Harford County Public Library celebrates Genealogy Week January 27-30 by hosting three virtual programs. The featured programs are:
 
DNA: Just Beyond the Basics – Adding to Your Solid Foundation, January 27 from 6:30-8 p.m. Peggy Jude will share how the effective use of DNA can further genealogical research. Building on the basics, this session will cover topics including working with a match list, determining how a match is related, prioritizing matches, tools to use to further research and the impact of endogamy and pedigree collapse on DNA matches. Advanced registration is required at https://programs.hcplonline.org/event/12107486.
 
Walk Where Your Ancestors Walked: Virtual Heritage Travel Using AI & Online Resources, January 28 from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Presenter Lisa Lisson will take participants on a trip to where their ancestors lived. Participants will walk where they walked, and see what they saw. Virtual heritage travel increases understanding of the cultural, political and economic circumstances surrounding ancestors which helps family historians to find ancestors and connect with them on a deeper level. Advanced registration is required at https://programs.hcplonline.org/event/12107494.
 
Using FamilySearch: A FREE Genealogy Website, January 30 from 6:30-8:00 p.m. This program offers an overview of the features and resources available at FamilySearch.org. Participants will look at building a family tree, searching historical records, saving photos and other memories, and the unique live help services available from FamilySearch and its local affiliate libraries and centers. (FamilySearch may be accessed from Harford County Public Library’s website at hcplonline.org/genealogy.php.) Advanced registration is required at https://programs.hcplonline.org/event/12107498.
 
In addition to the virtual programs, genealogy discussion groups meet at the Bel Air Library on
 
the first Monday of the month from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. and at the Jarrettsville Library on the fourth Thursday of the month from 6:15 to 7:45 a.m. Topics vary by month and location, and fellow researchers are invited to attend to share and learn about techniques, tips and resources.
 
“Genealogy Week is one of the most anticipated weeks of the year for many of our customers. The Library offers so many resources to genealogists, from those just beginning their search to those who have explored and investigated their family histories for many years. This year’s programming offers something for everyone, and we are very excited to explore how AI is being used in research during the January 28 program, ” said Mary Hastler, CEO of Harford County Public Library.
 
Harford County Public Library also offers several genealogy databases, including Ancestry Library Edition, Heritage Quest Online, ProQuest Historical U.S. Newspapers and Fold 3. The Maryland Room at the Bel Air Library houses an array of genealogy and local research materials in addition to Harford County's Living Treasures Oral History Collection. The Bel Air Library is also an affiliate library for FamilySearch, a program with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints that houses a catalog of 2.4 million rolls of microfilmed genealogical resources worldwide and access to millions of digital records. For more information, visit https://hcplonline.org/genealogy.php. 

Harford County Public Library also offers access to the Harford Heritage Digital Archives, containing hundreds of documents, images and Harford County local history resources at https://hcplonline.org/localhistory.php.
 
Harford County Public Library operates 11 branches located throughout Harford County offering access to ideas that inform, entertain and inspire. Last year the Library interacted with its residents more than 12 million times – borrowing free materials, visiting branches and the website, using free WiFi, and attending classes and events. In 2024 Harford County Public Library received the Maryland Library Association Excellence in Marketing Award for graphic excellence for the second time. For more information, visit HCPLonline.org.