Thanks to a unique relationship between the North San Diego County Genealogical Society and the Carlsbad City Library, the genealogy collection at the Georgina Cole Library is one of the largest in California.
Print and Microform Collection
The NSDCGS was founded in the Library’s Community Room in 1968 and from the beginning, the Society stored its book collection upstairs with Director Cole’s blessing, as she was herself an avid genealogist. In 1976, the Society voted to donate its books and other genealogical materials to the Library. The collection, which focuses primarily on resources covering the United States from the 17th through 19th centuries, has expanded over the years through the continued generosity of Society members’ donations and the expertise of the NSDCGS Book Committee. Today the collection tallies at over 50,000 volumes and includes records, histories, maps and periodicals.
The Carlsbad City Library catalog is available online. To most effectively search the holdings, choose Genealogy in the first drop down menu to limit search results.
Online Databases
In addition to its extensive physical holdings, the Carlsbad City Library subscribes to eight online genealogy databases; America’s GenealogyBank, American Ancestors, Ancestry Library Edition, Archives Unbound, FindMyPast, Fold3, Heritage Quest and Newspapers.com Library Edition. The databases are available at all Carlsbad City Library locations and some are available remotely with your library card. To access America’s GenealogyBank, Archives Unbound, Fold3, Heritage Quest, and Newspapers.com from home, use the links on the Library’s Genealogy webpage.
Programs and Classes
In addition to donating research materials, the NSDCGS has purchased bookshelves and technology for the Library to support local genealogists. To encourage genealogical education, the NSDCGS and the Library offer over 75 partnership programs a year to help those just getting started and to assist seasoned researchers break through brick walls. Library staff teach Focus On, a series of hands-on classes that focus on a variety of library resources. All programs are listed on the NSDCGS calendar and on the Library’s calendar.
If you have any library, subscription, or collection related questions, please call the Genealogy desk staff at 442-339-2931 or email genealogy@carlsbadca.gov.