Burley Idaho FamilySearch Center/Classes and Class Schedules

Click here to view Class Calendar
"For the most up to date descriptions of the classes being offered- click on the class name in the online calendar to reveal more details."

Class Descriptions
Ancestry.com or Hands-On Ancestry.com - One of the free websites offered to members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. One will learn how to search the site, how to use the filters and wildcards. As well as information on how to sync with Family Search. A must for all researchers! Intermediate. A Hands-on option is also taught- this is a two hour class where participants work within their own trees searching, attaching sources, and syncing with FamilySearch.

Ancestry DNA - Basic DNA is sometimes taught the week before. Then two weeks of class to work with analysis of your Ancestry DNA results and how to use those results in solving mysteries in your own trees. This is also a hands on class but you must have already done your DNA through Ancestry in order to get the full benefit of the hands on portion. Taught by Tammy Stevenson

Attaching Obituaries (and Other Challenging Sources) - Learn the ins and outs of using source linker to attach all those people listed in an obituary. Change button and effective reason statements will also be covered. All levels. Taught by Sharon Bowers.

Basic Scandinavian Records Online - Norway, Denmark and Sweden all have many records online. This class will show the basics of searching all three sites. More in-depth classes for each of the sites will be made available as the need arises. Call Kathleen Hedberg for one to one help, or to schedule a class if there are enough interested for a full class.

Becoming a Findagrave.com Power User- Are you making the most of findagrave.com? Are you simply using it for your own research or are you making it better for everyone? Learn how to edit inaccurate or incomplete information, add new information, photos, stories, and documents, and create virtual cemeteries of your own family. Preferred: Sign-up for your free account before class. All levels. Taught by Sharon Bowers.

 Beginning Indexing-  Understanding the basics of online indexing. Beginning level. Taught by Rick Hall

Brick Walls - A powerpoint presentation giving lots of suggestions of how to work through those brick walls you might find in your research. Taught by Tammy Stevenson

 Computer Tips, Tricks, and Shortcuts  - Work smarter, not harder! Come learn the computer tips, tricks, and shortcuts that can make using a computer so much easier. Taught by Sharon Bowers

Consultant Support - Held monthly on 2nd Thursday at 6:00 p.m. following the staff training meeting. A second session is also held in the afternoons alternating between the 3rd Wednesday at 1:30 pm or Tuesday (check the calendar for exact dates and times). This is a chance to review some of the principles used in Discover, Gather, Connect; also to learn a little about changes to Family Search and other family history helps. Additionally, a chance to share/council together in how things can work in our own wards or are working in other wards to help each other in our callings. This class is geared to Ward Consultants, but anyone is welcome to attend. Taught by Tammy Stevenson and Sharon Bowers.

Discover, Gather, Connect--A Youth Family History Day Camp - A 5-day camp designed for youth ages, 11-18, to teach youth about creating family connections using familysearch.org. The workshop format allows participants lots of hands-on practice. Adding information, descendancy research, and photos and stories will be the focus of the class.

Death,Wills and Probates - This is a powerpoint presentation showing what information can be found in various death records and how to find some of them online. Taught by Tammy Stevenson

Descendancy Research -  Descendancy Research is choosing an ancestor a few generations back and researching them and all of their children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, etc. Making sure to account for all of the children and their spouses. This is often where those missing cousins are found.

DNA:  Finding Your Biological Family through DNA - Taught by Susan Pelton

Evernote - A cloud based note keeping system. See how to use this service to aid in Family History. This is free and can be used on mobile devices and computers. Everything is linked automatically between your accounts on different devices. Beginner to Intermediate. Taught by Sharon Bowers.

FamilySearch Fixing Issues - In this class we will discuss how to fix some of the problems found in trees. If you have examples and need some help with them, please bring them to the class. Topics will include-editing and adding information, merging duplicates, restoring persons, fixing relationships, detaching sources which don't belong to your family, and creating cases for issues only FamilySearch can solve.

Family Search- Memories - Learn how to add in photos, documents, stories and audio using the computer or by using the Family Search Family Tree app or Family Search Memories app. Adding memories has even been easier.

FamilySearch Options - Do you know about all of the options on Family Search? Books and Catalogs. Using Family Search search options and changing the parameters. Different uses for the Source Box. Getting your own free accounts to Ancestry, My Heritage and Find My Past, or how to link existing accounts to your Family Search account. How to create a case, when to create a case and where to find your cases. Using the Consultant Planner to help with finding a place to research, or as a place for keeping your research notes. Come see what you might be missing- there's a lot more to Family Search than meets the eye!

