Jump Start Your Genealogy Research at the NH Historical Society ~ Two New Workshops held by NEHGS!

A press release by the New Hampshire Historical Society:

Whether you're an experienced genealogist or just starting out, the New Hampshire Historical Society offers a suite of resources to support your research.

For those just embarking on discovering their family history, the Society is offering an introductory workshop called "Getting Started in Genealogy" in conjunction with the New England Historic Genealogical Society (NEHGS). Held on three consecutive Saturday afternoons in March, this workshop will introduce basic concepts in genealogy, tools for organizing your research, standard records for genealogists, and hints for conducting research online. Even if you've already been doing research for a few years, you're sure to learn a new tip or two. Under the guidance of instructors from New England's premier genealogical institution, the workshop will help you make sure that you're following the best practices available. This program is offered at our headquarters at 30 Park Street, Concord, on March 12, 19, and 26, 2016, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.

Genealogical researchers with a more specific interest in one of New Hampshire's largest ethnic groups will benefit from "French-Canadians in the Granite State," offered on June 25, 2016, from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. at 30 Park Street, Concord. For this workshop, tailored for experienced genealogists, the Society is once again teaming up with the experts at the New England Historic Genealogical Society to focus on the records of this specific group of New Hampshire residents.

Space will be limited for both workshops, and registration is required. For more information, as well as the registration form and pricing for members and nonmembers, visit nhhistory.org, or call Member and Visitor Services Coordinator Wendy Olcott at 603-856-0621 to register by phone using a credit card.

The New Hampshire Historical Society also offers new resources for genealogists in our library. Our collections of records and printed materials--from the reference volumes on the library shelves to the manuscripts and books that constitute the formal collections--have long been a treasure trove for genealogists. Increasingly, though, digital databases have become an important complementary resource to the Society's print materials, and the Society now offers on-site library patrons free access to a selection of subscription-only digital databases via the public access computers in the library. 

The first of these databases is EBSCO's "America: History and Life™ with Full Text." Researchers can use this database to search over a thousand journals and retrieve articles related to the history of the United States and Canada (including all articles published in the Society's own journal, Historical New Hampshire). For patrons focused on genealogy, two other databases available in the library will likely become a staple of their research: Ancestry.com can be used to build family trees and access millions of genealogical resources; and American Ancestors, powered by the New England Historic Genealogical Society, contains millions of genealogical records with a particular focus on New England, as well as data from genealogy-based journals and other publications. All of these resources offer library patrons new research opportunities for family history.