DRAFT-National Archives Virtual Genealogy Fair

All Skill Levels

Experienced Skill Level

Civil War Union Noncombatant Personnel: Teamsters, Laundresses, Nurses, Sutlers, and More 
Claire Kluskens

The National Archives Building, 700 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20408, www.archives.gov/dc, contains many records about noncombatant civilians connected with the Union Army during the American Civil War. However, the records are underutilized because there is no comprehensive index, no “one” place to look, and requires time-consuming research into obscure records. Digitization is slowly changing that, however! This lecture will provide suggestions for research with emphasis on online materials that can help you get started. 

All Skill Levels

Merchant Marine records at the National Archives at St. Louis 
Theresa Fitzgerald

The core collection of Merchant Marine Licensing Files were recently accessioned and are now open to the public for the first time at the National Archives at St. Louis. Additionally, I will go over our auxiliary collections of Merchant Marine records that are complex and closely connected.

Experienced Skill Level

From Here to There; Researching Bureau of Indian Affairs Employees Across the National Archives 
Cara Lebonick and Cody White

Researching ancestors who worked for federal agencies is a popular topic at the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) and this presentation will tie together the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) Official Personnel Files (OPF) held in St. Louis with the agency field records located in various NARA field sites. The session will open with what can be found in the OPFs and how to request them. Then, using an example, Cara will conduct a deep dive into the OPF of an American Indian woman employed by the BIA before handing it off to Cody who will then explore what further information can be found in the regional records of the BIA. Together Cara and Cody will show how the holdings across the National Archives can provide a more complete genealogical story.

All Skill Levels

Preserving and Digitizing Personal Photo Albums and Scrapbooks 
Sara Holmes and Noah Durham

Preserving photo albums and scrapbooks can be especially challenging, often because they are bound and contain a variety of problematic materials. This session will address how to work  with poor quality materials commonly found in personal scrapbooks and albums, how to maintain the integrity of the arrangement, and how to store them appropriately. Pro tips for home users will be provided to offer ways to digitize albums, organize electronic files, and preserve them as electronic records. Examples of albums shown come from both NARA collections and from staff’s personal collections.

Handouts will be offered to provide greater detail on possible media problems, storage solutions, pros and cons of imaging methods, file naming conventions, and further sources of information for preservation and digitization.

Beginner

Skill Level

Tips and Tools for Engaging Family with Your Research Finds 
Dorothy Dougherty and Missy McNatt

As the family historian, you have amassed information and records that one day will pass to the next family historian. How do you share your findings with others? How you engage young family members involved with all your hard research may be another story. Education staff members, Missy McNatt and Dorothy Dougherty, will demonstrate fun and engaging ways to connect your research to family members, including your grandchildren. This lecture will highlight activities related to our most popular genealogy records, such as Immigrant Ship Arrivals, U.S. Census Records, Naturalization records, Military and Pension files. Staff will also demonstrate new ways to share your research finds in the social media world, using social media formats.

This presentation is appropriate for anyone engaged in genealogy research, interested in a variety of record types, and looking for ways to teach genealogy/family history to others.