Camas library’s donation boosts genealogical society

Clark County Genealogical Society President Paula Schoenlein looks over recently donated microfilm Friday at the Clark County Genealogical Society. The Camas Public Library recently donated its historical newspaper microfilm collection to the organization. (Taylor Balkom/The Columbian)

A microfilm projector displays the front page of the Friday, Feb. 24, 1888, edition of Lacamas News on Friday at the Clark County Genealogical Society. The Camas Public Library recently donated its historical newspaper microfilm collection to the organization. (Taylor Balkom/The Columbian)

Clark County Genealogical Society President Paula Schoenlein reads over the Feb. 10, 1888, edition of Lacamas News.

A slide of microfilm containing a page of the Lacamas News from the late 1800s sits above a light Friday at the Clark County Genealogical Society. The Camas Public Library recently donated its historical newspaper microfilm collection to the organization. (Taylor Balkom/The Columbian)

Clark County Genealogical Society member Jane Germann works to put a Lacamas News microfilm reel into a projector Friday at the Clark County Genealogical Society. The donated collection includes 47 reels of the <a href="https://www.camaspostrecord.com/">Camas-Washougal Post-Record</a> and one reel of the Lacamas News. (Taylor Balkom/The Columbian)

Clark County Genealogical Society member Jane Germann works to put a Lacamas News microfilm reel into a projector Friday at the Clark County Genealogical Society. The Camas Public Library recently donated its historical newspaper microfilm collection to the organization. (Taylor Balkom/The Columbian)

Clark County Genealogical Society member Jane Germann, center, works to put a Lacamas News microfilm reel into a projector Friday at Clark County Genealogical Society. The Camas Public Library recently donated its historical newspaper microfilm collection to the organization. (Taylor Balkom/The Columbian)

Grunge film reel strip, isolated movie filmstrip. Vintage vector slide frame with grainy texture istock.com

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.”

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