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Genealogical research class hosted by the Poland library
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Neighbors | Tim Cleveland.Main library genealogy and local history librarian Tim Seman gave a presentation at the Poland library about how to access government records to research an individual's ancestors.
By TIM CLEVELAND
Local residents who have a desire to research their family history got a lesson in how to use the library’s online databases during a presentation by the Main library’s genealogy and local history librarian Tim Seman on Jan. 15.
The database is through ancestry.com, perhaps the No. 1 online genealogical research web site and called “one of the most important research tools for genealogists,” by Seman. Normally requiring a fee to use, it is free to area residents through the libraryvisit.org website. The database is only accessible by visiting one of the Mahoning County libraries, due to subscription limitations with ancestry.com.
Seman gave a hands-on presentation on how to use the database to the 20 attendees who attended the approximately two-hour program.
“Tonight’s program is the introduction to genealogy,” he said. “It’s designed to do a couple things. One is to show the nuts and bolts of the process of doing family history research. That will include the resources both online and in print, microfilm resources, etc. And also, what constitutes genealogical research beyond those records, which means an understanding of local, national and world history to put everything into context.
“I’m going to be demonstrating its use on the screen, pulling it up from the library’s web site, which is how we subscribe to it, and demonstrating the different features that it offers for search. The different kinds of information it offers, how to get the information.”
Seman said the database has a multitude of records for people to research in finding out about their family history.
“It runs the full range; there’s different kinds of information,” he said. “You have immigration information, census information, birth, death, marriage information. You have military service information. That’s just a small portion of what’s loaded on it. It’s an enormous database, it’s an enormous source.
“The materials that are in the ancestry database are important because they provide not only the records somebody’s looking for, but in many cases, they provide compass settings as to where those records might exist, and it deepens the research quite a bit. It’s a wonderful resource.”
Seman said he’s made some new discoveries of free resources that are available for anyone seeking to research the history of a military member in their family.
“Since the last time I’ve done an introductory program, I’ve found some interesting websites and other resources that would be important for military history research for specific soldiers,” he said. “There’s also an online source put out by the U.S. Army Center for Military History. They’re the major publisher of the most accurate secondary sources of military history – units, regiments, various battles around the world.”
Seman said he’s had a life-long interest in genealogy and history.
“I’ve always had an interest in my own family history coupled with an interest in just general history,” he said. “It’s a natural fit for me because it deals with genealogy and local history. In fact, genealogy requires an understanding of not only the records and the events of an individual life, but the history of the time in which they lived.”