The USGen Web Project - California Site

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The following libraries in the Southern California area have genealogical collections:

Before visiting any of these sites, please call to verify their hours and location since these can change due to funding and staffing.  Also check their web sites. Please note that this not an all inclusive list of all facilities having genealogical material, but are the larger ones.  These facilities include:

Public Facilities

Georgina Cole Library (North), Carlsbad:  http://www.ci.carlsbad.ca.us/cserv/library.html

1250 Carlsbad Village Drive, Carlsbad, CA  92009, (619) 434-2870.  The library has a strong emphasis on 17^th, 18^th, and 19^th centuries in the United States.

Huntington Beach Public Library: http://www.hbpl.org/

7111 Talbert Avenue (at Golden West Street), Huntington Beach, CA  92648, (714) 842-4481.  The Lower Level has a genealogical collection which includes more than 16,000 books and periodicals. The Genealogy Collection is completely developed and maintained by the Orange County California Genealogical Society (OCCGS).

Los Angeles Central Library: http://www.lapl.org/central/

630 W. Fifth Street, Los Angeles, CA  90071, (213) 228-7000.  This library has the largest genealogical holding in Southern California with over 40,000 genealogical books, including 10,000 genealogies.  There is a large collection of county/state histories, family histories, and heraldry.

Pomona Public Library: http://www.youseemore.com/pomona/ 

625 South Garey Street, Pomona, CA  91769, (909) 620-2043.  There are 5,700 genealogical books, 300 microfilms, and 2,200 microfiches.  The Special Collection Department has extensive census indexes, Filby’s Passenger and Immigration Lists Index, Civil War Records, California History, Social Security Death Index, and marriage records.

Santa Fe Springs Public Library: (no web site)

11700 Telegraph Rd., Santa Fe Springs, CA 90670-3600, (562)868-7738. The Whittier Area Genealogical society (WAGS) maintains its library collection in the Santa Fe Springs City Library. At present there are over 3,000 books, 3,000 microfiche, 177 periodical titles, and numerous newsletters and pamphlets from around the world.

National Facility

National Archives: http://www.archives.gov/facilities/ca/laguna_niguel/finding_aids.html

24000 Avila Road, Laguna Niguel, CA  92677-6719, (714) 643-4241.  Open Monday-Friday 8am to 4:30pm.  The collection includes all U. S. censuses from 1790 to 1930 and the Soundex for 1880, 1900 to 1920 and military records, particularly the Revolutionary War..

Society or Church Facilities

Los Angeles Regional Family History Center: http://www.larfhc.org/

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Genealogical Library), 10741 Santa Monica Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA  90025, (310) 474-2202.  Open to the public.  There are 40,000 books, 125,000 microfilms, and 100,000 microfiche.  The holdings include federal census 1790-1920, immigration records, family history catalogs, card catalogs listing Salt Lake City holdings available for loan, the IGI (International Genealogical Index), and Social Security Death Indexes.

Other Family History Libraries:  http://www.FamilySearch.org

Research can also be accomplished at your nearest Family History Library.  You should check the telephone directory under “Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints” for the nearest location, available records, and hours of operation. FamilySearch.org also lists more details on individual Family History Libraries.

Orange Family History Center:  (no web site)

674 S. Yorba Street, Orange, CA  92863, (714) 997-7710).  This Family History Center also maintains a large genealogical collection

Sherman Foundation Library: http://www.slgardens.org

614 Dahlia Avenue, Corona del Mar, CA  92625, (949) 673-1880.  Records (histories) are devoted to the Pacific Southwest Regions, including California, Northern Mexico, Baja, and parts of Nevada, and the Los Angeles Times from 1881 (on microfilm).

Sons of the American Revolution Library:  http://www.srcalifornia.com/nav2.htm

600 South Central Avenue, Glendale, CA  91204, (818) 240-1775.  The collection contains 35,000 genealogical books.  These include the DAR lineage books, family histories, and town, country, and states histories, especially in Virginia and New England.

Southern California Genealogical Society Library:  http://www.scgsgenealogy.com/

417 Irving Drive, Burbank, CA  91504, (818) 843-7247.  This is a major collection and is strong in regional periodicals.  This is a 30,000 volume library of books, periodicals, and electronic data. Among the special collection is the Turner Collection, Brossman Collection, and Jones and Gandrud Alabama records.

The Immigrant Genealogical Society Library:  http://www.immigrantgensoc.org/library_page.html

1310-B West Magnolia Boulevard, Burbank, California, (818) 848-3122.  German resources make up 50% of the collection, which includes 125 volumes of German genealogies.  Postal address: P.O. Box 7369, Burbank, CA 91510-7369.

College Facilities

The following is a brief list of colleges in Los Angeles County which contain interfiled genealogical material.

California State University at Northridge: http://library.csun.edu/

18111 Nordhoff Street, Northridge, CA  91330-8326, (818) 677-2285.

University of California at Los Angeles, Charles E. Young Research Library: http://www.library.ucla.edu/libraries/yrl/  405 Hilgard Avenue, Los Angeles, CA  90024