Several programs, virtual and in-person, take place the week of January 23
Harford County Public Library celebrates Genealogy Week by hosting four programs the week of January 23. The featured programs are:
“What Can I Do With My DNA?: 13 Things You Can Do With Your DNA,” presented by Peggy Jude, will be held virtually January 23 from 6:30 to 8 p.m. If you took a DNA test and now know your ethnicity, this program helps you to explore all things you can do with your DNA, from the basic to more advanced options.
“What Your Ancestor’s Neighbors Can Tell You,” also a virtual program and presented by Melissa Barker, takes place January 24 from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Our ancestors did not live in isolation; they were part of a community of neighbors, friends, classmates and co-workers. Whether they lived in big cities, small towns or rural farming communities, their contact with these groups can help with research. The program focuses on how to use records in archives that might help researchers find more about their ancestors.
“Beefing Up an Ancestor’s Timeline” will be held virtually January 26 from 6:30 to 8 p.m. and will be presented by Jeanette Sheliga. Often there are unanswered questions and brick walls surrounding a person or a family tree. This program focuses on using home sources, online family trees, online collections, local repositories and more to obtain and organize information found in researching ancestry. The presentation will show how to focus in on one person to see how much information can be added to their profile and break through brick walls.
To register for these programs, visit HCPLonline.org.
An in-person genealogy discussion group takes place at the Jarrettsville Library on January 26 from 6:15 to 7:45 p.m. Participants will join fellow genealogy researchers and share techniques, tips and resources. Registration is required and begins January 12 at 9 a.m. by visiting HCPLonline.org or calling 410- 692-7887.
Harford County Public Library offers several genealogy databases, including Ancestry Library Edition, Heritage Quest Online, ProQuest Historical U.S. Newspapers and Fold 3. Harford County Public Library offers access to the Harford Heritage Digital Archives, containing hundreds of documents, images and Harford County local history resources. The Maryland Room at the Bel Air Library houses an array of genealogy and local research materials in addition to Harford County’s Living Treasures Oral History Collection. The Bel Air Library is also an affiliate library for FamilySearch, a program with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints that houses a catalog of 2.4 million rolls of microfilmed genealogical resources worldwide and access to millions of digital records. You can find out more at https://hcplonline.org/genealogy.php.
“Genealogy research is an extremely popular topic with our Library customers,” said Mary Hastler, CEO of Harford County Public Library. “We’re very excited about our line-up of presenters for this year’s virtual Genealogy Week. What a great opportunity for those who are just starting out, to those who are deeply involved in genealogy, to find out more about researching their ancestors.”
Harford County Public Library operates 11 branches located throughout Harford County offering access to ideas that inform, entertain and inspire. Last year the library interacted with its residents more than 12 million times – borrowing free materials, visiting branches and the website, using free WiFi, and attending classes and events. In 2021 Harford County Public Library was named a Star Library by Library Journal. For more information, visit HCPLonline.org.
