Genealogy and Local History Programs

The Wayne County Public Library strives to offer genealogy and local history programs for our researchers free of charge. Additional programs are offered through the Wayne County Genealogical Society. The library is separate from the local historical societies and genealogical society; however, at times our programs may overlap.

March 2017

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  Researching the Dash Between the Tombstone Dates

• Immigration and Naturalization Records: Wednesday, March 22 from 10-12 noon, Conference Room East
  • Most residents in the United States have roots elsewhere. This class will explore researching your ethnic ancestor.

• Using Records to Complete the Dash Between the Dates When Researching Tombstones: Monday, March 27 from 6:30-7:30 p.m., Conference Room East
  • This program is part of the Wayne County Genealogical Program Series. Birth and death dates are a start when researching tombstones inscriptions. The content found in the dash between the dates is where you may find the interesting stories. A short business meeting will follow the program.

April 2017

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• Genealogy Lock-in: Saturday, April 1 from 6-10 p.m., Genealogy and Local History Department
  • Enjoy a time devoted to family history and local history research. Pre-registration is a must.

• WCGS/WCPS Work Session: Wednesday, April 5 from 2-4 p.m., Genealogy and Local History Department
  • The Wayne County Genealogical Society will assist the Wayne County Preservation Society with researching information transcribed from tombstones.

• Family History Writing Group: Wednesday, April 12 from 10-11 a.m., Conference Room West
  • This is time set aside for researchers whose desire is to leave a written legacy for their loved ones. No writing experience is necessary. Individuals may choose to bring their electronic devices or may choose to bring paper and a writing utensil. A different topic is chosen each session. Time will be allotted for sharing for those interested.

• Writing Your Family Narrative: Wednesday, April 19 from 10-12 noon, Conference Room West
  • Did you ever ask yourself, "I wish I would have asked more questions when he or she was living?" Family historians often get caught up in researching their ancestors and forget to record their own memories. This workshop will provide clues on how you may be able to add some character to your ancestors' lives and give ideas on how to begin recording your own memories for your loved ones.

May 2017

• Online Genealogy: Wednesday, May 10 from 10-12 noon, Conference Room West
  • Ancestry Library Edition/Ancestry.com and FamilySearch are two database used daily by family historians. Learn how to effectively use both of these sources in your research. Other websites of interest will be discussed during this presentation.

• Family History Writing Group: Wednesday, May 17 from 10-11 a.m., Conference Room West
  • This is time set aside for researchers whose desire is to leave a written legacy for their loved ones. No writing experience is necessary. Individuals may choose to bring their electronic devices or may choose to bring paper and a writing utensil. A different topic is chosen each session. Time will be allotted for sharing for those interested.

• How Do You Know What You Know? Moving Beyond Your Genealogy Database: Saturday, May 20 from 1-2 p.m.
  • The Wayne County Genealogical Society is sponsoring the guest speaker for this presentation. Chris Staats is the owner of Staats Genealogical Services in Euclid, Ohio. He has spoken at several state conferences and is an active member of the Great Lakes Chapter of the Association of Professional Genealogists. According to his website, "Genealogical databases are a great tool to store and maintain our family tree. However, they don't accurately reflect the most important thing we do as researchers -- think, analyze, and explain. Databases are simply a list of sources land conclusions. Learn to document the reasoning that connects those sources and conclusion." (Staats Genealogical Services)

• Military Records at the Library: Monday, May 22 from 6:30-7:30 p.m.
  • This program is part of the Wayne County Genealogical Program Series. A short business meeting will follow the program.

June 2017

• History of the Wayne County Public Library: Saturday, June 17 from 10-11 a.m., Conference Room
  • 2017 is the milestone for many library anniversaries. The Wooster Public Library was established in 1897. The Operations Center (the old library) opened in 1967. The new Wooster Branch of the Wayne County Public Library was dedicated in 2007. This program will kick off a series of year long local history programs celebrating the 200th anniversary of the incorporation of the Town of Wooster and ending with the 150th anniversary of Wooster City.

• Family History Writing Group: Wednesday, June 21 from 10-11 a.m., Conference Room West
  • This is time set aside for researchers whose desire is to leave a written legacy for their loved ones. No writing experience is necessary. Individuals may choose to bring their electronic devices or may choose to bring paper and a writing utensil. A different topic is chosen each session. Time will be allotted for sharing for those interested.