News from Libraries Close to Home and Overseas

This has been an exciting week for our local libraries and we are delighted to help them share their news. We also have a message to pass on to you from a library in Israel seeking family history books.

First, an announcement from Scott Holl, manager of the History and Genealogy Department at St. Louis County Library Headquarters: Those who hold active library cards from the County Library can now access Newspapers.com from home! This is the library edition but still contains many options for those searching for newspaper articles about their ancestors.

Newspapers.com joins a long list of databases on the library's website you can use from the comfort of your own computer. Go to www.slcl.org/genealogy and click where it says "Online Research." Then scroll down to see the collection of databases to which the library subscribes. Start with "Read More" and in the next window, just click on the link to the website. You will be prompted for your library card number and, if you created one, your pin number. Then, have fun!

At long last, the Special Collections department at St. Louis Public Library has an updated and easy-to-find page on the library's website. Special Collections consists of the genealogy department, the local history room, and rare books and manuscripts, all located on the third floor of the downtown branch of the library. Now easily visible are links to their archival and digital collections, local history index, yearbooks, the genealogy blog, and the very popular St. Louis Post-Dispatch obituary index.

You can reach the new page at https://www.slpl.org/special-collections/.  Large buttons and bright colors make the page very attractive, and, for the first time, seeing exactly what is available is possible. A few of the buttons only launch a PDF; for instance, if you click on "Yearbooks" or "St. Louis Streets," you may not see anything on your screen, but you will get a downloaded file. This new page is a wonderful addition to the library's website. Enjoy!

We have been contacted by the National Library of Israel, which is seeking to expand its collection of family history books for those doing Jewish research. Their librarian says that "the library serves as a resource for people researching their Jewish family origins and ancestry, and we have started an initiative to expand our collection of books in this important and growing field." They are looking for family histories of Jewish interest, especially those that are "self-published and not commercially available."

If you or someone you know has written and published a book that might be of interest to Jewish researchers using the library in Jerusalem, please contact StLGS at publications@stlgs.org so we can try to get copies of books of interest to them, if they don't already have those books in their collection.

Visit our website: www.stlgs.org

StLGS Trading Post Needs Your Books!

Perhaps the past two weekends of cold and snow have had you thinking about spring cleaning, downsizing, or coming to grips with those overflowing bookshelves.

Have you got:

• Too much clutter?
• A newer edition or a digital version? 
• Duplicate books bought by accident? 

Or perhaps you have:

• Decided to go paperless? 
• Begun to take the advice of Netflix guru, Marie Kondo, to tidy up your home?

Please consider donating those history and genealogy books to St. Louis Genealogical Society. For the past fifty years, the society has maintained a book sales area called the Trading Post, stocked with gently used history and genealogy books donated by generous members and friends. You may be finished with a particular book, but there is most likely another genealogist who will be absolutely delighted to find it. The books in the Trading Post are for sale at a discounted price all year round in our lobby sales area, where you are always welcome to come browse for bargains. All proceeds from the Trading Post help the society in carrying on its mission.

We are happy to accept new or used books (in good condition) on all aspects of genealogy, history, and local interest. We accept books about all states in the Trading Post, not just Missouri, as many of our members are researching in other locations. We also will accept journals from states east of the Mississippi, as well as from Missouri, Arkansas, and Iowa. We do NOT, however, accept national journals, newsletters, or magazines, nor do we need or want any copies of our own StLGS Quarterly. (We have a full printed set and every issue has been digitized.)

For more information on the Trading Post, including a set of donation guidelines, click here.

To make a donation, you can stop by the StLGS office during regular office hours: Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday, 9 a.m. until noon.

Questions? You can call the office at 314-647-8547 or send an email to sales@stlgs.org.

Thank you!

Visit our website: www.stlgs.org

Once Again the Weather Closes the StLGS Office

For the second weekend in a row, the St. Louis area is under a winter weather advisory with a forecast of several inches of rain, sleet, ice, and/or snow for Saturday, 19 January. To be on the safe side, so our volunteers do not have to drive in potentially hazardous conditions, we have made the decision to keep the office closed this Saturday morning. We are sorry for the inconvenience but want to be sure everyone is out of harm's way. Stay safe, warm, and dry, and we hope to see you soon.

January Genealogy Events in St. Louis

The month of January certainly got off to a snowy start, with almost a foot falling in the St. Louis area this weekend causing the cancellation of our January monthly meeting as well as many other scheduled events. We are hoping the rest of the month goes more smoothly. Here are some meetings and classes you will want to add to your January/early February 2019 calendar.

StLGS Special Interest Group Meetings

German SIG Meeting: Wednesday, 16 January 2019

"Meyers Gazetteer and Other Finding Aids," by Carol Whitton, CG, StLGS projects director and German SIG leader; St. Louis County Library Headquarters Auditorium, 7:00 p.m.; free, open to all, no pre-registration needed.

Click here for more information.
 

Irish Special Interest Group Meeting: Tuesday, 22 January 2019

"And the Wall Will Come Crumbling Down," by Carol Hemmersmeier and Kay Weber, Irish SIG co-leaders; St. Louis County Library Headquarters Auditorium, 7:00 p.m.; free, open to all, no pre-registration needed.

