County library’s Genealogy Club offers specialty programs
A 1949 photo of a New Philadelphia fire truck from the county library’s historical photo collection.
The Tuscarawas County Public Library System’s main library has a lineup of programs for genealogy enthusiasts to attend this spring.
“Our main library hosts genealogy enthusiasts for monthly club gatherings, lock-ins and how-to-search classes,” said Robyn Guedel, adult and teen services manager. “We are pleased to continue offering these types of programs this spring.”
Offerings through the end of April include Genealogy Club meetings with a research evening on Jan. 22 at 6:30 p.m., a lock-in on Feb. 23 from 5:55-8 p.m., a research evening on Feb. 26 at 6:30 p.m. and a research evening on March 26 at 6:30 p.m.
Genealogy classes include Genealogy Websites for Beginners on March 17 from 10-11:30 a.m. and Ancestry Library for Beginners on March 17 from 1:30-3 p.m.
Special programs include Tombstone Research on April 23 at 6:30 p.m. Join genealogy librarian Deb Kitko from Wayne County Public Library as she gives a presentation on how to research ancestors using tombstone records.
“Everyone is welcome at these club meetings and programs,” Guedel said. “There is no formal membership or charge to participate in club events. It is just people interested in genealogy coming together to learn new things and to learn from one another.”
Public service associate Gina Merrill oversees the county library’s genealogy and local history collections, teaches database classes and facilitates the genealogy club. Merrill said the special programs are chosen from questions that have been asked or topics that have been discussed.
Merrill said new members are always welcome to attend genealogy club events and classes at the library. The county library offers online resources including Ancestry Library, Heritage Quest and Fold3 databases as well as census, marriage and cemetery indexes. The collection at the main library in New Philadelphia also includes yearbooks, maps, local village histories, war rosters and the Times Reporter — along with its predecessors — on microfilm.
In addition to local newspaper microfilm, the county library subscribes to Newspaper Archives, which is an online database that offers keyword search capabilities for articles and obituaries in newspapers across Ohio dating back to the 1800s.
While the collection at the county’s main library houses the system’s most comprehensive genealogy and local history collection, each of the county’s four branches has a small collection unique to the individual village.
The spring genealogy program offerings will be held at the main library at 121 Fair Ave. NW, New Philadelphia. There is no charge to attend, but registration is required and may be done using the online program calendar on the library’s website at www.tusclibrary.org or by calling 330-364-4474 ext. 101.