2013 Speaking schedule:
May 23: Redmond Public Library
Discover Your Family History: an introduction to genealogy
May 25: Renton Highlands Library, 2pm
Beyond Ancestry.com: Searching for your ancestors online
May 30: Redmond Public Library
DNA and Genealogy
June 1: Renton Highlands Library, 2pm
Discover your family history: an introduction to genealogy
June 2: Bothell Public Library, 2pm
DNA and Genealogy
June 8: Lake Forest Park Library, 2pm
Beyond Ancestry.com: Searching for your ancestors online
July 14: Bothell Library, 2pm
Beyond Ancestry.com: Searching for your ancestors online
Presentation Topics:
Beyond Ancestry.com: Searching for your ancestors online
Ancestry.com is one of the largest genealogy databases on the internet today, and they have the advertising dollars to make themselves known. However, there are many, many other online resources (most of them free) that can supplement the information you have on your family and fill in the missing puzzle pieces. We’ll talk about census records, vital records, online newspapers, state archives and libraries, cemetery records, military records, and more.
Discover Your Family History: an introduction to genealogy
Interested in tracing your family history but don’t know where to start? This session will walk you through the early steps of this exciting pastime. Learn how to start filling out pedigree charts and interviewing relatives before you sit down at the computer, discover free sources online and at the library, and explore the different types of books and magazines to help you on your way. For beginners.
DNA and Genealogy:
Genealogists have been researching using paper records for centuries, and new technology has only made it better. With DNA testing becoming available and affordable, Opportunities await for those who are seeking answers to questions about their heritage. Learn (in plain English!) the basics of DNA, how it can help you discover your roots, the best companies to test with, and how to join with others to find a common heritage.
Researching Your English Ancestry:
In the 1980 census, almost 49 million Americans claimed English ancestry; almost 25% of the population. Learn the steps to take to begin your research both here and overseas, learn about the civil and religious divisions in England, record types, and both free and paid websites to help you along the way.
How to Write Your Family History:
You have collected some good stories over the years about your family, and you've done the genealogical research to prove them. Now, how to write them down for your descendants? We'll talk about the process of writing, how to get started, how to format each generation and footnote each source citation, and most important of all, how to make your ancestors come alive on the page! We'll also talk about the many options for publishing your family history.
Genealogy in the Computer Age
Searching for your ancestors used to mean keeping paper records, writing letters, and visiting courthouses. With the advent of widespread computer use, genealogical research has entered a new dimension. This session will teach you how to choose and use genealogy software, online family trees, genealogy databases, and more.
Podcasts and Webinars and Blogs, Oh My!
Want to learn more about how to research your family history? It’s no longer necessary to go to national or local conferences once or twice a year; now you can learn from home, at any time day or night, using your computer and online resources. You'll learn how to locate and download genealogy podcasts, sign up for and watch webinars, and find useful and educational blogs to read. Also covered will be social media such as Facebook and Twitter for getting up-to-the-minute genealogy news.
Finding and Using Historic Newspapers
There are many genealogy databases and family trees online where you can discover the names, dates and places of your ancestors’ lives. That’s the skeleton – now let’s put flesh on the bones and faces to the names by discovering the stories your ancestors lived. We’ll talk about the proliferation of newspaper databases online (both free and subscription) and how to obtain newspapers that are not online. Birth announcements, wedding notices, obituaries, and other stories illustrate the lives of those who came before us.
Fees for Lectures and Presentations:
I am available to give presentations to your library or genealogy society across the country. All my lectures are given in person, with a PowerPoint presentation and paper handouts, which will be emailed to the organizer at least two days before the event.
My rates vary, according to distance traveled, time needed to prepare, and number of presentations. My basic fee for presentations in Western Washington libraries is $175 for a two hour presentation; this is often adjusted according to the society's budget.
My rates vary, according to distance traveled, time needed to prepare, and number of presentations. My basic fee for presentations in Western Washington libraries is $175 for a two hour presentation; this is often adjusted according to the society's budget.
All content (c) Claudia Breland, 2013