Click here for more information.

Jewish Special Interest Group Meeting: Sunday, 3 February 2019

"St. Louis Stories: Jewish-Americans," film and discussion, moderated by Diane Everman, archivist, St. Louis Jewish Community Archives; Jewish Federation Building, 12 Millstone Campus Drive, 1:00 p.m.; free, open to all, no pre-registration needed.

Click here for more information.

Upcoming Classes

StLGS Winter/Spring Class Schedule Now Online

Winter/spring 2019 classes are now up on the StLGS website. First class begins in early February and the cycle continues until late April. For the whole schedule and/or to download the flyer, click here.

StLGS Class: Saturday, 2 February 2019

"Evernote for Genealogy," by Bob Goode; StLGS Office, 1:00 p.m. Free to StLGS members; fee for non-members; pre-registration required at 314-647-8547. (More information at the link above.)

Chesterfield Parks and Recreation Classes: Tuesday, 22 and 29 January 2019

"Foundations of Genealogy," by Ilene Murray, StLGS publications director; Chesterfield City Hall, 10:00 a.m. Fee and pre-registration required.

Click here for more information and/or to register.

Upcoming Meetings

 Next StLGS Monthly Meeting: Saturday, 9 February 2019

"Putting Meat on the Bones," by Ted Steele, St. Louis County Library Headquarters Auditorium, 10:00 a.m.; free, open to all, no pre-registration needed.

 Czech Genealogical Researchers Monthly Meeting: Saturday, 19 January 2019

"The Irish in Bohemia," by Mary Petersen, St. Louis County Library Headquarters East Room, 1:30 p.m.; free, open to all, no pre-registration needed.

Click here for more information.

Visit our website: www.stlgs.org

January Monthly Meeting Cancelled Due to Snow

With up to nine inches of snow predicted in the next twenty-four hours, the board of directors of StLGS has made the decision to cancel the January monthly meeting, which was to have been held at 10 a.m. on Saturday, 12 January. The safety of our volunteers and those attending our meetings is of utmost importance to us so we hope you will remain home tomorrow.

This is a good opportunity to remind everyone that it is always important to check the home page of our website for closures and important notices, as well as checking into our Facebook group and Twitter feed. Our use of social media is the number one way for us to get timely information to our members and friends.

Look for the regularly scheduled blog on Monday, where we will have lots of good information on upcoming classes and meetings, and stay warm, safe, and dry during this snowy weekend.






Visit our website: www.stlgs.org

StLGS News and Some January Dates to Remember

StLGS News

With the new year we welcome Michelle Pearce to her elected position of vice-president of
membership and we bid a very fond farewell to our friend Ed Dolata as he goes on to pursue other interests. An active volunteer since the early 2000s, Ed has served in every capacity at the StLGS office, from data entry to society president, treasurer, vice president for membership, and office manager. His willingness to pitch in and help out included the annual Family History Conference,  which he chaired for several years, and an active presence at just about every event the society sponsored. His generosity, level-headed thinking, and organizational skills have guided the society during the past two decades, and we will greatly miss him in the StLGS office.

Just before he left, in late December, we were able to say goodbye at a small reception in our office. Here, Ed and StLGS president, Kay Weber, stand behind the table volunteers filled with holiday goodies to munch on. The basket contained notes to Ed with remembrances and good wishes. (Photos by Ilene Murray)

🔹

On Saturday, 5 January 2019, StLGS was honored to receive an award for historic preservation bestowed on the society by the Olde Towne Fenton chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution. Several society members attended the ceremony. Shown here are Kay Weber receiving the plaque from Kathy Givens, the chapter's historian, and StLGS and DAR members Carol Whitton and Judy Belford. (Thanks to Donna Barnes and Viki Fagyal for the photos.)

Reminders . . .

January Monthly Meeting

Our first monthly meeting of the new year will take place on Saturday, 12 January, at 10 a.m. in the auditorium at the Headquarters building of the St. Louis County Library, 1640 South Lindbergh Boulevard. We'll start the year with a panel discussion where you can "Ask Louie." We hope to see you there.

Trivia Night

This popular fundraiser will take place on Saturday, 2 March, at the Maplewood/Richmond Heights Community Center. Always a fun-filled occasion, this evening event has rounds of interesting questions, a fabulous silent auction, and bonus rounds with excellent prizes. Registration is now open, and we do hope you will invite friends or just come by yourself and make new ones. Click here for more information and/or to register on our website.

Finding Your Roots, Season Five, Begins Tuesday, 8 January 2019

Those of you who are fans of Henry Louis Gates's genealogy series, Finding Your Roots, will be glad to know that the new season begins Tuesday evening, 8 January, at 7 p.m. Central Time on PBS (locally channel 9). The opening show of the season will feature comedian Andy Samberg and author of the Game of Thrones novels, George R. R. Martin. Should be a great show! To watch a preview and/or learn more about the upcoming season, click here.






Visit our website: www.stlgs.org