FGS Meeting - Saturday, May 1, 2010

The Florida Genealogical Society (Tampa) is pleased to announce a special program for Saturday, May 1, 2010, at 10:30 AM. Society members will be given a special, behind-the-scenes tour of the Special Collections at the USF Library. This meeting has been specially arranged and is only open to members of the Florida Genealogical Society, Inc. (Tampa) due to space constraints.

Members should meet at 10:30 AM in the Grace Allen Room on the 4th floor of the University of South Florida Library. An introduction to the contents of the Special Collections will be presented, with special attention to the materials of genealogical significance. These include: the Floridiana Collection; Hillsborough County Marriage Indexes and Certificates; Naturalization Records; funeral home records from Boza, Blount & Curry, and other funeral homes; records of Ybor City immigrant mutual aid societies and clubs in the Tampa area; records and artwork from the Tampa cigar industry; access to the Shoah Foundation Collection and to other materials in the USF Libraries Holocaust & Genocide Studies Center materials; and more.

The Special Collection is also the holder of an important American children's book collection, especially rich in 19th-century literature, 20th-century series books, dime novels, "toy" and chapbooks and early schoolbooks. A colorful and charming group of McLoughlin Bros. chromo-lithographed picture books forms a high point.

The USF Libraries' archival holdings comprise USF, political, literary and historical papers from individuals and organizations. Highlights are the papers of Florida governor LeRoy Collins, civil rights leader Robert W. Saunders, Jr., science fiction writers Piers Anthony, Harry Harrison and Mike Resnick, and Ybor City mutual aid societies, as well as two important Second Seminole War diaries. A new collection of Latin American science fiction books is being organized, as are a collection of unique handmade books from Cuba.

You never know what is in your own backyard until you go and look. Join us for the special tour of a treasure trove here in Tampa!

Please see the map and driving directions at http://guides.lib.usf.edu/mapdirections. Additional details concerning parking will be emailed to every current member before the event.

Don't miss this exciting tour!