Live Q&A sessions: February 5, 12, 19, 26, & March 5, 2026, 6-7 p.m. Eastern Time.

Technology has revolutionized family history research—allowing us to access billions of records from the comfort of our homes and to store and organize countless files digitally. But with cutting edge tools and resources emerging all the time, it can be difficult to know where to start or how to keep up!

Each week during this online seminar you will receive access to recorded lectures and step-by-step video demonstrations to help you understand how to take advantage of our recommended websites and tools. You can view these materials in your own time and at your own pace during the week so that you can digest the material and formulate your questions. Then, log on to our weekly, live Q&A session with the instructors—you can use this time to ask follow up questions, request further demonstrations, and more.

Course Topics

Class 1: Organizing Digital Files with Rhonda R. McClure
Instructional Materials and Demos Available on January 30
Live Q&A with Instructor on February 5

Throughout your research, you will accumulate a myriad of digital files—email, scans, downloads from the internet, digital photos, and more. In this first section of the seminar, Senior Genealogist Rhonda R. McClure will discuss various systems on how to organize your electronic files and demonstrate how they can work in tandem with your physical files.

Class 2: Best Practices for Digitizing Family Papers and Photographs with June Henry
Instructional Materials and Demos Available on February 6
Live Q&A with Instructor on February 12

Digitizing your family history papers and photographs is an incredibly worthwhile project—but if you have bins of your family’s photographs, scrapbooks, and other heirlooms, this project may seem insurmountable. In this session, Archivist June Henry will demonstrate best practices to plan, scan, and manage your digitization project at home.

Class 3: Using AI in Family History Research with Melanie McComb
Instructional Materials and Demos Available on February 13
Live Q&A with Instructor on February 19

In this session, Senior Genealogist Melanie McComb will discuss exciting possibilities for using AI to support your research—including assistance with transcription, translations, and more. She will also address aspects of AI that genealogists should be cautious of, such as accuracy and copyright concerns.

Class 4: DNA Tools with Melanie McComb
Instructional Materials and Demos Available on February 20
Live Q&A with Instructor on February 26

There are several online tools that can help you manage your DNA results and increase your potential matches. Learn how to utilize tools on the various DNA platforms (Ancestry, FamilyTree DNA, MyHeritage, 23andMe), GEDmatch, DNA Painter, AncesTrees, and more in your research!

Class 5: Making the Most of Google for Family History Research with Rhonda R. McClure
Instructional Materials and Demos Available on February 27
Live Q&A with Instructor on March 5

You may think finding family history information on Google is as simple as, well, Googling it! However, you’ll be surprised to learn how many little-known features and search tips there are that can help you return the results you need to break down your brick walls.