Classes are on Saturdays at 10:30 AM to NOON (ET).
Some classes will be virtual & others in-person at the Library.
A recording will be available after the class.
Those marked * will be via Zoom only.
The class fee is $10.00.
[Can’t attend? Register, then email us requesting a link to the recording – good for 4 weeks.]
Class schedule subject to change – check back here or call 802-871-5647 for confirmation.
February 7, 2026
Vermont Genealogy Library
Pinewood Plaza, 57 River Road, RT117
Building on the right when entering
Essex Junction, Vermont
Are you ready to put a little more meat on the bare bones of your family tree? A little bit stuck? Do your family members roll their eyes when you start talking about genealogy? Go beyond the basics in your search for your family history. Marcie Crocker will introduce the use of research logs, timelines, maps, and more. She’ll also touch on why you might want to put some time into the history and the languages that might be found in the area, and why you might want to research other family members, associates and neighbors.
Marcie Crocker is an experienced genealogist. She has been a long-time volunteer at the Vermont Genealogy Library and has served as President. Marcie advises our library’s visitors on FamilySearch and other online databases.
Class starts at 10:30 a.m. (ET) in-person at the Library on Saturday
February 21, 2026
Vermont Genealogy Library
Prepare for a mindset shift. You won’t be the same after this talk. You will have a completely new way of thinking about storytelling and designing visuals for data-driven stories.
Just about every family historian grapples with massive amounts of data these days. How you communicate your findings – whether to a skeptical relative or a historical or genealogical society – is as vital as the records you uncover. In this session, you’ll explore Data Literacy – understanding the “why” behind the numbers in records and statistics; the Art of Storytelling – moving beyond names and dates to build compelling narratives; and Visualizing Data – using design principles to create charts, maps, and relationship diagrams that actually make sense. You’ll leave with specific, actionable techniques to transform raw genealogical data into impactful visuals that bring your ancestors’ stories to life.
Bill Shander is an information designer, helping clients turn their data into compelling visual and often interactive experiences. Bill has taught data storytelling, information design and data visualization on LinkedIn Learning, for a Big Four accounting and consulting firm, at colleges including UVM, and in workshops around the world. Clients include the World Bank, United Nations, Starbucks, MIT, and multiple U.S. Government agencies. Bill is also on the board of the Data Visualization Society.
Class starts at 10:30 a.m. (ET) via Zoom only on Saturday
February 28, 2026
Vermont Genealogy Library
Pinewood Plaza, 57 River Road, RT117
Building on the right when entering
Essex Junction, Vermont
In the summer of 1776, two commissions swept through the Montreal and Quebec Districts purging disloyal militia following the American retreat. While the Baby-Taschereau-Williams Journal – the report for Quebec – survived and is used extensively by DAR and other genealogists, the report for the Montreal region was lost to history – until now. Join us as we reconstruct this “Ghost Report” with other contemporaneous records, identifying Patriot strongholds, Loyalist holdouts, and our families caught in the crossfire of the American Revolution’s Northern Division.
Whether your ancestors were among those Canadians who formed up rebel militias or the loyalists who stood with the Crown, this class will provide the historical context and knowledge of sources to determine where their allegiances lay during Canada’s “First Crucible.”
Suzanne Blanchard is a former editor and attorney, community planner, and longtime board member and volunteer at the Vermont French-Canadian Genealogical Society and Vermont Genealogy Library. Her research is currently focused on recovering the Lake Champlain Basin’s lost family histories.
Class starts at 10:30 a.m. (ET) in-person at the Library on Saturday
March 10, 2026
Vermont Genealogy Library
Pinewood Plaza, 57 River Road, RT117
Building on the right when entering
Essex Junction, Vermont
As part of the 2026 Burlington Irish Heritage Festival, the Vermont Genealogy Library is again hosting an in-person presentation by Ed McGuire entitled, “Researching Your Irish Ancestors.”
