September 2012 Family History Writing Program at the Clayton Library

The September 2012 Family History Writing Program at The Clayton Library Center for Genealogical Research will host the following lecture and writing activity this month …

Writing Your Family History – An Interactive Day
Saturday, September 29 10:30AM – 4:00PM

Join Paula Stuart-Warren, CG, for a very exciting day consisting of a morning lecture with an active afternoon of writing exercises.

A Baker’s Dozen
10:30AM-12:30PM

Anyone can write! Learn ways to get your family history in print without a lot of strain! A “Baker’s Dozen” of ways to get started and ideas to get your greater family involved will be shared. You may find that you are already doing some of these but hadn’t realized you were actually getting family history into print! We’ll cover focus points, themes, photos, incorporating general history, and editing. Come prepared to write and take home a new outlook on getting YOUR family history written.

Writing Exercises
2:00PM-4:00PM

The afternoon will consist of writing exercises, individually and in small groups. Attendees are requested to bring a personal laptop if available. There will also be some actual writing, so please bring lined paper and pens and pencils of different colors.

This program is free and open to the public. Seating is limited to 45. You MUST call Clayton Library at 832-393-2600 to sign up. You will register for the whole day. Adult/Teens.

For more information, visit the Clayton Library webpage: http://www.houstonlibrary.org/clayton.

Clayton Library Center for Genealogical Research
5300 Caroline Street
Houston, Texas 77004
Phone: 832-393-2600

Library Hours are:
M Closed | T 10-6 | W 10-8 | Th 10-6 | F 10-5 | Sa 10-5 | Su Closed

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June 2012 Programs at Clayton Library Center for Genealogical Research

It’s June 1, 2012 and I can already tell it’s going to be a long hot summer here in H-town. But to beat this heat, I plan to attend some of the great genealogy programs that the Clayton Library Center for Genealogical Research has in store for genealogy patrons this month!

If you have  a Houston Public Library card (the orange power card), you can register for any of the Clayton Library programs you see below by going to:
1) Library’s online catalog at http://catalog.houstonlibrary.org/search~s1/
2) Search for the word “genealogy”
3) On the first program that is offered, just look to the right for the “Calendar of Events” icon and click on it.

Enjoy!

Cemetery Day – Billion Graves and other fun stuff
Saturday, June 2, 2012 10:30-11:30AM or 1:30-2:30PM

Learn how to use the free, online website, Billion Graves. Billion Graves has been described as the, “fastest, easiest and most efficient way to gather headstone data in the world”. Also discussed will be how you can become a volunteer and add even more data. Reservations required. Please call 832-393-2600. Adults/Teens.

Indexing: It isn’t just the census

Thursday, June 14, 2012 10:30AM-12:00PM
Saturday, June 23, 2012 2:00-3:30PM

Ever thought about volunteering, but you can’t come to the library? Maybe your time is short and you just can’t commit to a certain time each week, but you still want to help. Are you interested in old records? Are you interested in various types of records? Do you use the computer? It sounds like “indexing” might be just the right volunteering project for you. Come hear from an experienced indexer/arbitrator about the thrills of indexing. Bring a laptop if you have one and get started today or practice in the library on one of ours. Reservations required. Please call 832-393-2600. Adults/Teens.

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Clayton Library Orientation
Saturday, June 16, 2012 10:30-11:45AM

Learn about the vast resources and how to efficiently utilize genealogical research materials housed at the Clayton Library Center for Genealogical Research. No reservations needed, meet at the Information Desk in the library. Adults/Teens.

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Quick Start your Genealogy!
Wednesday, June 27, 2012 1:30-3:30PM

Overview of genealogical research tools:
1:30-2:00PM HPL Catalog
2:10-2:50PM Ancestry Library Edition; FamilySearch
3:00-3:30PM Ordering microprint from Salt Lake City
Reservations required, please call 832-393-2600. Adults/Teens.

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Lineage Help
Most Wednesday nights, 5:30-7:30PM

Looking to join the United Daughters of the Confederacy, Daughters of the American Revolution, or Daughters of the Republic of Texas? Come to Clayton Library on Wednesday nights from 5:30 to 7:30. Members of the Oran M. Roberts Chapter UDC #440 are here to help you discuss your lineage application research. This is available MOST Wednesday nights, but call 832-393-2600 to confirm the team will be here. Sign up when you get to the library. Adults/Teens.

