Local Records, Museums, and Libraries
Local Records
South County
Santa Barbara Mission Archive-Library
Must be a member of this nonprofit organization located in Old Mission Santa Barbara to have access to copies of baptism, marriage, and burial records recorded at the California Missions, copies of “Padrones” (censuses), and more.
2201 Laguna Street Santa Barbara, CA 93105
(805) 682-4713 Ext. 152
Library at University of California, Santa Barbara
Due to COVID-19, the UCSB Library building is only accessible to current UCSB students, faculty, and staff with valid UCSB ID. Users with community borrower cards and other walk-in users are not being admitted at this time.
UCSB Library collections of interest to genealogists:
Special Collections (3rd Floor): William Wyles Collection contains nearly 40,000 volumes related to the Civil War and the western expansion, plus manuscript collections, diaries, correspondence, records of military units, maps, and more.
Other collections, such as those about Pearl Chase and Santa Barbara, may be of interest.
Map and Imagery Collection (1st Floor North). Collection of historical US maps (especially for colonial US) may be useful in identifying historic sites.
Check website for directions, parking, and hours.
Jewish Federation of Greater Santa Barbara
Emphasis on Jewish tradition and culture available for in-library use and circulation. Genealogy section with binder of helpful resources. Also see Jewish History & Genealogy Resources
Lila & Joseph Scher Library – 524 Chapala Street, Santa Barbara, CA 93101