This talk will provide a brief history of Irish immigration to North America and then cover common problems facing Irish researchers. Ed will also discuss techniques for finding your ancestor’s parish and he’ll highlight the major collections in Ireland. Some lesser-known sources and new collections will be added along with a short discussion about the potential of full-text search, DNA testing, and artificial intelligence. A multipage handout listing key references and links to some helpful online resources will be provided.
Ed McGuire assists with Irish research at the library, speaks often on the topic, and holds a Certificate in Genealogical Research from Boston University. His great-grandparents came to Connecticut from the counties of Donegal, Limerick, and Kilkenny.
Class starts at 7 p.m. (ET) in-person at the Library on Tuesday
March 21, 2026
Vermont Genealogy Library
Pinewood Plaza, 57 River Road, RT117
Building on the right when entering
Essex Junction, Vermont
In “Uncovering the Undervalued: Researching Eugenics Records,” Mariessa Dobrick invites researchers to look past the cold, clinical facade of 20th-century social engineering to reclaim the human stories buried within. Mariessa employs a compelling “story approach” that weaves real individuals back into the historical narrative, transforming dehumanizing institutional surveys into windows of personal discovery. Participants will gain practical tips and professional strategies for navigating the specific terminologies and structures of Eugenics survey records, while also learning how to cross-reference these findings with vital supporting documents like institutional ledgers, census data, and local newspaper accounts. By focusing on the mothers, children, and families whose lives were frequently reduced to a series of labels and codes, this session provides the essential tools to build a multi-dimensional portrait of ancestors from fragmented, biased data. It is a necessary masterclass for any genealogist or historian dedicated to researching with empathy and ensuring that those who were systematically undervalued by the state are finally given the dignity and recognition they deserve in the family tree.
Mariessa Dobrick, MA is the Vermont Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Lead Researcher. She holds an MA from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in Library and Information Studies with a certificate in Archives and Records Administration, and served as an archivist for the Vermont State Archives and Records Administration for thirteen years. She is an avid family historian and lives in Barre with her husband and their two sons.
Class starts at 10:30 a.m. (ET) in-person at the Library on Saturday
March 28, 2026
Vermont Genealogy Library
Ancestors’ photos, stories, documents, and heirlooms are part of your family’s past, but there’s no guarantee that they will outlive you. Protect your genealogy collection by: organizing and storing materials safely; curating your collection; writing a “genealogical will” to safeguard your collection for the future; and sharing your family’s history now. Put a plan in place today to preserve your family’s legacy tomorrow, even if there are no obvious heirs for your collection.
Marian Burk Wood is the author of the popular genealogy book “Planning a Future for Your Family’s Past” and long-time family history blogger who has been researching her family for 28 years. She earned an MBA from Long Island University and a BA from the City University of New York. She has a passion for documenting, sharing, and safeguarding family history for future generations.
Class starts at 10:30 a.m. (ET) via Zoom only on Saturday
April 18, 2026
Vermont Genealogy Library
Pinewood Plaza, 57 River Road, RT117
Building on the right when entering
Essex Junction, Vermont
Guidance and collaborative problem-solving for specific genealogical challenges, particularly “brick walls” related to Revolutionary War ancestors in the Champlain Valley. The class will be led by two of our best researchers from the Vermont Genealogy Library’s Research Team built by renowned New England Historical Genealogical Society researcher and author Scott Andrew Bartley. Attendees will learn approaches that will help them overcome tough research challenges.
Cindy Walcott is a member of the Research Team and Chair of our Library Committee who led the recent overhaul of our collection. She is excited to connect patrons with the resources they seek and to showcase the library’s unique offerings.
Dwight Fowler has worked on genealogy and family history since 1982 when he discovered the handwritten notes of his father who logged all the Fowlers in CT by walking the cemeteries. A volunteer since he joined in 2021, Dwight is part of the VGL Research team, teaches courses, and managed and modernized the VGL computing infrastructure that exists today.
Class starts at 10:30 a.m. (ET) in-person at the Library on Saturday