BYU Library Family History

08/25/2026

Learn from Kathryn Grant about the updated Change Log in FamilySearch. Enable it in FamilySearch Labs and use it to uncover previous changes to information FamilySearch profiles.

08/21/2026

Sister Joan Barnett was a dedicated service missionary for years at the BYU Library Family History Center. She helped many students and other library patrons and could always be relied upon to help where needed. All of us who served with her at the Library miss her and express our heartfelt condolences to her family.

View Joan Barnett's obituary, send flowers and sign the guestbook.

08/06/2026

Presented by Maureen Brady, this webinar offers a practical roadmap for navigating the rich genealogical records of Chicago and Cook County. It highlights strategies for locating important records across major platforms like FamilySearch, Ancestry, and Fold3, as well as smaller websites and repositories.

08/03/2026

Kathryn Moore explains Forensic Investigative Genetic Genealogy (FIGG) and how genetic genealogy research can be used to solve criminal investigations. Learn about this unique application of genetic genealogy and how DNA research can help you in your own family history research.

07/23/2026

This presentation by Kathryn Grant explains the features of Goldie May and how it can help organize and streamline your family history research.

07/16/2026

This presentation by James L. Tanner introduces the "Owner Trees" (or Controlled Edit Trees) feature on FamilySearch, which directly addresses user frustrations regarding unauthorized edits on the platform's shared public tree. Powered by the LAMIS back-end platform, this feature allows researchers to upload GEDCOM files or manually build personal trees over which they retain exclusive editing control. Ultimately, the system enables genealogists to utilize FamilySearch's integrated research tools and invite specific collaborators while safely comparing and exchanging data with the main public tree.

This presentation by James L. Tanner introduces the "Owner Trees" (...

07/09/2026

This webinar, presented by Julia Anderson, demonstrates how historical newspapers can bring your family history to life by uncovering rich biographical details, family relationships, and critical clues to break through research brick walls. Learn practical strategies for navigating free and subscription-based digital archives to locate hidden stories. Look beyond vital statistics to discover the vibrant gossip, historical context, and local events that shaped your ancestors' daily lives.

This webinar, presented by Julia Anderson, demonstrates how histori...

07/02/2026

Many researchers stop looking once they find a name in an index, missing out on the rich, hidden context left behind by their ancestors. This webinar, presented by Jonathan Potter teaches you how to look "beyond the index" to locate, analyze, and extract invaluable clues from original historical documents that standard search engines often overlook.

Many researchers stop looking once they find a name in an index, mi...

06/25/2026

This webinar, presented by Al Viera, provides a foundational roadmap for navigating Chinese, Japanese, and Korean family history. It offers a deep dive into using Asiangen.org to trace East Asian ancestral roots, highlighting how patrons can take full advantage of the specialized library-edition access available directly through the BYU Library.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NCRTgnXVLFE

This webinar, presented by Al Viera, provides a foundational roadma...

06/05/2026

This webinar presented by Maureen Brady addresses foundational hurdles of Swedish genealogy like patronymics, naming variations, and handwriting, while teaching researchers how to effectively utilize crucial tools like Swedish Church Records (including Household Examinations) and top digital archives like FamilySearch, Ancestry, and ArkivDigital.

This webinar presented by Maureen Brady addresses foundational hurd...