Presentation: Genealogy and Family History Symposium 2026

The Genealogy and Family History Symposium 2026 is a two-day conference presented by the San Francisco Public Library (SFPL) and the California Genealogical Society (CGS), featuring speakers from both SFPL and CGS, as well as other local genealogy organizations covering a diverse range of topics. You will learn about physical and electronic resources available at the library that can aid your research, as well as how to search for specific ancestors like African American, Portuguese, Chinese, Filipino American, Russian American and more. The symposium will take place in the lower level of the Main Library with presentations in the Koret Auditorium (schedule below) and Latino/Hispanic Room B, discussion groups in Latino/Hispanic Room A and organizations tabling in the Koret Lobby.

Download the full two-day schedule (coming soon).

SCHEDULE OF SPEAKERS FOR KORET AUDITORIUM, DAY 1

10:15 - 11 a.m. | Intro to Genealogy
Jen Dix, CGS
Not sure how to get started with your family research? Interested in refreshing your skills? This course discusses the basics of getting started, with a brief discussion of census records, vital records, and organizing your research.

11:15 a.m. - 12 p.m. | Using Newspapers for Genealogical Research
Kelci Baughman McDowell, Librarian, Magazines & Newspapers Center, SFPL
Tips, tricks, and guidance for finding obituaries and locating family information in historic newspapers by using SFPL resources and open access newspaper databases.

12 - 1:15 p.m. | LUNCH BREAK

1:15 - 2 p.m. | SFgenealogy.org
Ron Filion, SFgenealogy
SFgenealogy began as a small internet website in 1996 and celebrates its 30th anniversary this year. This completely free website provides family history and historical resource information, tips, links and a large amount of data primarily for the San Francisco Bay area. The website and its founders, Ron Filion and Pamela Storm, have been referenced, interviewed and cited in various media including documentary films, books, magazines and local news. The presentation will give an overview of the website, explore its major databases and discuss the joys and challenges of operating such a website.

2:15 - 3 p.m. | Government Resources for Genealogists
Vaile Fujikawa, Program Manager, Government Information Center, SFPL
Discover the wealth of genealogical information available through government resources. This presentation will guide you through effective strategies for utilizing sources such as Archives.gov for federal records and USCIS.gov for crucial immigration documents. We will also delve into the unique treasures housed within the San Francisco Public Library's Government Information Center.

3:15 - 4 p.m. | Storytelling using the San Francisco History Center Archives
Christina Moretta, Program Manager, San Francisco History Center, SFPL
Delve into a wealth of unique archival collections (e.g., manuscripts, ephemera, maps and photographs) and learn how to uncover narratives of your San Francisco ancestors.

See schedules for the Latino/Hispanic Room A and Latino/Hispanic Room B.

See the schedule for Day 2.