Genealogy Research Starts Close to Home for Woodridge Area Residents

The popularity of television’s “Finding Your Roots” on PBS and TLC’s “Long Lost Family,” are evidence of the current interest in family research, a new hobby for some and a lifelong passion for others.

The newly elected president of the DuPage County Genealogy Society, Jennie Warner, is an enthusiastic supporter of everyday researchers digging into their own family story. She recently presented a program on military records at the Woodridge Public Library. Jennie, a Woodridge resident, along with fellow genealogist Suz Bates, also a Woodridge resident, are partnering with the Woodridge Public Library to provide good genealogy guidance and support to Woodridge residents close to home.

The key to the new focus on genealogy by the Woodridge Library is the open and welcoming nature of “genealogy time” sessions and workshops. A genealogist will be on-hand to answer questions. Researchers of all skill levels are welcome for this free help, no question is too basic or off-the-wall and most participants leave with a new piece of their family’s puzzle, and a positive attitude as their search continues.

Woodridge Public Library cardholders have at-home access to several sources that are helpful for family research including the Historical Chicago Tribune, The Historical New York Times and the Ancestry.com product HeritageQuest—which includes all available census data. Visitors to the Woodridge Library have access to these sources as well, with or without a library card, along with the library-edition of Ancestry.com.

Participating in workshops or training session in the library allows researchers to share and get tips. Having more experienced genealogists “in the room” can help tremendously when researchers hit a road block or need some help with challenging genealogy questions. Librarians and other staff members often provide insights into search strategies and choosing genealogy sources.

Suz Bates, a genealogist with 40 years of experience, will present “The Census” at 10 a.m. on Saturday, July 15. This along with other genealogy training sessions at the Woodridge Public Library are free and open to the public.

Registration is requested, online at the woodridgelibrary.org website, for the upcoming census workshop as well as the genealogy research sessions scheduled for 2 p.m. on Sunday, July 9 and Sunday, August 6.