Keller Library to host genealogy program

"Who are your ancestors?" It's a question many people ask themselves; but it's also the question being posed by the Stoddard County Genealogical Society -- and the hope is that you will find the answer to the question.

The Stoddard County Genealogical Society will be providing a program at the Keller Public Library in Dexter on Saturday, Oct. 18, complete with different presentations and lunch.

According to Keller Public Library Director Pam Trammell, the event will likely draw many people.

"We've already had several people sign up for it," Trammell said. "And we're expecting to have more people show up."

Trammell explained that the local library has been a very popular destination -- particularly in recent years -- for all kinds of people who are trying to answer questions concerning their family history.

"I went and looked at our sign-in sheet, and the most recent visitor from outside the area (to the genealogy department) was from California," Trammell said. "We recently had a phone call from Oregon from someone looking for family information."

According to Trammell, technology has dramatically increased the availability of such information and has been attracting people from across the nation for the past few years.

"We recently added a couple databases to what we have already; and that has really helped," Trammell said. "The genealogy department is something we're constantly adding to, because there's such an interest in it."

There is, in fact, so much interest in it that Trammell said the library has volunteers who come to the library on Thursday nights just to assist people who are doing research.

"We have people that will either email us or call us and we try to get information to send them," Trammell explained. "It's really nice to be able to just email someone the information they want."

Trammell went on to say that the local library has accumulated a very extensive collection of micro-film from nearly all publications throughout Stoddard County.

"And we do have records from outside the immediate area, also," Trammell said. "We have records from northeast Arkansas, as well as southern Illinois.

"It's a long process to get the information that people want. It takes time; and the best way to start is to just sit down and talk to your family members and ask questions. Write things down and research it. It's a lot easier to do now than it used to be, thanks to technology."

Trammell remarked that, at one time, people had to physically travel to numerous -- often far away -- different locations to physically search family records.

"The process has come a long way in a short amount of time," Trammell said. "It's fascinating to have visitors from all over come in here and get excited because they find something new."

Trammell explained that a library card is not needed in order to conduct the research at the library; but having a card does help enable people to do research from the comfort of their own homes.

The event on Saturday will cost participants $10. The cost covers lunch and materials for the event.

"It's definitely worthwhile to get started," Trammell remarked. "You never know where the journey will take you."