Camas library’s donation boosts genealogical society

Newspapers play a vital role in the Clark County Genealogical Society’s mission to help people with their family history research endeavors, according to the nonprofit organization’s president.

“A lot of newspapers had so much history,” Paula Schoenlein said. “They were a way to communicate what was going on within their community. You might find your relative somewhere in there. I love finding my (distant) relatives within newspapers. It makes them a little more real.”

Schoenlein was delighted when the Camas Public Library recently donated its historical but sparingly used microfilm collection of local newspapers to the Clark County Genealogical Society.

“We were glad to get it because part of our mission is collecting materials and preserving them to make them available to the public,” Schoenlein said. “We’re continually working on educating people about how these items can benefit them and their genealogical efforts.”

The Nov. 18 donation included 47 reels of the Camas-Washougal Post-Record (1982-2007) and one reel of the Lacamas News (1887-1892).

Schoenlein, a Camas resident, came across the reels during a visit to the Camas Public Library earlier this year.

“I was like, ‘Oh, but the library doesn’t have microfilm readers, so I can’t look at them,’ ” she said. “Later, I reached out to the library and said, ‘Would you be interested in donating the microfilm to the Clark County Genealogical Society? We have a microfilm reader.’ And they said yes.”

At the Clark County Genealogical Society research library, 3205 N.E. 52nd St., in the Minnehaha area, the newspapers can be consulted by genealogists, local historians, students or anyone curious about the history of Camas and Washougal.

“By partnering with CCGS, we bring this collection to life once again,” said Danielle Reynolds, Camas Public Library’s technology and collections manager, in a news release. “It ensures that these newspapers are both preserved and used. We’re thrilled that these newspaper records will be more accessible to the people who need them most.”

The Clark County Genealogical Society research library, open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. the second Saturday of every month, contains more than 10,000 items, such as books, maps, vertical files and microfilm, Schoenlein said.

“We try to guide people and educate them,” she said. “We won’t do it for them. We’re not a hire-a-professional-genealogist type of thing. We can guide them, teach them, get them started and point them in the right direction. And if they have questions, we’re there to try to answer those questions for them.”

The Clark County Genealogical Society, which formed in 1972 and earned nonprofit status in 1978, offers classes, focus groups, research trips, “scavenger hunts” and more, all through the efforts of an all-volunteer staff. It depends on membership dues to maintain its library, event schedule and website, providing members with benefits not available to the general public.

“We’re open to people who want to learn about their family history,” Schoenlein said. “Everybody has their own way of how they want to maintain their family history. Some people want to write a book. Some people are really into digitizing their family photos. However they want to preserve their own family history, we can help.”

Doug Flanagan: 360-735-4669; [email protected]