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Clayton Library Center for Genealogical Research
5300 Caroline Street
Houston, Texas 77004
Phone: 832-393-2600

Library Hours are:
M Closed | T 10-6 | W 10-8 | Th 10-6 | F 10-5 | Sa 10-5 | Su Closed

Tuesday’s Tip: On Your Mark, Get Set, Ready … GO – 1940 Census here we come!

We are just a week away from the release of the 1940 Census and thanks to the National Archives, they have setup a direct link to the 1940 Census records at http://www.archives.gov/research/census/1940/ and a brief, yet informative video I’ve posted below, for anyone planning to access these records on April 2, 2012.

 

So why is the 1940 Census so special?

This census describes our country during the Great Depression, which began when Wall Street crashed, October 1929. According to Wikipedia.org, This crash “. . . marked the beginning of a decade of high unemployment, poverty, low profits, deflation, plunging farm incomes, and lost opportunities for economic growth and personal advancement.”

So what can you and I do right now to prepare for the grand opening of the 1940 Census?

We can begin by:

1. Making a list of all the people (our ancestors, their parents, siblings, cousins, etc.) we want to look up in the 1940 Census.
2. Collecting as many addresses as possible for these people by referring to:
   • City Directories
   • 1930 Census
   • World War II Draft Records
   • Naturalization Petitions
3.  Identifying the Enumeration District (ED) where our ancestors lived.What are Enumeration Districts? These are geographical areas of a city or county that were assigned to a census taker.To locate the Enumeration Districts where our ancestors’ lived, go to the National Archives’ Online Public Access Search (OPA) at http://www.archives.gov/research/search/.
   To look up an Enumeration District, type –
   1940 census enumeration district description + the county + the state
   To look up an Enumeration District Map, type –
   1940 census maps + the county + the state. Another option for locating an Enumeration District is to visit Steve Morse’s website at http://stevemorse.org/census/ed2040.php?state=&year=1940 to access his free tool for converting a 1930 Census ED to a 1940 Census ED in one step.
4. Accessing a blank copy of the 1940 Census forms below to become familiar with the various questions asked by census takers on that form:
   Blank 1940 Census Form
   Fillable 1940 Census Form

For more information and free resources for Genealogist at the National Archives, visit them online at http://www.archives.gov/research/genealogy/

Happy Researching!

African American Research at the Clayton Library Center for Genealogical Research

Black History Month 2012

It’s Black History Month 2012 and one place you will certainly find me doing African American Research is at the Clayton Library Center for Genealogical Research to learn more about the groundbreaking  African American Heritage database they have devoted to African American family history research . . . woo-hoo! To learn more about this event and another program of interest this month, check out the information below. And if you live in H-town, or you have travel plans that bring you this way,  be sure to stop by the Clayton Library this month!

African American Heritage Database

Saturday, February 18, 2012 2:00-3:00PM
Please join Sue Kaufman, Clayton manager, for a presentation of the African American Heritage database. This groundbreaking digital resource is exclusively devoted to African American family history research. The collection was created in partnership with leading African American genealogists to develop a comprehensive mix of resources, records, and tools specifically pertaining to African Americans. Reservations required, please call 832-393-2600. Adults/Teens.

Researching Free Persons of Color in Louisiana
Saturday, February 25, 2012 10:30-11:30PM
Learn how to do genealogical research on free persons of color in Louisiana from the early French period to the years before the Civil War. The presentation will include case studies and discuss valuable resources. Learn the definition of “free person of color,” along with a brief discussion on the culture of pre-American Louisiana and some of the other labels used to describe free persons of color. Reservations required, please call 832-393-2600. Adults/Teens.

Clayton Library Center for Genealogical Research
5300 Caroline Street
Houston, Texas 77004
Phone: 832-393-2600

Library Hours are:
M Closed | T 10-6 | W 10-8 | Th 10-6 | F 10-5 | Sa 10-5 | Su Closed

It’s Family History Month at the Clayton Library Center for Genealogical Research

It’s Family History Month at the Clayton Library Center for Genealogical Research and below are events, news, and programs going on the month of October 2011

October 2011 news and programming

Clayton Library Orientation
Saturday, October 15, 2011 10:30-11:45AM
Learn about the vast resources and how to efficiently utilize genealogical research materials housed at the Clayton Library Center for Genealogical Research. No reservations needed, meet at the Information Desk in the library. Adults/Teens.

Funeral records: the final event
Saturday, October 22, 2011 3:00–4:00PM
Wednesday, October 12, 2011 3:00-4:00PM
The final event of a life generates final records of a person’s life. Various records will be discussed including digital collections, printed, and microfilmed sources as well as alternatives to traditional burials. Reservations required, please call 832-393-2600. Adults/Teens.