When is it okay to use artificial intelligence tools for writing assistance? If it’s okay to use AI, how and when should we disclose the use of AI tools? Learn how various applications of generative AI — from grammar assistance to generating new text — may need to be approached differently. We will go over specific methods for disclosing and citing AI tools, such as mentioning the use of generative AI in the limitations section of a report and citing the specific AI tool in a reference note citation.

Excire Photo 2024 is a new program that lets you automatically add keywords and your own custom ones; search for one or more images by free text, keyword(s), groups or individual people; identified faces; GPS locations; event; main colour in an image; by camera model, camera lens, lens focal length used, shutter speed used, and more. All of this metadata is written directly to your files or to XMP sidecar files, so the information stays with your images, not trapped in a proprietary database. This feature rich program is available for Windows and MacOS, even on M1 and later processor chips. Learn how this software can relieve you of much time and effort in organizing your digital images.

Learn how to use artificial intelligence to help find important family information, understand old documents, and craft compelling family stories to support your family history research. This webinar will introduce you to the best uses of AI in genealogy today and give a peek behind the curtain of what genealogists can look forward to from AI advancements in 2026.

The 1870 census was the first time farmers fell below 50% of American wage earners. Even then, they were still close, at 47.7%. By 1920, farmers were less than one third of the American population. Between 1870 and 1920, 11 million Americans migrated to cities. Learn about the events that spurred this migration and changed our ancestors from rural to urban dwellers and how to reconstruct their stories.

Learn how to use the free Google Earth Web platform to create and share engaging, interactive, multimedia stories that follow the footsteps of your ancestors. Although both the web and desktop versions have Google Earth in their name, they are very different. Learn how to navigate the platform interface, add multimedia content to your digital story, share your digital family history story, and preserve it. We will also discuss best practices for planning your Google Earth Web story. No coding skills needed!

This presentation focusses on helping family historians with British ancestry to research those whose conditions or behaviours may have led them to become marginalised, or discriminated against. Their circumstances were often the result of personal misfortune, exacerbated by society’s intolerance and they are often the ancestors who are not given due attention when we research, perhaps because their life experiences make us feel uncomfortable. Now is the time to focus on the Illegitimate, the poverty stricken, the sick and the lawbreakers and restore them to prominence in the family’s story. The presentation will also consider the ethical issues that arise when telling the stories of the marginalised.

In Germany, more and more directories are online, and some of them are even indexed. This presentation will tell you where to find them, show you how to work with them, and explain how to interpret the information typical for German directories.

Dive into the fascinating history of the Mecklenburg region and discover how to trace your ancestral roots with expert guidance. This presentation will begin with a journey through the historic landscape of two Mecklenburgs – Mecklenburg-Schwerin and Mecklenburg-Strelitz – highlighting their cultural and political development over the centuries. We will explore a wealth of genealogical resources, both online and in archives, that can help you uncover your family’s past. Special emphasis will be placed on church records, civil records, and the Mecklenburg census. But you will also learn about special sources off the beaten path, such as family records and emigration documents. Whether you’re just beginning your genealogical journey or looking for new avenues of research, this presentation will provide valuable insights and strategies to help you piece together your Mecklenburg heritage.

The gamut of records, wikis, tools and education available online to assist those with German-speaking ancestry have continued to multiply and include a huge map of resources! Learn about them all!