Welcome to the History & Genealogy Virtual Classroom
View recordings available of classes taught live by History & Genealogy staff. The videos are also viewable on our YouTube channel.
If you have little or no research experience, this is the class for you. Learn about the genealogical research process and the many resources available in History & Genealogy at St. Louis County Library.
Libraries offer essential tools for researching your ancestry. Learn how to search online library catalogs, obtain materials from distant libraries, locate periodical articles, and use the library’s in-house guides.
Census records are a basic and essential source for genealogical research in the U.S. Learn how to search census records effectively using Ancestry Library Edition and other electronic databases.
The Ancestry Library Edition Database is a powerful tool for genealogical research. Find out how to take advantage of Ancestry’s capabilities in your research.
FamilySearch.org is a free website offering access to millions of records for genealogical research. This class will provide an overview of the kinds of records available and how to find them.
Basic search techniques will miss most records in FamilySearch. Learn to navigate un-indexed image collections, search the FamilySearch catalog effectively, and use advanced search features to tap into hard-to-find records.
Explore strategies for military research in the Fold3 and Ancestry Library Edition databases, as well as in print and internet sources.
Church records are an important source for learning about ancestors, and online sources, such as FamilySearch, Ancestry, and FindMyPast offer unprecedented access. This class will cover the uses of church records and how to find them online.
Learn about records related to 20th-century military service and tips for locating information. The Instructor will give an overview of print and digital sources and provide information about obtaining records from the National Archives.
The Draper Manuscript Collection is a unique source for researching eighteenth and nineteenth-century Appalachian and Ohio Valley ancestors. Learn about guides, finding aids, indexes, transcriptions, and resources to help you research in the collection. Explore case studies of increasing complexity and discuss possible research strategies.
The class was presented in cooperation with the Tri-State Genealogical Society, Evansville, Indiana.
Curious about what your ancestor’s living or work situation might have been like? Fire insurance maps offer a glimpse of the urban built environment in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Case studies will show how to use them to solve different research problems.
The 1850 US Federal Census was the first census to document everyone living within a household. Learn techniques for resolving who your ancestors were before the 1850 census.
Learn how to care for and protect digital files and photos. Library staff will share information about saving and preserving your digital memories.
Discover helpful resources for recording family stories, practice your interviewing skills, and learn about new digital tools for creating and preserving your family’s oral history.
Do you want to research your African American family but don’t know where to start? This class will teach you the basics of genealogical research including resources available in History & Genealogy at St. Louis County Library.
Learn about additional sources and techniques to deepen your research and overcome roadblocks. This course will use specific examples of records available and show you how to use them.
The usual techniques can often lead to roadblocks in African American research. The instructor will use case studies to demonstrate how researchers can fill gaps in missing information. Prerequisite: “Tracing Your African American Ancestors: Digging Deeper” or comparable research experience.
Learn about using the records of slave owning families to trace your African American ancestors even further. Finding manuscript collections that may contain these records will be explored.
Discover print and online resources for researching immigrant ancestors. This class will include an overview of information available on Ancestry Library Edition and other electronic databases.
Finding your ancestor's place of origin is essential to research progress. Learn about sources and get tips for discovering this sometimes-elusive information.
German-language newspapers are a valuable source of obituaries and other genealogical Information, and you do not have to be an expert in the German language. This presentation will offer tips for locating and deciphering obituaries in German newspapers.
The class was presented in cooperation with the Tri-State Genealogical Society, Evansville, Indiana.
Ortssippenbücher contain genealogical information about families within a specific town, village, or parish. Information can cover many generations of a family going back to the beginning of written records. Discover the areas of Germany where these books are available and learn how to use this resource yourself through a case study.
This was presented in partnership with the Tri-State Genealogical Society, Evansville, Indiana.
The 221 volumes of Deutsches Geschlechterbuch offer genealogical information for thousands of non-noble German families. Their standardized format makes using them possible for the non-German speaker.
With research materials covering the St. Louis metropolitan area, Missouri, migration trails into Missouri, and European homelands, the History & Genealogy Department's vast resources provide a wealth of possibilities for discovering your family's history and that of your local community. The library is home to the St. Louis Genealogical Society and National Genealogical Society collections.
The Evangelical Synod of North America, a German-speaking predecessor of the United Church of Christ, had congregations in most 19th-century German immigrant communities. Although it was Lutheran in character, it was not a Lutheran denomination. This lecture will review the denomination’s history and character and offer tips for finding records of congregations.
The class was presented in cooperation with the Tri-State Genealogical Society, Evansville, Indiana.