It is Family History Month 2022 at Yarra Plenty Regional Library.  To learn about what is happening visit Yarra Plenty Regional Library ..read more

  “Genealogy offers a gateway into an extended family, linked vertically through time rather than horizontally in the present.  In a world of confused and multiple identities, it promises a deeper sense of who we are” Graeme Davison - Lost Relations: fortunes of my family in Australia’s Golden Age (2015) There has never been a better time to research your family history. Supported by a billion-dollar industry, in 2017 alone, Ancestry.com generated a revenue of $1billion, partly contributed to by its DNA product. There is a myriad of reasons why people “do” their family history.&n ..read more

Tracing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander family histories poses a unique set of challenges.  YPRL is proud to be a partner in the presentation of a  half-day webinar to assist people wanting to research their Aboriginal Family History. Join Jenny Bates (Koorie Heritage Trust), Maxine Briggs (Koorie Heritage Unit at State Library Victoria) and Tsari Anderson (Koorie Records Unit at Public Records Office Victoria and National Archives of Australia) to discover their tips and tricks. Topics will include: how to get started, staying organised, an overview of useful records availab ..read more

  YPRL is celebrating International Women’s Day all week. This year’s theme is Choose to Challenge Today’s spotlight is to encourage the family historians among us to uncover the stories of our female ancestors. As always follow or review the beginners’ steps:  summarize known names, dates and relationships and family traditions.  Gather records and memorabilia from around the house. Are their family heirlooms such as jewellery, crockery, a vase that has been kept through the generations?  Is there an old quilt or sampler? Needlework was customarily taught to girls at sch ..read more

  Start with yourself. Identify what you know. Work backwards from you. Choose the line to research with the good story, uncommon name or oldest living relatives you can talk to. Gather records in the family possession such as photos, certificates, letters and diaries Gather oral history. Ask questions “who, what, when, where, why and how”. Identify all heritage photographs. Check if others are also researching your family and collaborate. Purchase civil registration certificates – births, deaths and marriages. Search online. Use various search strategies across multiple sources.  ..read more

 Hit a brick wall in your family history? One of the first strategies to thinking about how to strike through that brick wall is to review the information that you already have. Have a think about the following common mistakes and whether these have impacted your own research journey. Not talking to other family members and gathering oral history. Not confirming family stories by purchasing historical birth, marriage and death certificates. (Sometimes family stories are not or only partially true). Accepting other people's research without reviewing. Us ..read more

 Professional genealogist Joy Roy recently presented at Diamond Valley Library as part of our Family History Month program 2019.  In Searching for John Smith, Joy discussed her research journey to find her man in Scotland. Her challenge?  SMITH is the most common name in Scotland. General tips from her discussion included: Names. Look for a middle name. Perhaps your ancestor’s middle name was a family name (in the case of Joy and many with Scottish ancestry, Scottish naming patterns may be in place)  Place. Know the specific place your anc ..read more

 Are you interested in writing your family history? After researching for years and investing money, time and energy, many family history researchers start to direct that energy in the telling and sharing of their unique story.  The Alexander Henderson Award (best Australian family history)  and the Don Grant Award (best Australian historical biography with a family history focus) are presented annually by Family History Connections (formerly Australian Institue of Genealogial Studies).  Former award winners can serve as inspiration for your writing ..read more

 Family history researchers already know the benefits of online research, spending time in isolation engrossed on digitised records online.  With unexpected time at home, this could be a good time for some to focus on what you need or want to do with your genealogical research. Here are ideas, some inspired by Cyndi Ingle from Cyndi's List of Genealogical Websites on the Internet which is also worth exploring. Organise your research  Draft a research plan Transcribe records Label your digitised records and photos Scan photos and documents Volunteer indexing via Fa ..read more

This weekend we celebrate our Family History Festival through a series of blog posts with information and activities. Read: Family History Festival: Family History Month Read: Family History Festival: WW2 Tribute Read: Family History Festival: Digital Mags Kids can have fun learning about their family history and where they have come from.  We have pulled together a list of activites and ideas that families can enjoy together. Age Guide: Primary School Scavenger Hunt Game (pre-schoolers can join in this one) Family History is everywhere. Have a scavenger hunt in your hous ..read more