This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Classification: Query Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/CY.2ADI/332 Message Board Post: If you're from Southern California, you know how hard it is to find an obit here. I received a couple dozen requests a month as an obituary lookup volunteer in Los Angeles. It was frustrating, because I could successfully complete only a few of the requests. Either the requestor gave incomplete information ("The SSDI says he died in Zip Code 90047 in June 1963") or downright wrong information ("My mother said she lived somewhere in L.A." but it turned out it was really Newport Beach, Orange County). I disappointed my requestors, and I became discouraged and considered quitting doing lookups because I felt bad when I couldn't help. Instead of quitting, another SoCal obit researcher and I decided to do something about the situation. For the past couple of weeks, instead of doing lookups, we spent our volunteer time to develop a free website that includes: 1. Step-by-step instructions on how to plan an obit search (including a form to organize your search). 2. Where to get correct death information (vital records) before requesting a lookup. 3. Lists of libraries that have newspaper microfilms, and info on their lookup policies. 4. Inventory of newspapers (including dates) for about 15-20 libraries, including the Los Angeles Public Library. WE HAVE A LOT MORE TO DO! 5. Links to Southern California lookup volunteers. 6. Creative hints on other ways to find obituaries, and not just for Southern California. The site is housed on the Rootweb free pages area, and the URL is: http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~socalobituaries/ This information is free. This is a volunteer effort that I hope will have several outcomes: 1. Reduce the number of unsuccessful lookups. 2. Route lookup requests to libraries and others volunteers. 3. Make it easier for everyone to find obituaries. NOTE: Re that WE HAVE A LOT MORE TO DO. We want to include as many libraries as possible. Our Los Angeles information is good, our Orange County listings are okay, and our Ventura, San Diego, San Bernardino and Riverside information is scarce. We also want to expand into other surrounding counties, but all of that will take help from people in those areas. There are lots of places on the website to ~volunteer~ but feel free to drop a line and ask how you can participate. I hope you will find this information useful. I'm posting this to all the Rootsweb lists in Southern California, so I hope you will accept my apologies if you receive duplicate messages.