VIdeos and Handouts For Beginners

In November 2024, NWIGS hosted a beginner's genealogy workshop in partnership with the Valparaiso Branch of the Porter County Public Library System. Video recordings made from the Zoom broadcast of the workshop and handouts are made available below. The videos include computer generated subtitles. We hope you find these videos and handouts to be useful as you start or continue your genealogical journey. We post videos of most of our monthly programs in the members section of our website. If you enjoyed these videos, please consider becoming a member of NWIGS so that you can access the archive of genealogical knowledge that we've managed to archive over the past few years. 

Genealogy Basics, Cheryl Wooten-Wilcox, Genealogist and NWIGS Secretary

The Research Process, KayLynn Matthews, M.L.S., NWIGS President and Porter County Genealogist for Indiana Genealogical Society

• Research Process Handout
• Blank Four Generation Chart
• Blank Pedigree Chart

Keeping Track of Your Sources, Michael Longan, Professor of Geography at Valparaiso University

• Handout Keeping Track of Your Sources

Finding Vital Records, Jean Gassoway, Genealogist and NWIGS Treasurer

• ​Vital Records Chart
• Research Checklist Form

Census Records, Chris Hough, Head Genealogy Clerk at the Larry G. Clark Genealogy Center, Valparaiso Public Library

• ​What's in the Census?

Online Databases, Carrie Newton, Genealogist and NWIGS 2nd Vice-President

• Genealogy Research Databases