Genealogy
The Library has volunteer genealogy researchers who assist visitors with their research and who answer written research requests. The fee for using the library is the same as the museum admission-$5.00 per day per researcher. Members use the library for free as a benefit of membership. The research fee for mail inquiries is $20.00 per name. Guided by the information provided by the researcher, the volunteers will check the library book collection, family files and archival materials for additional information. Research materials outside the Fenton History Center are not consulted by the volunteers. A form to request a search is provided for your convenience or a letter with information about the person to be researched may be sent with a check to the Fenton History Center Library.
The "support" in this group is the support each member can give to other members in their genealogical pursuits, the support the Library can provide the researcher and, hopefully, the support the member can give the Library.
The staff was aware of various members using the Library at different times, often unaware of the other members who came at different times. The staff was also aware that some members were researching outside our area but we didn't know where. If these additional areas could be identified, it was possible to provide some additions to the collection to aid these members. A meeting was announced to invite interested members to meet together and start a network and provide for a few meetings a year. The group immediately asked if they could meet monthly. The result is a monthly meeting, usually held the third Monday of the month at 9:30 am at the Fenton History Center. Meetings during the summer months are often held in the evenings, giving the working members a chance to join the group. Different topics are selected for a short "lesson" and discussion at each meeting. Topics have included different types of records such as census, land, tax, or military records and how and where to research in different states or countries. In 2001, for example, each person picked a "problem ancestor" to work on and the group spent part of each meeting brainstorming the problems and suggesting ideas for further research. Each person gets help with a specific problem and all can benefit from the strategies and techniques discussed and tried.
Members of the Genealogy Support Group must be members of the Fenton History Center. There are no additional dues. Beside the monthly meetings, GSG member benefits include: borrowing privileges for a small collection of "how-to" books; rental of census and other microfilm from Heritage Quest; and support from others who understand the passions of a genealogist.
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