Genealogy Research Tips and
Sahyun Library Updates

In honor of July 4th, Ancestry is providing free access to occupation records until 2 July 2024 at 7:00 a.m. PDT. See how your ancestors helped shape America. Details you can find with occupation records on Ancestry: Personal information such as name, age, address, and photos Industry and job details, salary, and hours worked Names

Exciting New Service: “Ask the Archives” Live Chat Launched by the US National Archives The US National Archives has introduced a new way to connect with their vast resources. Archivist of the United States, Colleen Shogan, announced the launch of “Ask the Archives” Live Chat. This service offers the public real-time assistance from National Archives

Recently I was reading Family Tree Magazine’s newsletter: 15 Essential Google Tools for Genealogy Research. I was familiar with all until I got to number 10, now I knew Google had news items but I didn’t know they had a news archive! I suggest you add this to your list of sources for newspapers, it’s

The Santa Barbara County Genealogical Society will have a table at the Stow House on the Rancho La Patera, located at 304 N. Los Carneros Road, on Thursday, July 4th from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. We will have laptops with WiFi to help visitors find their ancestors and learn more about their family history.

If you’re passionate about integrating AI into your genealogy research, do not miss out on the upcoming presentation by Steve Little, hosted by the Ventura County Genealogy Society. Titled “AI Genealogy: The Basics and a Bit Beyond!”, this session will offer invaluable insights from a leader in the field. Join Steve on Zoom and take

The Summer edition of Ancestors West is published and available to read and/or download on the Society Publications page. These great articles will motivate you to do further research, so you won’t want to miss them! Table of Contents   2  From the Editor   By Charmien Carrier   3  Identity   By Michel Cooper Nellis  

In recognition of the 80th anniversary of D-Day, almost all of Findmypast’s family tree hints, newspapers, and records are free to access starting today until Monday, June 10th at 2 a.m. PDT. The 1921 Census of England and Wales and Tree Search are not included. A free account is required to view records at Findmypast.

Robin McCarthy will present a free webinar for the San Diego Genealogical Society on Saturday, June 8th at 9 a.m. During this webinar, Robin will share new tips, tools, and strategies she has learned since her previous presentation for the Santa Barbara County Genealogical Society in 2020. To attend this free online event, please register

Many libraries are now developing digital collections of items that have been donated to them.  This is a great way to make these items available to the world. Two examples of this are the New York Public Library and the Santa Barbara Public Library. Both have developed online digital collections. The New York Public Library

The Santa Barbara County Genealogical Society is proud to announce the launch of the Santa Barbara Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage, 1870s-1970s Virtual Exhibit. This engaging online exhibit features the compelling stories of 26 local families, highlighting the culture, contributions, and experiences of Chinese, Filipino, and Japanese communities in Santa Barbara County. Visitors can

As we celebrate the people who put their lives on the line to serve their country this Memorial Day, there’s never been a better time to explore the war stories in your family history. MyHeritage is pleased to help open the door for new discoveries about your family’s military history by offering free access to

I learn something new about genealogy research every day and here’s an example of that. Until just now I had not heard of the Dawes Rolls, now maybe you have but maybe not, in any case here are a couple of links to check out to learn about them and to search them. From the

View captivating narratives of 26 families spanning from the 1870s to the 1970s, showcasing the culture, contributions, and experiences of Chinese, Filipino, and Japanese families who called Santa Barbara County their home. Step into the vibrant past of Santa Barbara’s Asian American and Pacific Islander communities, where tales of resilience and cultural legacy unfold in

For the next four days, beginning TODAY, military records will be accessible for free on Ancestry and Fold3.  Free Fold3 Access expires at 10:59 p.m. PDT on Monday, May 20th. Free Ancestry Military Record Access is available through Tuesday, May 21st at 8:59 a.m. PDT. There is never a cost to search on either website. You

Entries from Volume 14 of the Santa Barbara County Naturalization Petitions in the Santa Barbara County Superior Court Archive have been added to our local records database. Images are available for purchase. Search the naturalization records in our database here. Submitted by Robin McCarthy

In celebration of Mother’s Day this week, honor your mom by researching her family for free at Newspapers.com. Access to all papers on Newspapers.com™ will be free until 12 May 2024 at 11:59 pm MT. You must create a free account to clip, print, or download any articles. Use this link for free access.  https://go.newspapers.com/moms/

Professional genealogist, Amy Johnson Crow, shared an insightful article titled ‘Using ChatGPT for Genealogy-Accurately’ in her newsletter dated Thursday, April 25th. She delved into the benefits of leveraging ChatGPT for genealogical research. She wrote: “ChatGPT is a great tool and can be an asset in your genealogy journey- it’s not something to rely on for

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