Over 8,500 Documents and Counting: How the IGS Library Is Digitizing California's Local Government History
The California Local Government Documents Digitization Project (LoCALDig) continues to expand as a growing resource for accessing the documentary record of local government across California. What began as a digitization effort is increasingly becoming a go-to reference tool - supporting researchers, students, and policymakers as they locate and analyze local government documents across jurisdictions and over time.
Since the project began, more than 8,500 items from the Library’s California local government collection have been made digitally available. In all, staff have prepared more than 10,000 items for digitization, with ongoing work to provide online access to monographs, serials, historical materials, and born-digital publications documenting the work of California local governments.
We've kicked off serial digitization this year and as of August 2026, we've digitized more than 60 serial runs comprising more than 1,250 issues (serials is a library term for materials that are issued in parts, often with a regular frequency, like an annual report).
Did you know that many CA local government publications in the IGSL collection have needed original catalog descriptions prior to getting digitized?
So far, project cataloging staff have created brand new descriptions from scratch for nearly 25% of the collection we are digitizing. Publications that need these new descriptions are often quite rare, or even uniquely held by IGSL.
IGS LoCALDig Project Blogs
A look back in time to understand our present: California local government publications from the 1976 Bicentennial
Our outreach efforts have continued alongside the digitization work. This summer, the Library published a blog post highlighting documents from California’s 1976 Bicentennial year. Drawing on 403 digitized documents from that year, the post explores how local governments were navigating rapid growth, environmental planning, and rising anti-tax sentiment, the same pressures that would erupt two years later in Proposition 13.
Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District. (1976, June). Transit-Times, 18 (12).
https://archive.org/details/igsl_ac-transit-times_1976/page/n52/mode/1up
Rails Across the Bay: Exploring a Forgotten Transportation Future
Digitization scribe Kyra Eyerman also explored a fascinating piece of Bay Area transportation history through publications documenting a 2000 proposal to provide rail service across the San Francisco Bay.
Digitization Scribe Kyra Eyerman posing beside the
Key Route Train Station plaque in Oakland's Key Route Plaza
Resource Guide for “News You Can Use” Workshop - Spring 2026
Newspapers are an important resource for contemporary and historical research, as well as being a key reference source for local government issues. However, navigating the wide range of news sources available can be challenging. UC Berkeley Library provides access to a robust collection of newspaper databases, supplemented by numerous freely available public resources.
On May 7, IGS Library Director Kris Kasianovitz, joined by Library Supervisor Paul King, presented a workshop on finding and accessing current and historical news through UC Berkeley. The session addressed common research questions, including how to access an article found online that is behind a paywall, how to read a specific newspaper without a personal subscription, and which newspaper resources can be used for text and data mining (TDM) and AI-assisted research.
Faculty, staff, and students from across campus attended the workshop. A companion resource guide provides additional information and links for navigating the many news resources available to the UC Berkeley community.
“Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of…”: Reflecting on America at 250
US Semiquincentennial Community Whiteboard & Exhibit - Spring 2026
In order to better engage with the campus community around the Semiquincentennial, the IGS Library posted questions on our whiteboard, related to what the American revolution, independence and freedom means in 2026.
The questions and responses collected over the past several months provide a snapshot of what members of the UC Berkeley community were thinking during not only a significant national anniversary, but also a year marked by considerable political upheaval and tension.
Questions we asked:
- In 1776, the Declaration of Independence stated: "All men are created equal. How would you rewrite this statement for 2026?
- If you could "Mute" one branch of government for a day, which one would you choose:: Executive, Legislative, Judicial?
- If Bad Bunny rewrote the Declaration of Independence for 2026, what is one right he’d make sure to include?
- What is your theme song for America's 250th Anniversary?
- "If you could describe the current 'American Experiment' in just one word, what would it be?
- Who is your American Revolutionary Icon?
- What will you do to commemorate America’s 250th Anniversary?
IGS Communications Staff created a few short videos with students responding to these questions:
IGSL Commemorates America at 250
Check out these books!
Recent additions to the IGS Library include:
Mora, G. Cristina, Paschel, Tianna S. Normalizing inequality : how Californians make sense of the growing divide (2026). Available online and in print. (UCB Faculty Authors!)
Ludwig, J. Unforgiving places : the unexpected origins of American gun violence (2025) The University of Chicago Press. Available online and in print.
Savage, Brett L, and Jacob Sutherland. California Politics Is Local : Voting Behavior and Special Districts (2026). Available online and in print.
Xu, Dafeng. Chinatown : San Francisco’s 1906 Earthquake and the Paradox of American Immigration Policy (2026). Available online and in print.
Burns, Peter F, Matthew O Thomas, and Max R Bieganski. Disneyland Politics : How a Medium-Size City and Corporate Giant Coexist (2026). Available in online and in print.
Friedman, Brittany. Carceral Apartheid : How Lies and White Supremacists Run Our Prisons (2026). Available online and in print.
Newsom, Gavin. Young Man in a Hurry : A Memoir of Discovery (2026). Available online and in print.
Enck, Judith, and Adam Mahoney. The Problem with Plastic : How We Can Save Ourselves and Our Planet before It’s Too Late (2026). Available online and in print.
Reminder! November 3rd is the General Election!
Don’t forget to Vote!
Go Bears! Go Vote!
Voter Information Guide https://guides.lib.berkeley.edu/voterinformation
State Ballot Measure Guides coming soon!