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Genealogy Class - Genealogy and Facebook

Event Type: Adults
Age Group(s): Adults
Date: 10/30/2019
Start Time: 1:30 PM
End Time: 4:00 PM
Description:
 Gwen Kelley, a librarian who specializes in genealogy and local history, will lead a seminar that describes how family researchers can use Facebook, at 1:30 p.m., Wednesday, Oct. 30, at the East Bank Regional Library, 4747 W. Napoleon, Metairie.

This event is free of charge and is open to the public.

According to Kelley, there are two basic ways to research genealogy on Facebook: apps and groups. The apps allow researchers to connect with other users, find relatives and construct family trees. Most of the apps are connected with an online genealogy company, like Ancestry, Geni or Family Tree Builder. They allow researchers to automatically combine any information found on Facebook with the family tree one may have already built online.

Kelley says that Facebook genealogy groups can be somewhat overwhelming. Many groups are closed to the public, so permission is needed to join. Depending on what information is being sought, researchers can start off big (the U.S. Archives), go local (Jefferson Parish, Louisiana), zero in on ethnicity (Choctaw Nation) or find a surname group (the Jackson family of Arkansas). Searches get specific, down to groups for specific haplotypes (groups of people sharing the same ancestor).

Once in a group, researchers will be able to search through all of its posts and also ask questions. Other group members could be fellow searchers, amateur genealogists, or experts on the family or location one is interested in. As is the case on bulletin boards and online forums, the more specific the query, the better the chance of getting an answer.

For more information regarding this presentation, contact Chris Smith, manager of adult programming for the library, at 504-889-8143 or wcsmith@jefferson.lib.la.us.

Library: East Bank Regional Library    Map
Location: Jefferson & Napoleon Rooms
Contact: Chris Smith
Contact Number: 504-889-8143
Presenter: Chris Smith