All Programs require pre-registration and are held at the Cloverdale Library unless otherwise noted. To register, please drop in to the branch at 5642 – 176A Street, Surrey, BC (V3S 4G9), call 604-598-7328, or email genealogy@surrey.ca
Programs: Ongoing and New for Fall 2010
City of Surrey Museum and Archives Programs
Heritage Programs at the
Surrey Museum, our "kitty corner" neighbours
Cloverdale Library Genealogical Collection Orientations
The Cloverdale Branch of Surrey Public Library has one of the most extensive collections of Canadian genealogical materials in Western Canada. The library has a wide variety of books and microfilms covering records from the Canadian provinces and territories. To help you become familiar with the collection, the Cloverdale library offers orientations, usually held on the first Saturday of every month, 10 am - 11 am, or occasionally, the next Saturday after a long weekend.
Next session:
Saturday, September 11, 10:00am - 10:50am
No Charge
Suggestion: double header - attend our orientation to the collection at 10:00am, just before the Fall Trails program (September 11), and make a great start to your research!
Pre-registration recommended. To register, please drop in to the branch at 5642 – 176A Street, Surrey, BC (V3S 4G9), call 604-598-7328, or email genealogy@surrey.ca
Interested in your family history but don't know where to start? Take your -
First Steps on the Ancestral Trail
with Brenda Smith
What tools do we need? Where do we look? Are we on the right path? Attend this session to explore the methodology needed to launch a family history research project. Participants receive a starter workbook and other materials to guide their first steps on this popular self-development path.
Saturday, September 11, 2010, 11:00am - 12:30pm
Charge: $10.00
Suggestion: double header - attend our orientation to the collection at 10:00am just before the Trails program, and make a great start to your research!
Pre-registration is required. To register, please drop in to the branch at 5642 – 176A Street, Surrey, BC (V3S 4G9), call 604-598-7328, or email genealogy@surrey.ca
Resources for Discovering First Nations Heritage
Laurie J.Cooke
You may need to prove your genealogy for First Nations status, or perhaps there was an aboriginal ancestor in your family story, but you aren’t certain and have no information. Pick up some tips and find out how our genealogy collection and services can help you on this path.
Saturday, October 2, 10:30am - Noon
No charge, but donations welcome.
Pre-registration is required. To register, please drop in to the branch at 5642 – 176A Street, Surrey, BC (V3S 4G9), call 604-598-7328, or email genealogy@surrey.ca
Second Annual Family History Show and Tell!
Last year we invited people who document their family history to bring in their creations – there were family quilts, artfully done scrapbooks, storyboards, digital collages and much more. We invite you once again to join us and bring whatever you’ve made to honour your ancestors. Perhaps you’ll find an excellent Christmas gift idea too.
You are welcome to share by describing your project or by just showcasing your wares. It might be something simple, something elaborate or even a work in progress. A laptop with the Internet and a projector will be available to demonstrate online projects such as family history websites or digital collections. Visitors without projects are welcome and light refreshments will be available.
Saturday, November 13, 2010, 10:30am - Noon
No charge, donations welcome.
Please pre-register by calling 604-598-7328, emailing genealogy@surrey.ca
Payment required upon registration.
Start Searching Your Family History - a Beginners' Workshop in 5 Lessons
with Brenda Smith
FULL - please call to be on the wait list or sign up for January
This series of five 3-hour classes, developed by writer and researcher Brenda Smith, addresses each beginning family history researcher's need for guidance in embarking on a very personal journey. Working with their own materials, and supporting each other, learners will discover their particular motives and set goals for their research, organize and evaluate their data, and plan the first stage of their individual programs. Participants must be able to commit to attending all five sessions.
Fall 2010: Monday Evenings, 5:30pm - 8:30pm: September 20, October 4, 18, November 1, 15
At the Cloverdale Library, 5642-176A Street, Surrey
Charge $100 for series
Please pre-register by calling 604-598-7328, or emailing genealogy@surrey.ca
Payment required upon registration.
Lesson 1: Probe the Past - From the Known to the Unknown
Discover your personal motivation for compiling a family history, formulate goals for research, and draft a family tree diagram.
Lesson 2: Organize - The Second Prime Directive
Explore organizational approaches, basic data collection and storage techniques, organize your workbook, and create a family group sheet.
Lesson 3: Can You Prove That? Verify Your Findings
Process documents, discuss evidence and apply standards of proof.
Lesson 4: Right Forest, Wrong Tree: Interpret Your Findings
Build context for your research, & develop techniques for critical analysis of family history data.
Lesson 5: Pack Your Parachute: The Research Plan
Renew your research goals and prepare a plan for continuing research.
Start Writing Your Family History:
A Communications Workshop in 5 Lessons
This series also consists of five 3-hour classes, and addresses the researcher's need to report and publish findings. Working with their own materials, and supporting each other, learners discover how to move from the gathering of information to creating a publishable product. Participants must be able to commit to attending all five sessions.
Prerequisites: Start Searching Your Family History or approval from the instructor.
2011: 5 Saturday afternoons, 1:30pm - 4:40pm between January and March - final dates TBA
At the Cloverdale Library, 5642-176A Street, Surrey
Instructor: Brenda Smith
Charge $100 for series
Please pre-register by calling 604-598-7328, or emailing genealogy@surrey.ca
Payment required upon registration.
Lesson 1: The Research Cycle
Examine the basics of writing practice including: audience identification, choosing a genre, identifying the topic. Introduce course elements: research, organize, write, edit, publish. Also: get-acquainted activities and cooperative evaluation training.
Lesson 2: Organize To Write
Explore organizational approaches, citation, and apply standards of proof. Practice cooperative evaluation techniques.
Lesson 3: Get it on Paper
Move from research to writing mode. Practice creating documents and discussing evidence.
Lesson 4: Edit
Decide what to use, what to eliminate, what to rewrite, what to save for next time.
Lesson 5: Publish
Discuss the publishing process in preparation for larger projects: including print and multimedia.