Intro to Genealogy and Family History Research

RootsMOOC is a friendly introduction to family history research in the United States using commonly available sources. The expert researchers at the State Library of North Carolina will help you learn about the most useful sources, tools, and techniques for getting your research off the ground and properly organized. By the time you’re finished with this course, you’ll have a good start on your own genealogy research and you will know how and where to keep digging.

Participants in this course will have the opportunity to complete an ancestor chart, conduct interviews with family members, and share their own research progress with fellow participants. You’ll be challenged to go beyond the sources that are available online, identify local genealogy societies and libraries in your area, and connect with experts who can help you wherever your search takes you.

This project was made possible in part by a grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services.

Module 1: Getting Started with Genealogy Research
Module 2: Digging into the U.S. Census
Module 3: Working with State and Local Resources
Module 4: Online Sources and Strategies