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Naše rodina (Our Family) is our quarterly journal publication, provided to every member. It contains articles on genealogical research, emigration, language, traditions, history, and culture. Each issue centers around a theme. Find out more about Naše rodina, or view an index of all articles. That’s over 900 articles on a full range of genealogy and cultural topics.

The CGSI Digital Library in the member-only secured portion of our website contains over 100 full-length presentations delivered at our conferences, symposiums, and quarterly programs. This is the only place to access these unique presentations by genealogy professionals from across the United States, Czech Republic, and Slovakia. In addition, we regularly add digitized out-of-print books and articles to assist you in your research and cultural knowledge.

CGSI’s Research Collection is located at:

Minnesota Genealogy Center
1385 Mendota Heights Road
Mendota Heights, MN  55120-1367
USA

Our Research Collection includes many valuable research sources:

• maps
• gazetteers
• Berní rula (1654 census index)
• Soupis (1651 and 1793 census indices)
• ship passenger list books
• town and village books
• fraternal organization microfilm
• over 200 family histories

Admittance to this physical library is free to CGSI members. Find out more about the Research Collection.

Research Materials are available for sale by postal mail, via our online Shop, and at our meetings and conferences, as well as our sales table at a variety of festivals and ethnic events across the United States each year. Some of these items are difficult to find and not available elsewhere. CGSI has translated and published a number of the books that are for sale, including History of Czechs in America, and History of Slovaks in America.

We are currently working on adding more passenger lists, member surnames, and church records. The Member Surname database consists of family names our members are researching. Members are encouraged to submit their family name, location (city and country) they were born, married, died, or lived in Czechoslovakia, and the location they settled in when they immigrated.

Pioneer Family and Century Family Certificates: These certificates may be applied for by descendants of immigrants from the region known as Czechoslovakia that entered the North American continent prior to 1871 (Pioneer Family), or 100 years prior to the date of application (Century Family). Learn more about Family Certificates. To apply, print out the certificate application form (PDF).

CGSI Message Board is where members may post and read messages regarding research, family names, place names where family lived, or resources for other researchers.

Meetings, Symposiums, and National Conferences, organized and sponsored by CGSI, feature presentations by very knowledgeable speakers to help the beginner or the more advanced family history researcher become more successful. Members receive a members-only reduced rate on their attendance fees. See Events and Festivals for more information.