On July 10 and 17, the Newberry will be offering a series of one hour seminars in genealogy.  You can sign up for all or select them individually:

60 Minutes to Better Genealogy
Saturdays, 9:30 am – 3:45 pm
July 10 – July 17

8 one-hour sessions, $15 per session; $100 for both days; $50 for July 10 or July 17.  

For Associates of the Newberry, students, and seniors, $12 per session; $90 for both days; $45 for July 10 or July 17.

Register online for July 10 – July 17 (all eight sessions)
Register online for July 10 only (four sessions)
Register online for July 17 only (four sessions)

Sometimes 60 minutes of instruction on a focused topic can help you push through a particular question or task in your research project. This seminar series is designed with genealogy researchers in mind. You can take all eight sessions, or simply choose those that most appeal to you.

Saturday, July 10

9:30 – 10:30 am
Tools to Dig Deeper: Probate and Inquest Records
Register online (one session)
Probate case records can provide relatives’ names, lists of property and furnishings, and bills from service providers. Likewise, a coroner’s signature on a death certificate, or a newspaper account of an accidental death, can lead to inquest records, which provide information on the circumstances of the death.

10:45 – 11:45 am  
Going Straight to the Source: Pointers on Oral Histories
Register online (one session)
Learn how to prepare, interview, and preserve crucial stories of family members on audio tape.

1:30 – 2:30 pm
Chicago Research at the Newberry Library
Register online (one session)
Receive an overview of the Newberry Library's collections of Chicago city directories, compilation biographies, local histories, maps, and newspapers.

2:45 – 3:45 pm
Genealogy Materials in the Newberry Library's Special Collections Department
Register online (one session)

Learn how to locate genealogy and local history materials through an often-overlooked part of the Library: Special Collections.     

Grace Dumelle is the author of Finding Your Chicago Ancestors and is a principal of an historical research firm. Autumn Mather is Reference Librarian at the Newberry Library.

Saturday, July 17

9:30 – 10:30 am
Study Up on School Records for Success
Register online (one session)
Birth date, residence, and parents’ names are some of the gems in school records. Learn their genealogical value and how to access them.

10:45 – 11:45 am
Tips & Tricks for Cook County Vital Records
Register online (one session)
Try these alternative methods for births, marriages, divorces, and deaths. Learn about hidden sources such as out-of-state indexes.

1:30 – 2:30 pm
Using Non-population Censuses
Register online (one session)
"Non-population" censuses of farmers, slaves, manufacturers, invalids, the recently deceased, and many other groups, contain a wealth of information. Learn how to find and use these often-overlooked records.  

2:45 – 3:45 pm
Polish Genealogy Research at the Newberry
Register online (one session)
Find Polish ancestors who lived in America and Poland using the Newberry Library’s remarkable collections, including insurance application records of the Polish Women's Alliance of America.

Grace Dumelle is the author of Finding Your Chicago Ancestors and is a principal of an historical research firm. Matt Rutherford is Curator of Genealogy and Local History and Reference Team Leader at the Newberry Library.