The Redland Genealogical Society (RGS) Genealogy Library Room is located in the Redland City Council’s (RCC) Cleveland Library, located at the intersection of Middle and Bloomfield Streets. Ask at the reception desk for directions.

The RGS Genealogy Library Room is open for visitors every Tuesday and Thursday mornings from 9.30am to 12.30pm and Saturday afternoons from 12.30pm to 3.30pm (Except Public Holidays & during the Christmas Break). Our Genealogical Research Assistants (GRAs) are on hand to help you.

Financial Associate and Branch Members may use the Society library and its facilities six days a week, at any time the RCC library is open. (Mon, Tue & Fri from 9am – 5pm, Wed & Thu from 9am – 7.30pm and Sat from 9am – 4pm). However, access to the personal computers is only available during the times the GRAs are on duty. Two on-line computers are available for use at any time the library room is available.

With the easing of COVID restrictions, all Redlands Genealogical Society  members are now able to the access the Genealogy room when the Cleveland library is open.

To do so you will need to present your RGS Library card to the Library desk to obtain the keys to the room. If you do not have an RGS Card you will need to obtain one from the library by presenting your RGS membership card and your personal library membership card to the desk.

Please remember to record your name in the attendance book.

Before leaving, you are required to wipe down anything you have used or touched with the wipers and disinfectant provided. Do not wipe down the monitors. Also, place the wipers and plastic gloves in the bin outside the Genealogy Room door. Complete the COVID log file and return it with the keys to the library desk.

The RGS Genealogy Library Room contains CDs, microfiche and books for all Australian states, New Zealand, the Americas, UK and Ireland, and many other countries, world-wide. We hold the indexes to Births, Deaths and Marriages (BDMs) for all Australian states, as well as a wide range and a large number of indexes not available on the internet. We have an evergrowing collection of cemetery transcriptions, funeral directors’ records, electoral rolls etc. Holdings also include reference and ‘How to’ books, copies of Australian and overseas commercial and genealogical journals and government gazettes. We have free access to computers and internet, including Ancestry and Findmypast.

The Librarian chairs bi-monthly meetings of the Library Committee that is comprised of all the Genealogical Research Assistants (GRAs) who are listed on the current Library Roster. Books, microfiche, specified CD-ROMs and a range of genealogical magazines may be borrowed in accordance with the RCC and RGS Library borrowing rules.

1. The Magazine Interest Group (MIG):

• Consists of those members of the Society who subscribe privately to various Family History Societies around the world. Journals issued by these societies are circulated among the members until they have all read them. Once the circulation is complete, the journals are returned to their owners. Some members then donate their journals to the Library for the use of all Society members.
• The MIG is an autonomous body operating independently of the library.
• The position of Convenor(s) of the MIG is agreed by the members of the group.

2. The Writing Interest Group:

• Consists of those members of the Society, and visitors, with an interest in the various aspects of writing that relate to family history.
• The position of Convenor(s) of the Writing Interest Group is agreed by the members of the group.
• The Convenor is to maintain a register of the members of the Writing Interest Group.
• The Convenor is to organise discussion/lecture sessions as required by the group’s members.
• Meetings take place at 1:30pm (1330) on the 4th Wednesday of March, May, July, September and November in the meeting room of the Cleveland Library, Middle Street, Cleveland, Qld.

3. The Cemetery Interest Group:

• Consists of those members of the Society with an interest in recording burial details and maintenance of the information relating to all cemeteries in the Redland City area.
• The position of Convenor(s) of the Cemetery Interest Group is agreed by the members of the group.
• The Convenor is to maintain a register of the members of the Cemetery Interest Group.
• The Convenor is to organise sessions as required by the group’s members.

4. The Family History Research Group:

• Consists of members of the Society, selected by the Management Committee, with the expertise necessary to carry out and present research on behalf of the Society, and any specialist researcher deemed necessary by the group’s members.
• The position of Convenor of the Family History Research Group is agreed by the members of the group.
• The Convenor is to liaise with the group’s members to allocate research duties and to produce a report for the customer.
• The Research Report produced contains a summary of the information submitted, a listing of what materials had been searched, what information had been located, commentary on what has been found and what it means, suggestions for further research and any supporting certificates and/or documents.
• Members of the group involved in research may submit a Claim for Expenses with supporting receipts (where available) for any costs incurred as a result of their research for reimbursement by the Society.
• The fee charged by the Society for research is set at $100.00 plus the costs of certificates, presentation folder and any ‘out of pocket expenses’ directly relating to the research. The research fee may be adjusted or altered by the Management Committee as required.

5. The Family Tree Maker (FTM) Interest Group:

• Consists of those members of the Society, and visitors, with an interest in the Family Tree Maker genealogy programme. Discussion/lecture sessions as required by the group’s members are organised by the Convenor and take place at 1:00pm (1300) on the 3rd Wednesday of each month. The Convenor maintains a register of the members of the FTM Interest Group.
• The position of Convenor(s) of the FTM Interest Group is agreed by the members of the group.

All Financial Associate and Branch Members are invited to submit their interests upon joining the Society, and to update such interests as they change.

Details recorded include Member Name and number; Interest, location and date range. The Librarian maintains a database of all submitted interests electronically, and a complete record is available for reference in the Library in hard copy.

All newly submitted Interests are published in the Society Newsletter “Redland Researcher” as space permits.

If you would like to contact an RGS Member re a Surname then all RGS Members may be contacted via email at redlandgs@gmail.com.

The originals of the You’re Not Mine Certificates have been donated by members who discovered they ordered the incorrect Certificate for their family history research.  Click here to access a PDF File of all the Certificates held by the Redland Genealogical Society.  Information in the file includes Surname, Forename, Type (Birth, Marriage, Death), Year, Certificate Date, Country, County/State.  As well, listings may include Notes e.g. Age, Place, Parents etc. to help you identify if this certificate is one for you.

Copies of Certificates – you don’t get the original – are priced at $2.00 each.  To order, please email redlandgs@gmail.com quoting the Certificate required.  Payment can be made in cash at our Library or at a monthly meeting.  Alternatively, pay by Direct Deposit into the Society’s account ( Heritage Bank//Redland Genealogical Society//BSB 638-070//Account No 11106514) noting your Name and Certificate Name as the identifier.  Following payment the Certificate copy will be emailed to you as a pdf.

The pdf file of Unrelated Certificates may be searched for any combinations of letters, numbers or dates by pressing the Ctrl + f keys together and then typing in the name, number or date.