POWER SEARCHING FOR YOUR FAMILY ONLINE
(Please be aware this post was written in 2003 and published at that time in the Houston Chronicle (Houston, Texas) newspaper. Some of the news in this post, therefore, may not be current. Current and future posts on this blog may revisit and update news on this and other posts on this blog. If you have questions and/or suggestions, please send Mic a note using the comment page -Don’t forget to use the orange “subscribe” button to receive new posts-Thanks, Mic)
Probably the best place to conduct hands-on genealogical research is a federal or state archives, a county courthouse where our ancestors lived or a major library such as the Family History Library in Salt Lake City. Since we all live in and around Houston the next very best place to conduct research is the Clayton Genealogical Library at 5300 Caroline in the Museum District. To sweeten the deal there is no costly airline ticket or hotel charge to pay.
Clayton Genealogical Library, known as one of the top five best genealogical libraries in the United States, is open Monday through Wednesday 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Thursday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. While those are the posted hours the Houston Public Library has left a virtual door open for those with wide eye and wish to conduct research late at night or in the wee hours of the morning. All one needs is a key and that key is the Power Card, the name of the Houston Public Library system’s library card.
By going to the library website at http://www.hpl.lib.tx.us/hpl/interactive/ , clicking on the Power Search link, then the Database Online link one may search the library’s catalogue and a number of other databases paid for with library funds or funds sponsored by the Texas State Library’s TexShare Program.
Included in these databases is the library catalogue, Heritage Quest’s online U.S. census records 1790-1930, HQ’s massive digitally scanned genealogy and history book collection, obituaries, death notices, almanacs, encyclopedias, biographical dictionaries and much more.
For a more thorough lesson on how to get the most from the Clayton Library and Houston Public Library’s online databases researchers should plan to attend the next quarterly meeting of Clayton Library Friends. Karen Stanley, one of Clayton’s many capable librarians, will address the group at 10 a.m. Saturday August 9 in the meeting room of Bayland Park Community Center, 6400 Bissonet in southwest Houston.
Stanley will talk about Using Clayton Library’s Online Databases For Genealogical Research. Her talk will discuss the various databases accessible through the Houston Public Library’s online library and how to get the most out of them.
The meeting is free and open to the public. For more information contact Dick Warren at 281-461-1472.
F&W-Betterway Books has recently published an excellent book by Nancy Hendrickson titled Finding Your Roots Online. The book is priced at $19.99 plus $3.95 shipping and is available from the publisher at 800-448-0915.
Finding Your Roots Online is an enjoyable, easy to read book with plenty of down to earth descriptions and examples explaining how to find genealogical information online. The book is arranged in three sections- First Steps in Climbing Your Family Tree; The Search; and Putting It All Together.
As with most F&W books this book has icons and notes throughout offering additional information, suggestions and friendly reminders to help the reader have a better research experience.
LEARN GENEALOGY
Offered by Leisure Learning, I will teach an introductory course on conducting family history research, Roots of Genealogy-How To Research Your Family Tree. The class will be held from 7 P.M. to 10 P.M. Tuesday August 5 at Leisure Learning’s 2990 Richmond Avenue campus. The following week the class will tour Clayton Genealogical Library and conduct on-site census research. Registration for this class is $35. For more information and to register, contact Leisure Learning at 713-529-4414.
FIND AN ANCESTOR’S MILITARY SERVICE
To help researchers locate military service information on their ancestors I will lead a class, American Military Records for Genealogists and Historians. The class will explore the types of records available for each American war from the colonial days to present. It will discuss the information contained in those records and tell where they may be located.
The class will be held Wednesday August 6 from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Leisure Learning’s 2990 Richmond Avenue Campus. Tuition for the class is $30. For more information and to register contact Leisure Learning at 713-529-4414.
CZECHS MEET IN CORPUS
The Czech Heritage Society of Texas will host their summer genealogy seminar on Friday August 1 from noon to 4:30 p.m. and Saturday August 2, 2003 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The event will be held at the SOKOL Hall, 5502 Kostoryz Road in Corpus Christi.
The featured speaker will be Czech Historian Dr. Jan Mikeska of Prague, Czech Republic. Complementing Mikeska with other informative genealogical talks will be Laurie Gudzikowski of the Institute of Texan Cultures in San Antonio, Dr. Martha Jones, Kathy Horak Smith, and Doug Kubicek.
There is no fee for the seminar, however, lunch on Saturday is $7 and must be prepaid by July 28. The Saturday night Czech dance will be $6. For more information call Daniel Hrna at 281-564-9800 or visit the Czech Heritage Society website at www.czechheritage.org
