I’ve been a little out of touch with life outside my apartment and the hospital but I’m finally focusing on email and was delighted to learn that the renovation of the St. Louis County Public Library’s headquarters has been completed and that the building, complete with its new genealogy room, has been re-opened. I drove by recently and it’s a lovely building!
Genealogy classes are being offered at the Emerson History and Genealogy Center in new headquarters in September (and beyond), including classes on doing newspaper research, beginner genealogy and interpreting DNA results and more. Click on the link above to see a list of the upcoming genealogy classes, including some offered at other branches. The library system also offers virtual programs and digital archives.
The new library branch, known as the Clark Family Branch, has a Memory Lab where you can bring photos or other documents to be digitized. The library also has a Library of Things that includes two kits that can help genealogists. One is a scanning kit with a Chromebook and flatbed scanner that can be borrowed for 21 days. The other is an oral history kit that includes a portable recorder and a lavalier microphone, as well as a memory card and adapter and a folder with instructions on conducting oral history interviews.
A St. Louis County Library card is required to access some of the genealogy sources, though there is a “register as a guest” button for the classes. So you may be able to register for virtual classes that interest you, even if you don’t live in the St. Louis area.
All residents of St. Louis County, St. Louis City, and St. Charles County are eligible for free St. Louis County Library cards. Residents of neighboring counties can receive a card for a $50 annual fee.
Once my life settles down, I look forward to exploring the Emerson History and Genealogy Center at the new Clark Family Branch!
Janine, so sorry that you have been down. Hope good days return soon. I always love your messages, and sometimes save them if there are “ how-to” instructions.
I have been completely away from genealogy for last few years. My wonderful hubby had health problems, then fell & broke his hip & then passed away a year ago. I had no idea what deep grief was like. Just now sort of coming “back into life” and looking forward to getting back to family history work soon as I can.
Thank you for all you have done to help us over the years. (We discovered we are distant cousins but right now I don’t remember on which line)
Thanks for your kind words, Patricia. I’m so sorry to hear about the loss of your husband. I’m glad you’re moving through the grief. I’m sure it’s so difficult.
I always enjoy your blog and your posts on organizing and Reunion. I hope you are back to a more healthy life soon. I am in the midst of my second major downsizing and am looking forward to spending more time on genealogy research before long. For now I’m looking at how much can be tossed before I move – 30 years of research mostly on paper… The new library in St Louis sounds amazing. Thank you for your blog and best wishes to you.
Downsizing is hard! Best of luck with it. I don’t have much research on paper but I did move what I had and it’s in a box. I’m determined to get through it this month! You’re inspiring me.