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All-Day Virtual Genealogy Marathon! (Virtual)

In celebration of Family History Month, enjoy eight genealogy webinars - available for one day only! 

For one day only, starting at 9am on Friday, Oct. 16, tune in to watch eight fabulous genealogy webinars. Register to get your link to all eight presentations. Feel free to go at your own pace and watch whichever webinars interest you! Please note, these recordings will not be available after the event ends at midnight. 

Webinars available include: 

Building Your Digital Family History Archive (Difficulty: Intermediate)
EvaAnne Johnson, Genealogy & Local History Librarian at Wilmette Public Library
While we are researching our family tree, we often collect a lot of digital files - from downloaded records and emailed documents to scanned photographs and mobile screenshots. What should we do with all these digital files, and how can we keep them organized? This presentation will cover the basics of digital preservation and outline practical steps for creating a well-structured Digital Family History Archive to safeguard your genealogy work.

Researching Your Scottish Ancestors (Difficulty: Intermediate)
Erika A. Ward, PGCERT (Genealogical, Palaeographic & Heraldic Studies)
Do you have ancestors who emigrated from Scotland? Are you unsure of which records exist, how to use them, or where to find them? This class explores the rich landscape of Scottish historical sources- including census, church, civil, and immigration/emigration records- to help you uncover the stories hidden in your Scottish heritage.

Cluster Research, or Discovering You’re Related to the Whole Block (Difficulty: Intermediate)
Jessica M. Trotter, Genealogy Presenter and Researcher
As Aristotle noted, “Man is by nature a social animal” -he has family, society, and throughout history he has moved with them. This session includes tips, tricks, and examples of how researching the neighborhood and other associates of your ancestors can further your own research.

Unlocking Your Roots: Starting Your Genealogy Journey (Difficulty: Beginner)
Barbara Coakley, Genealogy Researcher, Speaker, Author
Learn how to start your genealogy journey or update your skills using a repeatable research process. Begin with what you already know, frame your research question, explore essential records, and organize your discoveries.

Beyond the Family Tree: An Introduction to Oral History for Genealogy (Difficulty: Beginner)
Adrienne Cain Darough, MLS, CA Assistant Director and Clinical Associate Professor, Institute for Oral History
Genealogy often begins with documents, but it becomes powerful through storytelling. This presentation explores the fundamentals of oral history and how intentional interviewing can uncover context, culture, and connections that traditional records may miss. Learn how to plan, conduct, and preserve meaningful family interviews.

Texas & Southern Genealogy Resources at the Dolph Briscoe Center for American History (Difficulty: Beginner)
Margaret Schlankey, Assistant Director for Public Services, Dolph Briscoe Center for American History, UT
The Briscoe Center has a vast collection of resources helpful to genealogists with roots in Texas and the American South. This presentation will go over what's available and how to access them.

Researching Your Revolutionary War Soldier: A Case Study (Difficulty: Intermediate)
Craig R. Scott, CG, FUGA, President and CEO of Heritage Books, Inc.
A Revolutionary War ancestor can be a goldmine of information if you know where to look. This lecture aims to examine types of service, compiled military service records, pension applications, settled accounts, and where other documents can be found using a step-by-step methodology in a case study.

Gen Z + Genealogy: Getting the Younger Generation Interested in Genealogy Research (Difficulty: Beginner)
Carl Smith, MLIS, Manager of the Family History Research Center at the Clayton Library Campus
Do you have a passion for family history but are worried about who carries the genealogical torch after you? Join in for a special presentation on Gen Z + Genealogy- where we’ll discuss tips and tricks on how to foster understanding, communication, and participation with the younger generations, and ideas to better market genealogy to different age groups in ways that can increase interest in the topic all around.

The programs are provided by the Genealogy Education Network (GEN), a multi-state initiative to connect libraries/genealogical societies and provide educational and research opportunities that is spearheaded by the Genealogy Center of the Waco-McLennan County Library. Co-sponsors include the Central Texas Genealogical Society and the Texas State Genealogical Society.

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