Valley Forge Pennsylvania FamilySearch Center

Center Contacts and Hours
Location Map:


 * Location of Valley Forge Pennsylvania Family History Center on Map





Address:


 * 721 Paxon Hollow Rd Broomall PA 19008 United States
 * Located in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints building
 * Enter in the back door labeled “Family History Center”


 * Language:English





Email:


 * broomallfhc@gmail.com

Email us to:

• Make an appointment for guided help, or to view films outside of regular hours.

• Sign up on our mailing list

• Receive a class schedule

• Be notified of weather closures or delays

Phone: 1-610-356-8507 only answered when we are open. There is no message machine.

Regular Open Hours: Every Wednesdays 9:30-3:30pm and the 2nd and 4th Saturday 9:30-12:30

Holiday Closures: See Summer Closures below.

Additional Hours: By appointment

You may request to have the center open at other times by appointment. For a timely and quick response, please email broomallfhc@gmail.com to request a time. Appointments are not needed during regular hours unless you need a guided practice lab time. As usual I appreciate your replies that you have moved or are not interested etc. and would like to be removed from our list. I add and remove people promptly. If you have friends that would like to stay informed and be added to the list they may email broomallfhc@gmail.com with their request.

Events:
Hello Patrons of the Valley Forge Family History Center,

Microfilms:

Thank you for your patience with the film ordering processes. FamilySearch was overwhelmed with orders! I have been working through details with them to make sure our center orders are correct, and that we will be able to get all the films available to be shipped that you have ordered. You may randomly get an automated notice that a film has been received. If it was previously a backordered film we may not have actually received it yet. Films orders placed by the August 31st deadline will still be shipped even after the August 31st ordering deadline, if the films become available to be shipped. Email me if you have a concern.

I have received assurances from FamilySearch that ALL microfilms WILL BE digitized and available online. Not all films will be available for viewing on your home computer on FamilySearch.org, some may be available only in the FH Center and others on Ancestry.com which we have available for free viewing in the FH Center.

Opening Soon!

'''We will reopen after Labor Day on Wednesday September 6th 9:30am - 3:30pm to restart our regular hours. This will include each Wednesday and the 2nd and 4th Saturdays which would be September 9th and 23rd.'''

Class List: (No registration is required.)

September 13th - Beginning Class: Family Tree on FamilySearch.org - Why you want to use it, and how it can benefit you. How to get started adding information into FamilySearch.org's Family Tree.

September 20 - Beginning Class: Documenting your family on Family Tree - I will demonstrate the process of attaching indexed FamilySearch records to a person's page in FamilySearch.org's Family Tree. I will also demonstrate adding documents, photos, and other memories to a person's page from your own computer and also using our FH center scanner.

Merging duplicate person pages will be highlighted. Individual help will be available with merging will be available after class on our center computers. This skill is best learned in a lab setting with one on one help.

September 27 - Guided Family Tree Lab Time help. The only way to learn it is to do it!

October 4 - Guided Family Tree Lab Time help. The only way to learn it is to do it!

October 11 - Finding Digitized Records on FamilySearch.org - 12 Billion Images - 9 Million added a week! I will demonstrate how to find non-indexed images, microfilms and books from the FS catalog that are or in the process of being digitized, including understanding levels of access for digitized records. I will show you how to find electronic books from the main FH Library and partner libraries, also included will be worldcat.org and google books. These records may be added to Family Tree by the methods in the first 2 classes. Searching tips included.

October 18 - How to Think like a Researcher - Intermediate research skills. We will discuss clues to look for and questions to ask. If this is true then, this could be true....! Test out your ideas and see if the records support your questions/answers. Let the records tell you facts about your family rather than searching for years for an elusive fact which was never true in the first place! We are looking to build a weight of evidence to prove identity and relationships.

We will explore a 3 generation family history mind map model in class. Have you ever been looking at a record and wondering if this is a relative somewhere in your tree? It is easy to overlook a clue. Family relationships are easier to recognize if you have a visualization/memorization of an empty family history mind map and start filling in the blanks. This class will include real case study examples to help expand your thinking and put clues in the proper place. Bring your thinking cap! This exercise will help your keep your mind sharp! If you are a Family History newbie please attend the other fall classes first as we will use Family Tree examples.

October 25 -  More Places to Look - Includes a review of our FH Center subscription services, the FH Guide, FS Wiki, Cyndi's List, University Libraries, and other websites. Bring your questions about country or area specific research to the group for additional input.

Hope you have had a good summer vacation! Looking forward to Fall and hope to see you in the Family History Center!

Shelli Nye Director

Resources in the Local Area
The Mainline Genealogy Club meets at the Easttown library. They have great presentations each month!

http://mainlineroots.org/

The Irish Immigration Center located in Upper Darby at 7 S Cedar Lane. They support Irish families in our area with genealogy help and many other kinds of support.

http://www.icphila.org/

The Bucks County Genealogy Society has a Comprehensive Calendar of Genealogical Events in the Greater Philadelphia Area

http://www.bucksgen.org/index.php/bcgs-programs

Links

 * Delaware County, Pennsylvania


 * Pennsylvania

Volunteer at the Center
We would love to have more volunteers!

We look forward to seeing you at the center!