Due to the long weekend, we’re looking at fewer virtual presentations at Ontario Ancestors, but there is still plenty to watch — and learn. The presentations are free and open to all who register.
The following times are in Eastern time.
Tuesday, May 20, 2:00 p.m. — Sudbury District Branch
End of the paper trail using DNA & Patience! By Barb Roy
A case study on finding that elusive ancestor when all you can find in documents is that he came from somewhere! In this case, it was somewhere in England. Learn how to use that massive number of matches to build the family tree. This is a hybrid presentation. Attend in person at ParkSide Older Adult Centre, 140 Durham Street, or register to watch online.
Tuesday, May 20, 7:00 p.m. — Nipissing Branch
A Beginners Guide to Searching Online Ontario Land Records by Ken McKinlay
Until fairly recently, researching land records in Ontario was a bit of a challenge since many key resources were not available online. That has changed in the last few years. This session will introduce you to some of the online tools for discovering where your ancestors lived in Ontario and how to access the government records related to their land. This talk doesn’t go into exhaustive detail. Instead, it offers an overview, highlighting the most helpful parts of Ken’s three-part Finding on the Ground series of talks, to help you get started or build on the research you have already begun. Register to watch online.
Wednesday, May 21, 7:00 p.m. — Thunder Bay Branch
AI & Genealogy: Possibilities and Pitfalls by Marian Press
We are all struggling to learn what AI is and how it works and what it has to offer us for our family history research. This presentation aims to provide an introduction to the rapidly evolving world of AI and genealogy and to show how to take advantage of what is available.
The emphasis will be on the fact that AI cannot (and should not) do your genealogy for you, but on how it can assist in tasks such as document transcription, summarization, and analysis, translation of documents, and help with image fixing and creation. There will also be discussion of the ways in which AI is already maximizing the search capabilities of both general and genealogy databases and the fact that we are already making use of AI whether we are aware of it or not. The many caveats concerning the use of AI will also be considered, especially the issues of inaccuracies in the information generated. We welcome Marian Press from the Toronto Branch, who will walk us through this practical and informative session. Register to watch online.
Thursday, May 22, 7:00 p.m. — Ottawa Branch
Discover the Ottawa Branch OGS Library
Discover the Ottawa Branch OGS Library, which is turning 55 years old this year, but is showing no signs of slowing down! The library has an amazing range and depth of resources, covering Canada and beyond, with three areas of particular focus: Eastern Ontario and Western Quebec, the British Isles, and British Colonial America. Learn about the resources in our collection and about the tools that library volunteers have developed so you can find what you are looking for in our catalog to help you to prepare for a visit and get the most out of our collection. Register to watch online.
Saturday, May 24, 1:00 p.m. — Wellington County Branch
Researching Family History through Newspapers
Newspapers are a treasure trove of information for family historians. While obituaries are commonly sought after for details about a death, newspapers can reveal much more, including court notices, probate announcements, social columns, coroner’s inquests, missing persons reports, church news, community events, and more.
In this workshop, participants will discover the importance of newspapers in genealogical research, how to identify relevant newspapers, and where to access them online and offline. Practical tips and valuable resources will be shared to help make your newspaper research more effective and rewarding. Register to watch online.
