Did you ever wonder about your family roots, or how to generate a detailed Family History Tree of your ancestors? Or considered learning more about your ancestors? Well, the Seattle Genealogical Society is here to help. I have known about the Genealogical Society Library being located in Wallingford’s Good Shepherd Center, but I had never taken the time to visit or find out what it had to offer.
From the website, the Seattle Genealogical Society (SGS), founded in 1923, is an all-volunteer, non-profit educational organization devoted to its mission:
“The Seattle Genealogical Society empowers individuals to discover their family histories through education, collaboration, and preservation. You can visit us at the historic Good Shepherd Center in Seattle’s Wallingford Neighborhood, and via our many virtual events, from anywhere in the world.”
To find out more about the library, I decided to pay a visit. After making an appointment, I met with Kathy Weber, President of the Board, and Kathi, Library Director. They took the time to orient me to the library, also known as a “Family Search Affiliate Library,” and explained that membership is not required—resources are available to everyone. They currently have over 400 members and utilize around 100 volunteers to keep SGS, including the library, operational. There are many types of volunteer opportunities depending on the individual’s interest, including desk volunteers greeting guests to the library, facilitating periodic Zoom meetings, maintaining the ever-growing databases, and preparing for e-news publications.
For those folks interested in learning about your family history or developing a Family Genealogical Tree, they recommend attending a Beginning Genealogical Class, with the next one to occur in the next couple of months. Those interested may sign up for the waitlist so you will be first to be offered the spaces in the next class.
The original library was located on Sand Point near Magnuson Park, but after 20 years, the collection had to be downsized in 2020, when it was moved to the current location at the Good Shepherd Center. Parts of the collection not relocated were moved to the Seattle Public Library or other archive locations.
Kathi explained how she started examining her genealogy. Back in 2006, she was researching her Utah family history and found out information about family members she didn’t know about. She started out as a desk volunteer in 2009 when the library was located in Sand Point, and has been with the society ever since.
Pictured below is Kathy Weber, who has been Board President since June 2024. She started out as board VP about three years ago. She told me that she became interested in her family history when she was about 10 years old. She really got excited about genealogical history when she was researching her dad’s mother’s Irish heritage. When she retired from a financial advisory practice, she became a professional genealogist.
During my tour, Kathi and Kathy showed me a vast array of reference books covering many topics of genealogy. There is even a Family Surname Section. Although there are more reference books pertaining to the Pacific Northwest area, there is information about individuals from 49 states (unfortunately, not Nevada), Canada, and even some of Europe to browse through.
The SGS Library is open for research in Suite 302. Hours are Tuesday through Saturday, 10:00 am to 3:00 pm, with evening hours (6:00 to 8:30 pm) on the 3rd Wednesday of the month. It is recommended to call ahead: (206) 522-8658
They offer classes, workshops, and seminars; compile and publish research materials; and maintain a computer-equipped library open to the public. Visit the library and check out resources covering every U.S. state and many countries. In addition to subscription databases such as Ancestry.com, Fold3, Newspapers.com Extra, and American Ancestors, library computers offer digitized indexes and records unique to SGS. Wireless Internet access is available, and FamilySearch Affiliate records may be viewed on any internet-connected computer within the library.
SGS publishes a monthly newsletter, the SGS eNews!, with upcoming events and articles of interest to our community. Membership in SGS is not required to receive the eNews! Learn more and sign up for the e-mail list.
SGS publishes the Journal of the Seattle Genealogical Society (formerly the SGS Bulletin) twice each year. Online access to current and recent issues is limited to SGS members. Older issues of the SGS Bulletin are available to the public in a searchable database through the Seattle Public Library. Find out more about the Journal of the SGS.
Membership in SGS is open to anyone interested in the pursuit of genealogy and family history. Wherever your ancestors lived, you are welcome to join us. Seattle roots are not required! Read more about becoming a member of SGS.
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