Online Resources
The following online resources augment the collections of the California State Library. These resources are available to California state government officials and employees and to all visitors in our reading rooms. California State employees, state legislative staff, appointed state officials and board members, officials and employees of the State Court, and faculty and staff of the University of California or California State University may obtain a State Library Card by applying online or calling (916) 323-9843.
Looking for K-12 digital resources? Visit the K-12 Online Content Project page.
Questions about Online Resources? Contact Information Services at cslinfo@library.ca.gov; (916) 323-9843.
18 Items
A
Ancestry.com (U.S. and U.K. historical resources) On-Site Access Only
Genealogy and History
Contains approximately 4,000 databases for genealogical and historical research. Key collections include U.S. Federal Census images and indexes
from 1790 to 1930, New York and San Francisco passenger lists, World War I draft registration cards, World War II service records, the Social Security Death Index, UK census records from 1861-1901, historical maps, Daughters of the American Revolution Lineage volumes, the Dawes Commission Index and the Federal Writers' Project Slave Narratives.
To read the terms and conditions for Ancestry, please visit https://www.ancestry.com/cs/legal/termsandconditions. Any link that begins with Ancestry.com is not included under our access.
Archives Unbound For State Employees
Genealogy and History
Offers online access to historical documents from nearly 300 archival collections covering topics of importance to California, U.S. and world history.
C
California History Section Research Guides For General Public
Genealogy and History
Research guides developed by the California State Library's California History Section on California-specific topics.
California Information File II For General Public
Library Catalogs
A continuation of the California Information File I, this database contains more than 85,000 references to California people, places, events, and subjects as they appear in the California State Library's periodicals, manuscript, postcard and ephemera collections.
Calisphere For General Public
Genealogy and History
Online access to digitized resources from the California State Library's California History Section.
City and County Directories For General Public
Library Catalogs
The California State Library's California History Room has city and county directories in several formats: paper, microfilm, and microfiche. This database lets you determine if we have the specific city directory you need, and it gives you the format and location.
D
Digital Sanborn Maps, 1867-1970 For State Employees
Genealogy and History
Digital Sanborn® Maps (1867-1970) delivers detailed property and land-use records that depict the grid of everyday life in more than 12,000 U.S. towns and cities across a century of change. The maps provide a wealth of information, such as building outline, size and shape, windows and doors, street and sidewalk widths, boundaries, and property numbers. Plans often include details on construction materials and building use; and depict pipelines, railroads, wells, water mains, dumps, and other features likely to affect the property's vulnerability to earthquake, fire, and flood.
E
European Views of the Americas: 1493 to 1750 For State Employees
Genealogy and History
A comprehensive guide to printed records about the Americas written in Europe before 1750, this database containing over 32,000 citations covers the history of European exploration as well as portrayals of native American peoples.
G
Genealogy Hub For General Public
Genealogy and History
Get started with your family history research.
Gladding McBean Company Archives Index For General Public
Library Catalogs
The Gladding McBean Company manufactured decorative architectural elements from terra cotta at its factory in Lincoln, California. This database is an index of the Gladding McBean Company manuscript and photo collections in the California State Library containing references to over 6,500 job files from their company.
H
HeritageQuest Online (family and local history resources) For State Employees
Genealogy and History
NOTE: Access to this resource ended on July 23, 2024. If you have questions, please contact cslinfo@library.ca.gov.
A collection of over 20,000 family and local history book titles and more than 250 primary source historical documents such as tax lists, city directories, church records and probate records dating back to the 1700s. Includes searchable images of U.S. federal census records from 1790 to 1930.
I
Internet Archive For General Public
Genealogy and History
Online access to digitized resources from the California State Library.
N
National Archives For General Public
Government
Public records that trace the story of our nation, government, and the American people.
O
Online Archive of California - California History Section Collections For General Public
Genealogy and History
View collection descriptions for materials held by the California State Library's California History Section.
Online Archive of California - Sutro Library Collections For General Public
Genealogy and History
View collection descriptions for materials held by the California State Library's Sutro Library.
P
ProQuest Black Studies For State Employees
Newspaper Articles
The most comprehensive multi-format collection for research and learning about Black history and culture. Explore primary sources, videos, newspapers, and more. Featured content includes the NAACP Papers, Civil Rights Organizational Papers, Black Abolitionist Papers, and more!
T
Telephone Directories For General Public
Library Catalogs
The California State Library's California History Room has telephone directories covering the years 1878-2006 in a variety of formats (paper, microfilm and microfiche). This database lets you determine if we have the specific telephone directory you need.
Telephone directories on microfiche at Sutro Library For General Public
Genealogy and History
The bulk of the Sutro Library’s telephone directories exist on microfiche and cover more recent years from 1970s – 2000s. This database includes information on the title of the directory (often the city or county is represented here), year of publication, type (yellow or white pages), and some entries include a notes field detailing communities that are included in that directory.