Free Online Course for NGS Members: Family History Skills

Start your family history quest or brush up on genealogy basics by reviewing our free online course for members of the National Genealogical Society. The course is designed so that you can take as much or as little at a time as you wish and return whenever you like for a refresher or continued learning. Each of the course's six sections covers multiple subtopics and includes a resource list, a lesson review where you can check your understanding, and review solutions. The major sections are as follows:

Lesson One: Genealogical Basics
Lesson Two: Family and Published Sources
Lesson Three: Birth, Death, and Marriage Certificates
Lesson Four: Finding Death Information
Lesson Five: Finding Parents and Birth Information
Lesson Six: Marriage Records and Finding Wives

You may wish to try this shorter course first and then delve into some of the other NGS online courses or the in-depth Home Study Course. More information about NGS courses can be found at http://www.ngsgenealogy.org under the Educational Courses section.

Paths to Your Past, A New Book for Beginners

NGS is pleased to offer a new publication for beginning genealogists, Paths to Your Past, edited by Pamela Boyer Sayre, CG, CGL and NGS Director of Education and Publications, with contributions from Marty Hiatt, CG. The new 57-page, soft-cover book replaces an earlier publication entitled Instructions for Beginners in Genealogy, which was last updated in 2001.

Because the Internet has drastically changed the way we search for our ancestors, the new publication has been rewritten and reorganized to help beginners get started in the search for their ancestors. It tells how to collect information from family, libraries, government agencies at all levels, and the Internet; how to record facts; and how to write citations for sources so that they or anyone else can find them again in the future if need be. You will also find suggestions for learning more about genealogy. The book also includes a glossary for often-used family research terms.

Paths to Your Past would make an excellent addition to your library, teaching tool, or gift for friends or relatives new to genealogy. It is available in print at http://www.ngsgenealogy.org: click on Store, and search for Paths to Your Past. Please make sure you are logged on at the NGS website before proceeding to the Store. This will ensure that the member discount is applied to your purchases. The cost, which includes shipping, is $18 for members and $21 for non-members. If you teach family history research courses and would like to purchase multiple copies, a discount is available for purchases of 12 or more copies by contacting macdonald@ngsgenealogy.org. Look for the PDF version in the online store soon!