President’s Message

by Tony Hanson

Our 2023 North Texas Giving Day campaign was successful so it looks like we will continue supporting the availability of NewspaperArchive.com and HistoryGEO.com to patrons of the Dallas Public Library. These resources are, and will continue to be, available to anybody who visits the library and via the internet for anybody who has a current Dallas Public Library card.

I can hear the collective groan from those of you who are not Dallas residents and/or don’t live nearby (57% of our members live more than 50 miles from the library). Groan no more!

The Dallas Public Library has announced a volunteer program that will allow non-residents to earn a library card (with genealogical database access) after performing 20 hours of volunteer service for the library.

You can volunteer in person on the 8th floor of the library. They need help scanning special collections materials, shelving books, helping with DPL educational programs, and other similar tasks.

I’m still hearing groaning from those of you who can’t volunteer in person: ye of little faith!

You can also accumulate hours by volunteering for Dallas Genealogical Society/Dallas Public Library co-sponsored events that are free and open to the public. This includes our monthly General Meetings: we need volunteers to help manage the Zoom portion of our hybrid meetings. It also applies to Special Interest Group leaders (in-person of via Zoom) who facilitate hybrid meetings that allow participants to meet at the library. Other remote volunteer possibilities are being planned.

More information is available on our website at https://dallasgenealogy.org/dpl-volunteer-program/