Genealogy Research Tips and
Sahyun Library Updates

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

Hello SBCGS Blog followers, As you know we do not accept comments on our blog posts however we do want your feedback so we’d like to ask three questions: Are you enjoying our posts? Do you find the information useful? What topics would you like to see in future posts? Please email your answers to

I subscribe to several genealogy newsletters and blogs and one is Genealogy In Action, Julie has several parts to her site and blog, and one that she no longer has is a genealogy scavenger hunt. I subscribed to it for a fee for a couple of years. It was such a great way to learn

Did you miss one of our monthly meetings or want to revisit a particular presentation? Our Webinar Archive has you covered. This members-only section contains recordings (and handouts if available) from our past three monthly meeting presentations. But the archive offers much more than just recent meetings. It also includes: A guide to Resources at

Are you familiar with the website Dead Fred? Isn’t that a great name? I’ve known about this site for some years but I don’t remember to use it often, however, I recently came into a couple of bags of vintage postcards, and mixed in were old photos, unidentified of course. As a genealogist this always

Here’s an article that came in my morning emails: How Software Can Help You Build Your Family Tree The title intrigued me because I have been saying this for a long time and at many Lunch and Learns. I think Family Tree Magazine has done a great job clearly stating the reasons why and giving