Sponsored by East Baton Rouge Parish Library

The holidays are a time for reminiscing and sharing stories, and they’re also the perfect moment to start exploring your family history. At the East Baton Rouge Parish Library’s Special Collections Department, located on the second floor of the Main Library at Goodwood, archivist Melissa Eastin and her team are ready to help residents turn curiosity about their roots into meaningful, well-documented family histories.

“We have a couple of points of entry into this process,” Eastin explains. “We have our online presence, which is ebrpl.com. If you go to the Special Collections portal, you’ll find all sorts of genealogy information in there, including how to get started.”

From downloadable pedigree charts to beginner-friendly tips, these resources help you write down what you already know about your family. Understanding your starting point, including names, dates, places and relationships, sets the foundation for deeper research.

For those ready to take the next step, the library offers in-person genealogy classes throughout the year, including Introduction to Genealogy and specialized sessions on software, organization and research techniques. One upcoming class, “Genealogy Software and Organization” on October 21, focuses on managing records and keeping research organized. “Keep track of your data and where it came from,” Eastin emphasizes. “You want this information to be verifiable, so citation is a big deal.”

If group classes don’t fit your schedule, the library also provides one-on-one consultations with experienced genealogists. Team members specialize in areas such as Sicilian ancestry, African American genealogy, adoptions and more. Eastin recommends calling ahead to 225.213.3751 so staff can match visitors with the right specialist, but walk-ins are welcome. Out-of-town guests can receive a free day pass to use in-person resources, including subscription databases like Ancestry.com.

The library encourages families to use holiday gatherings as an opportunity to fill in the gaps. “The photo albums always come out, and the family stories are getting told,” Eastin says. “That’s a great time to ask questions, take notes or even pull out your phone and record voice memos.” The department does extensive oral history work and can provide guidance and training for those who want to preserve family stories more formally.

Preserving the past also means preserving physical materials. The library is gradually building an “obsolete media” lab that converts aging formats such as VHS tapes, mini tapes and other magnetic media that most people can no longer play at home to digital files. Scanners are available to digitize photographs, negatives and important documents, with staff on hand to help. More information about the library’s Digitization Station can be found online.

For those wanting a comprehensive foundation, the Special Collections Department offers a certificate program where participants complete a series of core and elective classes covering everything from census records to understanding DNA and African American research and are recognized at a celebratory graduation.

Whether your family tale is a long-told legend, a newly discovered connection or a beloved recording of a relative’s voice, the East Baton Rouge Parish Library is ready to help you preserve it for this holiday season, and for generations to come.

Visit the library’s online events calendar at ebrpl.com or its print newsletter, The Source, for a complete list of library programs and events.