis, Angels Camp, Murphys, Avery, Arnold and Dorrington. The county is known for gold, copper, jumping frogs, giant sequoia trees, caves, caverns and its place in literature (Mark Twain wrote his first successful short story "The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County" here and author Bret Harte).

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The Calaveras carpoolers have reserved their copy of the Class Syllabus.  You can too!  Send your "Reserve my Syllabus" email to fhdmailbox@gmail.com today.  It's $5 (exact change please) with pay and pickup at the door.
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Article submitted by Linda Truttmann Novasel
Posted by Denise H. Richmond

Friday, September 14, 2012

El Dorado County Library - Placerville Branch Features Family History Day Display

Members of Roots & Gold Dust Genealogical Society Carlyn White, Bonnie Holbrook, Alice Morrow, Paul Hodel and Judy Williams set up three beautiful display cases featuring Family History Day. 

Stop by to get an up-close look at the displays from today until October 1st.  They are in the lobby of the Placerville branch library located at 345 Fair Lane, Placerville. 

Three display cases


Wall display with list of classes
and list of Exhibitors
From the Black Forest to California,
information recorded by
 "the women who kept the records".
Genealogy helps, using cemeteries as a resource,
and the White story beginning in 1804.
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Class Syllabus reservations still being taken.  Reserve your copy by sending an email to fhdmailbox@gmail.com.
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Photos submitted by Judy Williams
Posted by Denise H. Richmond


Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Class Schedule Released!

MILESTONE ALERT!

Wow, can you believe it?  Just a month away until Family History Day 2012. 

Thank you for being very patient waiting for the Class Schedule to be posted.  Well, wait no more.  Click the tab at the top of the Home page of the blog for the Class Schedule.  Or, click here without going to the blog.

Caution. The Class Schedule is subject to change.  The most current version will be handed out with a map of the classroom locations when you pick up your Class Syllabus on October 13th.

It's going to be very hard to pick a class isn't it? So many great topics at the same time.  Luckily you reserved a copy of the Class Syllabus so you have the speaker's handouts.

Uh-oh, still need to reserve your copy?  Send an email to fhdmailbox@gmail.com.  So easy!  $5 at the door, exact change please.

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posted by Denise H. Richmond

Tuesday, September 11, 2012

Getting to Family History Day at the California State Archives

Light Rail
Ideally, the best way to get to the California State Archives is to take Light Rail and get off at Archives Plaza.  You are literally across the street from the front door of the State Archives.

Parking Lots
There is a parking lot across (north) from the California State Archives.  It is free on October 13th and opens at 7:00 a.m.  Enter on the right through the alley off 10th Street which is one way going north.  See (B) below in both images.  Several handicapped spaces are in this lot.  This lot fills up fast.

This year, the California State Archives has arranged for additional free parking on October 13th.  It's on P Street between 11th and 12th Streets.  P Street is one way going west.  Entrance will be on the left.  Watch for signage.  See (D) on the first image below.

Metered Parking
Streets surrounding the California State Archives have metered parking which is monitored by City Meter Readers on Saturdays.  It is suggested that you park on the street only if you have someone who can replenish the meters regularly throughout the day.  Persons authorized to use a handicapped placard or who have DP license plates may consider street parking in accordance with placard/plate rules.

Click image to enlarge.
Snippet #1 of Google map showing
(A) The State Archives, 1020 O Street;
(B) Free parking lot, access alley from 10th Street;
(C) La Bou Cafe at 11th and O Streets;
(D) Free parking lot, enter from P Street between 11th and 12th Streets

 



















Click image to enlarge.
Snippet #2 of Google map showing
(A) State Archives;
(B) Free parking lot
(C) 'Archives Plaza' Light Rail Station at 10th and O Streets
(D) La Bou Cafe at 11th and O Streets
























Not too late to send your "Reserve my Class Syllabus" email to fhdmailbox@gmail.com. Payment ($5) and pick-up at the event.

posted by Denise H. Richmond

Thursday, September 6, 2012

Panel Presentations

We are pleased to offer a new feature at Family History Day at the California State Archives - the Archives and Libraries Panel and the Internet Resources Panel.

Archives and Libraries Panels
Learn why Archivists and Librarians are a genealogist's best friends at this panel presentation.  Representatives from a variety of local archives and libraries will provide an overview of their repository, its holdings, services to genealogists, tips and tricks for using, and more.  Topics such as the following will be addressed: types of holdings and collections; accessing online, in writing or in person; and finding aids.  Learn that using the specific repositories represented in this session can be generally applied to repositories in your ancestral locations.  There will be a question and answer period during this session.

