Sonoma County History and Genealogy Library
Oral History Workshop
Saturday, June 16
10 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Forum Room, Central Library
Many people in our communities have
lived through history that changed our
society and our world. Sitting with a family member or
stranger and capturing his or her
personal walk through historic events
creates a link between generations,
and builds community as our
understanding of history is enriched.
whether you are a genealogist wanting to document your family history, an educator striving to bring history to life for your students, or a local historian working on a community project, learn the best practices for recording and archiving oral histories, as established by the Oral History Association. Workshop presented by Kelly Sturgeon,
founder of My Storycatcher.
No charge for this event, but space is limited.
To reserve your space, call or email Katherine Rinehart at (707) 545-0831, x562 or krinehart@sonoma.lib.ca.us
Latest Additions to our online services
- Sonoma Heritage Collections
Albums of photographs, maps, postcards, and more from the collections of the Library, the Sonoma County Archives, and the Sonoma County Fair. - Sonoma County Local History & Genealogy blog
Highlights of our collections of photographs and postcards, with historical notes. - Guides to Archives
Research Sonoma County history in the archives! Use these guides to locate and identify Sonoma County Archives historical sources for your research.
Local History
- Local History at the Annex
- Historical Photographs
- Petaluma History Room
- Local History Web Resources
- Santa Rosa Historic Map and Post Cards for Sale
Genealogy
- Online genealogical research resources:
Ancestry Library Edition is available at all Regional Library locations (about Ancestry)
HeritageQuest is available from the Library and from home (about HeritageQuest) - Genealogy at the Annex
- Genealogy Web Resources
- Genealogy Libraries and Archives
- Genealogy Workshops
Annex Location and Hours
Local History and Genealogy Annex
Sonoma County Library
211 E St
Santa Rosa 95404
(Behind Central Library, corner of Third & E Streets)
(707) 545-0831 ext. 562
Hours: Wednesday through Saturday 10 to 6 PM
Map of Santa Rosa with the Central Library
Starred
Local History Resources Available at the Annex
- Books
- Several thousand books on Sonoma County History, most of which have been indexed in the below index. The books can also be searched by title, author, and subject in the main Library Catalog.
Sonoma County Local History Index- The Sonoma County History Index - a database searchable by subject (places, names, events, etc.) - is a Sonoma County local history researcher's tool of first choice. It is a detailed index to names, places, and events contained in the several thousand books in the local history collection.
Sonoma County Records- Includes deeds, mortages, wills and probate records, assessments of property, voter registration, oaths of office, surveys, maps, corporation records, business licenses and more. Most materials are stored at the Sonoma County Archives and must be brought from the Archives to the Library for your use. Call 545-0831, ext. 562, with any questions, or to request materials. Please allow five business days for volumes to be delivered to the library.
Obituaries- Selected index to Sonoma County Obituaries from 1974 on.
Newspapers- Sonoma County Newspapers from 1857 on.
Census- U.S. Census for California 1850 to 1920; Indexes for other states and Canada from 1790 on.
City Directories- California city directories from 1850 on; Sonoma County Directories from 1874 on.
Materials for Researching a Sonoma County house- include city directories, published histories, newspapers, maps
Photographs- Tens of thousands of photographs of Sonoma County's rich history. Most are
listed in our library catalog and many have been scanned for online viewing.
High-quality photographic reproductions are available for all of these
photographs. Some of these images have been collected and
are available for sale in a book titled Treasures of the Sonoma County
Library Photographic Collection. Call or visit the Sonoma County History
and Genealogy Library to order a copy.
- Ordering photo reproductions
- Historical photograph sampler
- Connect to the library catalog to search and view photos online (use Advanced Search to limit by "Photograph")
Genealogy Resources Available At the Annex
- The SCL Genealogy Page
HeritageQuest- Available at the History and Genealogy Library and all branches of the Sonoma
County Library. You may also use it from home with your library card number.
More information
Ancestry - in Library only- Available at the History and Genealogy Library and all branches of the Sonoma
County Library.
More information