'''Fifth Cousins, 3 Times Removed?!? Understanding Cousin Relationships''' - What does it really mean to be fifth cousins, 3 times removed? Does it mean anything at all? Come to this class and solve the mystery. We will also look at relationship apps such as Relative Finder, Relatives Around Me, and Relationship Finder. All levels. Taught by Sharon Bowers.

Findagrave.com - see Becoming a Find a Grave Power User

Google Photos: Collect, Organize, Preserve and Share - Google Photos is a powerful, free app for storing, organizing and sharing. Users can also edit and create photo projects and automatically add their photos to the app from their digital devices. Photos can be loaded directly to FamilySearch Memories from Google Photos.

Hands-On Memories - Bring the photos, stories and documents you want to add to FamilySearch. Bring any questions you have. Ask questions as you work on adding your own memories to the FamilySearch Family Tree.

How I Do Decendancy Research - This will be a hands on two hour class. As a class we will work through a family with Tammy, each person recording everything on forms as we go along for the first 45 minutes. For the remainder of the time, you will work on your own family lines using the same forms to make sure everyone is comfortable in continuing their own research on their own. Taught by Tammy Stevenson.

 Make your Photos Stand Out - Learn how to edit your photos using ''Windows 10's powerful yet easy-to-use photo-editing tools. Everyone has access to the computers at the Burley Family History Center which are equipped with Windows 10 features. This class will teach you how to straighten and crop your pictures, as well as control color and exposure, and fix red eye. Bring some of your less than perfect images on a flash drive to work with. Taught by David Badger''

Military Records - This is a power point presentation listing the major wars and what records were created by each of them. Also a 14 page handout with listings of where to find those records, a lot of online options available. Taught by Tammy Stevenson.

MyHeritage.com - Another of the websites free to members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Come learn how to navigate their website, use the search options, smart matches, and record matches. Also included how to upload your own tree to take advantage of their super search section. Taught by Tammy Stevenson.

Newspapers.com - As a premium family history site, newspapers.com can be used at any family history center. This class will answer the following questions:   How do I use newspapers.com? How do I know which newspapers are on-line? What is the best way to search newspapers.com? How do I clip the article I want? All levels. Taught by Sharon Bowers.

 Ordinances Ready & Family Search Apps  - At the Roots Tech Leadership Session, consultants were encouraged to use Ordinances Ready and the Family Search Apps in helping people learn more about family history. Come to this class to see for yourself just how "easy" family history can really be. Please have the Family Search Family Tree and Family Search Memories app downloaded to your cell phone or mobile device before the class. (Or come early and Tammy will help you get it downloaded.) All levels. Taught by Tammy Stevenson.

Personal History Workshop - Want to get started on your personal history? This class will get you started and help keep you going. Meeting once a month, you will leave each workshop with 2-3 stories written. Learn different approaches to writing your history. This class can also help you write a history for one of your ancestors. All levels. Taught by Sharon Bowers.

 A Walk through my Research Process  - Live demonstration of Sharon's research process. All levels. Taught by Sharon Bowers.

Wikis - One of the most underutilized options for learning about records, where to find records and which records to use. A hands on class learning how to search and navigate through the Wiki. Intermediate. Beginner. Taught by David Badger.

Whoo's in my Tree? - A class geared for young children. Classes on Me, Mom, Dad, Grandma, Grandpa. Need not be taken sequentially. These classes are offered at the same time as other classes for adults. Taught by Trina Winn.

'''Whoo's in my Tree? (Adults)''' - Come grandparents, parents, teachers and leaders. Learn how to invite children to feel the spirit of family history through listening, sharing and recording memories. Take home specific  - ways to help children interact with their family tree

Working With Unindexed Record Sets - Many of the free historic records on FamilySearch.org can't be found with a basic search. This class explains how to navigate unindexed image sets and use advanced search features to find the records you're looking for. Taught by Sharon Bowers.

Writing Good Reason Statements - Are you at a loss when it comes to writing good reason statements when you attach sources? This class will give you statement templates for vital records, census records, and military records. All levels. Taught by Sharon Bowers.

Youth Family History Day Camp - see "Discover, Gather, Connect--A Youth Family History Day Camp"

New Group Class Requests - We are not scheduling a lot of classes during the evenings. This will allow Young Men, Young Women, Relief Society, or families to arrange special classes for their groups. If you have a group that would like a special class, contact Tammy 431-4504 or Sharon 670-4400 or your ward temple and family history consultant. You may also call the Burley Family History Center to reserve the basement classroom for your group to work together on your own projects. We have 20 computers in the basement with full access to the portal (all the free websites available only at Family History Centers). People may bring their own devices. It's more fun working together and sharing our discoveries!