Panelists will include Linda Johnson and Jessica Herrick, California State Archives; Kathleen Correia, California State Library; Pat Johnson, Center for Sacramento History; Gloria Gibbel, Daughters of the American Revolution; Linda Lucky, Sacramento Family History Center; and Beth Daugherty, Sacramento Public Library.

Online Resources Panels
The Internet has been a boon for conducting family history research.  Is everything you need on the Internet?  Is it all true?  Learn the answers to these questions from panel members who have expertise with a broad spectrum of Internet resources available for genealogical research and have personally lectured on the subject. They will address such topics as databases and search engines; what’s online and what’s not; fact and fiction online; free vs fee-based websites; alternate sources for subscription websites; message boards; finding databases to search - tips and tricks for queries on search engines; and more.  There will be a question and answer period during this session.

Panelists will include Lynn Brown; Joy Fisher; Melinda Kashuba; Cat Nielsen; Cath Madden Trindle; and Sheri Fenley.

Each panel will have a morning and afternoon session.  Panelists are subject to change.

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Don't miss these sessions!  RSVP that you're attending by pre-registering and reserving a Class Syllabus by sending an email to fhdmailbox@gmail.com.
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posted by Denise H. Richmond

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

Sacramento Public Library Displays Feature Family History Day

In a continuing effort to share the joy of genealogy with the community, two of three Sacramento-area public library displays now feature Family History Day. If your travels take you to the neighborhood, stop in to view the displays in person. Enjoy the photos below but excuse the glare from the glass. Click image for larger view.

The display at the North Highlands-Antelope Public Library will be up until September 30th. The address is 4235 Antelope Road, Antelope, CA

The display at the Arden-Dimick Public Library will be up until September 15th.  The address 891 Watt Avenue at Northrop, Sacramento, CA. 

The third display at the Fair Oaks Public Library will be available starting October 1st.

These displays were setup by Root Cellar Sacramento Genealogical Society members Charlene Eberwine, Suzanne Latimer with daughter-in-law Maria Latimer, and Diane Maltase, with overall coordination by Carolee Jones.

The displays look great don't you think? 

North Highlands-Antelope Public Library Display
Period costume courtesy of Charlene Eberwine
and Vote Sash courtesy of Suzanne Latimer

Arden-Dimick Public Library Display
Poster on black background by Marilyn Ulbricht

Arden-Dimick Public Library Display
Look for the ax

Arden-Dimick Public Library Display
Canteen, Sluice box, ax and hose
courtesy of Suzanne Latimer

Arden-Dimick Public Library Display
Scroll of class list by Diane Maltase

Arden-Dimick Public Library Display
Census poster by Diane Maltase
 

Arden-Dimick Public Library Display
Charlene Eberwine rescuing the pesky poster!


 
Arden-Dimick Public Library Display
Carolee Jones affixing the pesky poster!
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Here's a Shout-out to Loyd, Patricia and Martin who just sent their pre-registration email and reserved a Class Syllabus.  You can too - RSVP your attendance by sending an email to fhdmailbox@gmail.com.
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posted by Denise H. Richmond

Saturday, September 1, 2012

Exhibitor Profile: Daughters of the American Colonists

It's a pleasure to welcome the Stockton Chapter, Daughters of the American Colonists (DAC) to Family History Day at the California State Archives.

The Society was founded on December 9, 1920 by Sarah Elizabeth Mitchell Guernsey (Mrs. George T.) and was incorporated on April 25, 1921.  The objectives of DAC are to be Patriotic, Historical and Educational.

The DAC is a patriotic organization open to women of lineal descent from male or female ancestors who rendered civil or military service in any of the American Colonies prior to July 4, 1776.

We are a friendly lineage society with members working to preserve our heritage and record our history for future generations while serving our communities through Patriotic Education, Scholarships for American Indian Students, marking historical sites, serving our veterans and more.

Please visit our exhibit table so we can talk about your colonial ancestors and the DAC.

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Thumbs up for Helen, Jim, Teri, Stephanie and Kevin who just pre-registered and reserved a Class Syllabus.  You can too by sending an email to fhdmailbox@gmail.com. That's it!
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posted by Denise H. Richmond