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| April Happenings 2026 Happy National Volunteer Month! |
| At Heritage Quest Research Library, we are forever grateful for the dedicated volunteers who show up week after week. Your commitment keeps our doors open six days a week and our collections up to date. We also extend a huge thank you to the members who step forward whenever called upon to assist with outreach and fundraising. We couldn’t do this without you!! |
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| A major fundraiser like the America 250 Patriot Celebration has many moving parts—from planning and coordinating different types of “events within the event” to managing volunteers. It takes little imagination to realize that many hands are needed to ensure a successful outcome. Your consistent willingness to step forward in support of our mission has always been a cornerstone of our success. We are confident that our upcoming Celebration will be no exception. To ensure this milestone event is truly unforgettable, we ask all our members and patrons to participate. |
| American 250 Patriot Celebration Getting involved Watch for details in May Happenings |
| Upcoming Events Wednesday April 1 America 250 Patriot Celebration Tickets Go on Sale HQRL is excited to announce that purchasing tickets for this event has never been easier. The QR code above will immediately connect the buyer to a screen that is easy to navigate, and a receipt will automatically be sent when the transaction is finished. —– Thursday, April 2 Introduction to WikiTree 11:00 am to 12:00 pm Heritage Quest Research Library (Classroom & Zoom) Join Shonda Feather to learn about WikiTree, which has a live chat so you can ask questions of genealogists all over the world. (WikiTree a shared tree like Family Search). Register online using the HQRL Store link on the library website or in-person at the Library $20+tax for members, $25+tax for non-members Attend in-person at the HQRL classroom (limit of 8 persons), or via Zoom. A Zoom link will be sent to your email 1-2 days before the class along with any handouts. —– Tuesday, April 14 America 250 Patriot Celebration Planning Meeting HQRL Library Classroom 1pm – 3 pm —– Wednesday, April 15 Management Team Meeting Heritage Quest Research Library 12-2 pm —– Thursday, April 16 Exploring the Community: Researching Beyond Your Ancestor 11:00 am to 12:00 pm Heritage Quest Research Library (Classroom & Zoom) Learn about cluster research and explore resources with Julia A. Anderson to help you better understand the jurisdictions and history of areas where your ancestors lived. Register online using the HQRL Store link on the library website or in-person at the Library $20+tax for members, $25+tax for non-members Attend in-person at the HQRL classroom (limit of 8 persons), or via Zoom. A Zoom link will be sent to your email 1-2 days before the class along with any handouts. —– Thursday, May 7 Beginning Your Family History 11:00 am to 12:00 pm Heritage Quest Research Library (Classroom & Zoom) This FREE class will be taught by our research librarians. Learn how the library can help you and how to start. Sign up in the HQRL Store so we know you are coming and we can send you handouts/or a zoom link. —– Thursday, May 21 Unusual Places to Find Irish Births & Naturalizations in American Records 11:00 am to 12:00 pm Heritage Quest Research Library (Classroom & Zoom) Debra M. Dudek explains how and where to widen your search for your Irish ancestors birth date, place of origin, and their American naturalization details from a variety of underutilized resources! In this lecture, you’ll learn how to utilize a combination of research methodologies and combine them with military rosters, sailing registers, professional registrations, and much more! Register online using the HQRL Store link on the library website or in-person at the Library $20+tax for members, $25+tax for non-members Attend in-person at the HQRL classroom (limit of 8 persons), or via Zoom. A Zoom link will be sent to your email 1-2 days before the class along with any handouts.. Tribute to Heidi! Heidi Geise has a long history as an educator and her expertise serves us well in her role as Education Coordinator. She excels in bringing us quality presentations on a variety of topics month after month. Arranging for first class speakers twice a month is no little undertaking, and Heidi seems to do it seamlessly. Whether a beginner or a seasoned veteran, attendees always find valuable take-aways. Additionally, those who attend in-person find the added benefit of visiting with fellow researchers. There is something special about that “after-class” energy—often, the most breakthroughs happen over a casual conversation or a shared research hurdle. Many, Many Thanks Heidi! The Management Team Managing “On the Shelf” Research To avoid the “out of sight, out of mind” trap when life gets busy, you need a “re-entry” system. Research is often a long game. In a packed schedule, research must be “chunked” into manageable parts rather than treated as one giant task. When you have to pause your research use these techniques to ensure you don’t lose your momentum: The “Breadcrumb” Note: End every session by writing exactly one sentence on what you were about to do next (e.g., “Check the 1920 census for John Smith next”). A Research Log: Maintain a research log or spreadsheet to track which databases you’ve already searched and which keywords you used, so you don’t repeat work. Recycling Files: If you delete or set aside sections of writing, move them to a “recycling file” instead of the trash—you might need those ideas or quotes later. Citation Managers: Use the organizing feature in your genealogy software, or tools like One Note to save papers and data, ensuring you never ask “who was I researching?”. The One-Hour Research Plan If you only have one hour, focus on these high-impact, discrete tasks. First 10 mins: Review your previous “breadcrumb” note to re-orient yourself. Next 40 mins: Execute one specific search or read one key source. Last 10 mins: Update your notes and write the next “breadcrumb” for your future self. Selective Reading Instead of reading full manuscripts, quickly scan abstracts, discussions, and conclusions to decide if a source is worth a deeper dive. Successful Micro-Researching Set a timer to stay on task and maintain a research log to pick up where you left off. Enjoy your Quest |