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Austintown library hosts final genealogy discussion group
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Neighbors | Tim Cleveland.Librarian Jennifer Kuczek led the genealogy discussion group that was hosted monthly at the Austintown library.
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Neighbors | Tim Cleveland.Librarian Jennifer Kuczek and the two attendees of the genealogy discussion group began the meeting at the Austintown library.
By TIM CLEVELAND
For the last several months, the Austintown library has hosted a genealogy discussion group that brings area residents together to discuss their progress in researching their respective family trees.
The most recent was on Nov. 13.
“It’s a genealogy group,” Austintown library librarian Jennifer Kuczek said. “It’s an adult program and tonight is the last scheduled night for this particular program.
“It’s for adult patrons who are interested in genealogy. They’re currently doing their genealogy and it’s kind of a meet and greet and share ideas, like tips, what they’ve done, how they’ve done it, resources.”
Kuczek led the group, which had two attendees on Nov. 13. Kuczek said she has done some research into her own family’s history.
“I like to dabble in genealogy and I know ancestry.com is kind of helpful,” she said. “We have a librarian at Main, Tim Seman. He’s a huge help.”
Seman is the genealogical and and local library historian at the Main library in downtown Youngstown.
Kuczek said her mother Mildred Lumley sparked her interest on genealogy. She said using web sites such as ancestry.com has helped her connect to her family’s history.
“Ancestry.com makes it really easy if you know the names of your ancestors,” she said. “You just plug their names in and it goes through all its records, like passenger manifests from ships and trains and censuses. A friend of mine went on there and in a week she traced herself all the way back to the Mayflower.
“Some people think it’s so daunting, but it’s actually kind of fun. I’m working on an ancestor who signed the Declaration of independence.”
Kuczek was asked what benefits people can gain by researching their histories.
“Just a connection to their past, maybe to learn something about themselves that they maybe don’t know,” she said. “Meet other people. It’s neat to see where in the world you’re from.”