Beyond the Basics of Genealogy Workshops are Back!

Our first Beyond the Basics of Genealogy workshop for 2016 will be Nonpopulation Schedules: A Sensible Guide to the Rest of Census, and it will take place on Saturday, March 5, 2016 at 10 am in the Arrington Auditorium. You are probably reading the title of the workshop and saying to yourself, “Wait, there are more types of censuses!” The U.S. federal census is the foundation of most genealogical research, but many genealogists overlook nonpopulation schedules as another valuable source of information. This Beyond the Basics of Genealogy workshop will introduce you to nonpopulation schedules (agricultural census, mortality schedules, social schedules, and even state censuses) and allow you to create a more complete record of your ancestors and the times in which they lived.

Workshops are free of charge, but registration is requested. To register, contact the Southern History Department of the Birmingham Public Library at 205-226-3665 or askgenlocal@bham.lib.al.us. The class will be held in the Arrington Auditorium (4th floor) of the Linn-Henley building.

Mark your calendars for the rest of the Beyond the Basics of Genealogy workshops!

• Saturday, April 16th@ 10 am, Digital Dixie- Do you have ancestors from Virginia, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, or Georgia? In this class, you will discover digital genealogy resources that you never knew existed from these original Southern colonies and learn search strategies to find untapped information and locate your ancestor. 
• Saturday, July 16th @ 10 am, Let's Talk about It: Oral History- Relatives and family friends are important sources of information. Whom do you want to talk with (everyone) and what do you want to ask (everything). Join us in this introduction to oral history. Learn how to gather information from those who have difficulty remembering or are troubled by the past and reluctant to share it. 
• Saturday, August 27th @10 am, Jump Into the Gene Pool: Genetics and Your Family History- Discover how genetic research can help you explore your family history. Find out what a gene sample can tell you about what parts of the world your ancestors came from and more. Jump in! 
• Saturday, October 1st @10 am, Genetic Genealogy Strategies for African American and Native American Research- There is no magic in genetic genealogy and no special tests for African American and Native American research, but there are choices you can make that may enable you to confirm and to go beyond the evidence of the paper trail.

Southern History Department

Central Branch

Birmingham Public Library