Birmingham Public Library Genealogy Workshops Scheduled for October 2017

October is Family History Month, and the Birmingham Public Library’s Southern History Department has scheduled many classes to assist patrons doing research, including Google Your Peeps, the last Beyond the Basics of Genealogy class for 2017.

Also, there is exciting news for patrons. Since FamilySearch has ceased lending microfilm, the Southern History Department has secured increased digital access to the FamilySearch website. This will add exclusive access to approximately 25 percent of the 1.5 million rolls of microfilm already converted to digital images. FamilySearch's increased digital access is only available at Central Library. If you would like to confirm the availability of BPL’s access to a particular digital image, please send the direct web address/URL to askgenlocal@bham.lib.al.us.

The Southern History Department has also subscribed to the popular Newspapers.com Library Edition – Southeast database. This collection contains digital images of microfilmed newspapers from the following states: Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Florida, Georgia, Virginia, West Virginia, Tennessee, and Kentucky. Don’t expect full runs of all titles; some titles have very few digitized pages.

In addition, the Alabama Department of Archives and History has partnered with Newspapers.com to digitize numerous Alabama newspapers. Newspapers.com Library Edition – Southeast database is available in all BPL locations and is also available remotely to Birmingham residents.

For those who use the BPL Archives Department to do research, Archives is closed through October 9 due to maintenance on the heating and air system. Check the BPL website after October 9 to be sure the work has been completed on schedule.

Schedule of genealogy workshops in October:
Monday, October 9, 10:00-11:00 a.m., Vestavia Hills Library
From Cards to Computers: Planning a Research Visit – Finding the resources you need is one of the most important parts of genealogy research. In this class, you will learn the best methods to locate resources quickly, narrow your search, and maximize your time in a library.

Tuesday, October 10, 10:00-11:00 a.m., Bessemer Public Library
Mind Your Own (Family) Business – Did your ancestors own a pharmacy, furniture shop, or other business? Many genealogists know that their ancestors owned or started a business. This workshop will show you how to use city directories, government websites, newspapers, and other sources to learn more about the history of the family business or the company your ancestors worked for.

Tuesday, October 10, 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m., Southern History Department, Central Library
Introduction to Genealogy – Want to learn how to do genealogical research? Come to this introductory class that will help get you started on your genealogical journey.

Tuesday, October 17, 9:15-10:15 a.m., Regional Library Computer Center, Central Library
FindMyPast – This hands-on class will introduce you to Findmypast, our newest genealogy database. Findmypast is an ever-expanding collection of over 2 billion historical records from around the world. We will cover some of the most popular record collections and tips on how to make your database searches more effective.

Sunday, October 22, 2:30-3:30 p.m., Southern History Department, Central Library
Introduction to Genealogy – Want to learn how to do genealogical research? Come to this introductory class that will help get you started on your genealogical journey.

Sunday, October 22, 3:00-4:00 p.m., Hoover Public Library
Introduction to Genealogy – Want to learn how to do genealogical research? Come to this introductory class that will help get you started on your genealogical journey.

Thursday, October 26, 10:00-11:00 a.m., Avondale Regional Branch Library
Introduction to Genealogy – Want to learn how to do genealogical research? Come to this introductory class that will help get you started on your genealogical journey.

Saturday, October 28, 10:00-11:30 a.m., Arrington Auditorium, Central Library
Google Your Peeps – What do you want to know about your ancestors? Everything. The Internet is a great tool for genealogy, but are you using it to its full potential? This workshop will teach you how to create a research template and look for details that will help you discover more about your ancestors using search engines, genealogy databases, and a few other, perhaps surprising websites.

Tuesday, October 31, 10:30-11:30 a.m., Regional Library Computer Center, Central Library
Using FamilySearch.org – Take a detailed look at the features of www.FamilySearch.org, a website that allows you to research your ancestry for free.

Beyond the Basics of Genealogy workshops are free of charge, but registration is requested. To register for workshops held at any Birmingham Public Library location, register online through the BPL events calendar or call the department or branch. To register for an offsite workshop, call the participating library.
For more information, go to http://www.bplonline.org/locations/central/southern/. Like the Southern History Department on Facebook at www.facebook.com/SouthernHistoryBPL.