About e-answers | Call or visit the library | Catalogs & Databases | Information Center

The Oakland Public Library's resources available to the genealogy researcher are focused specifically on events and subject matter occurring within the greater Oakland metropolitan area.

The reference librarians in the Oakland History Room can assist you by e-mail or by postal mail:

Oakland History Room
Oakland Public Library
125 14th Street
Oakland CA 94612

For the researcher seeking detailed local genealogical information, we can provide lookups
in Oakland City Directories, California county histories, Oakland birth and death certificates, 1870-1904, and other Oakland History Room indexes. We cannot provide research in the Alameda County censuses or voting registers. Each search is limited to about 1/2 hour of staff time. Extensive original research cannot be accommodated by mail or e-mail.

Copies of Oakland birth and death certificates, death notices or obituaries from local newspapers may be requested by mail for a donation of $2 each. We can do up to two searches per patron per month. Please enclose a self-addressed, stamped envelope and
allow 2-4 weeks for us to respond to your queries.

In addition to what the Oakland Public Library has to offer, there are many Web resources
for genealogists:

TIPS FOR BEGINNERS
Getting Started (from the East Bay Genealogical Society)
http://www.katpher.com/EBGS/beginning.html

OPL WEB SITE RESOURCES:
AncestryLibrary: public records and genealogy tools for the family historian. Emphasis on immigrant lists, passenger lists, and other public documents. This database is available at the Main and branch libraries, but not outside library facilities.
HeritageQuest: public records and genealogy tools for the family historian. Emphasis on records from newspapers, local history books and documents.

OTHER SELECTED INTERNET RESOURCES:
Ellis Island: http://www.ellisisland.org
Find a Grave: http://www.findagrave.com
Family Search: http://www.familysearch.org
Online Searchable Death Indexes & Records: http://www.deathindexes.com
RootsWeb: http://www.rootsweb.com

TO LOCATE DATES OF DEATH
California Death Index (1940-1997)
http://vitals.rootsweb.com/ca/death/search.cgi

Social Security Death Index
http://ssdi.genealogy.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/ssdi.cgi

RESOURCES AND RESEARCH ASSISTANCE IN OAKLAND
-- African American Genealogical Society of Northern California
http://www.aagsnc.org/welcome.htm

-- California Genealogical Society
http://www.calgensoc.org

The CGS maintains a library at

2201 Broadway, Suite LL2
Oakland, CA 94612-3017
(510) 663-1358
(510) 663-1596 (fax)
http://www.calgensoc.org/

The library is open Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays - 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Free to members, $5 reader fee for non-members. First Saturday free to all.

-- East Bay Genealogical Society
http://www.katpher.com/EBGS/EBGS.html

The EBGS maintains a library in

The Financial Building (basement)
14th & Franklin Streets
Oakland
(510) 451-9599
Hours: Mondays, 9 - 4
Most Wednesdays, 9 - 12

-- Family History Center (of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints)
www.oaklandfhc.org

Family History Centers provide the most comprehensive collections available for research
in genealogy and family history. Though they are maintained by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints they are open to the public at no cost. The Family History Center in Oakland is a large, regional facility located in the lower level of the Visitor's Center on the grounds of the Temple at

4766 Lincoln Avenue
Oakland, CA 94602
(510) 531-3905)

FOR FURTHER RESEARCH
Links from the Livermore-Amador Genealogical Society web site:
http://www.l-ags.org/lagslinks.html

Back to About e-answers Page