Tucson Arizona Family History Center

The Tucson Family History Center serves the Tucson area. Established in the 1980's, it houses a large collection of family histories and genealogy books donated by the Arizona State Genealogical Society.

Center Contacts and Hours
Location &amp; Map:


 * 500 S. Langley Ave., Tucson, AZ 85710-4834 United States
 * The free standing building is located on the north east side of the Tucson East Stake Center parking lot, south of Palo Verde Park. There is ample parking and handicap accessibility.
 * Location Map

Phone: 520-298-0905

E-mail: [mailto:az_tucson@ldsmail.net az_tucson@ldsmail.net]

Open Hours:


 * Tuesday 10 am - 9 pm
 * Wednesday 10 am - 2 pm
 * Thursday 10 am - 9 pm
 * Friday 10 am - 5 pm
 * Saturday 10 am - 5 pm
 * Closed: Sunday and Monday

UPCOMING - 2016 Family History Discovery Fair - January 30, 2016
The final schedule can be seen by clicking here. There may be some minor changes to the schedule (room changes, for example) so please rely on the schedule handed out at the Fair. Summaries of the classes will be added below as they are created and handouts will be posted here prior to the Fair so you can print them in advance. We will have several displays and information tables from organizations such as the Pima County Genealogical Society, the Arizona History Museum, the Daughters of the Utah Pioneers, and the Green Valley Genealogical Society. This event is open to the public and there is no charge to attend.

Secrets to Successful Ancestry.com Searches - Ancestry.com is the most popular website for genealogy research. However, the sheer amount of data can make searching for your ancestors seem daunting. This class will help you navigate the records more efficiently and offer suggestions for maximizing your online research experience. (handout)

Exploring the New Ancestry.com Family Trees - This class will teach you how to create and manage online family trees on Ancestry.com. We will look at the new features including the new LifeStory feature, the enhanced Facts view, and tips for managing the shaky leaf hints. You will come away with a better understanding of how to use Ancestry’s powerful features, both new and old, to grow your family tree. (handout)

Deciphering AncestryDNA - “There are two kinds of genealogists: those who are overwhelmed by their DNA results and those who haven't done DNA testing yet.” (Kerry Scott, "5 Tricks for Using Evernote in Your DNA Research," Genealogy Insider, 10 November 2015). The technology for using DNA in our genealogy is still in its infancy. Ancestry.com is experimenting with some unique tools that use both your genealogy (family tree) and your genetics. However, most people misunderstand what their DNA results convey. If used correctly, you can make some wonderful new discoveries for your family tree. This class will help you to determine what DNA Circles, New Ancestor Discoveries (NADs), and Shared Ancestor Hints can and cannot do for you. (handout)

Getting Started with Genetic Genealogy (Beginner) - How can DNA help you with your family history research? This class will discuss the various types of DNA tests, the main testing companies, and the rewards and risks of testing your DNA. (handout)

Getting the Most Out of Your DNA Results (Advanced) - Your DNA results are in – now what? Learn how to find and connect with your DNA matches. Discuss third party tools like Gedmatch, DNAGedcom, and DNALand. Explore ways to organize your results and stay up-to-date on the latest news and developments in the field. (handout)

 Researching Your English Ancestors  - This class will teach you how to get started researching your ancestral lines that go back to England. It will cover birth, marriage and death records; census records; parish records; useful web sites, etc. The class will cover only England, not other countries in the British Isles. (handout)

FamilySearch Family Tree Overview - (handout)

Common FamilySearch Family Tree Errors and How to Fix Them - (handout)

Using Apps and Other Programs that Can Help You with FamilySearch Family Tree - (handout)

Sourcing in FamilySearch Family Tree - (handout)

 Jewish Genealogy  - (handout)

Family History Research - (handout)(research log)

Introduction to FamilySearch.org - (handout)

Searching Records on FamilySearch.org - (handout)

Searching the Catalog on FamilySearch.org - (handout)

Fun Family History Discovery Activities for Families - This class will show many ideas for fun projects in the home that can help connect us to our ancestors. These projects can also be used for Primary and Youth activities.

Videos - Five excellent videos from RootsTech 2015 will be shown during the day. RootsTech is the largest Family History Conference in the world.

Past events
"Optimizing Google as a Genealogical Research Tool" by Amy Urman Handout

Family History in the 21st Century 2015 - This Family History Fair was presented on January 31, 2015 at the Tucson East Stake Center. Click here for the list of courses and links to class handouts.

Family History in the 21st Century 2014 - This Family History Fair was presented on January 25, 2014 at the Tucson East Stake Center. Click here for the list of courses and links to class handouts.

Family History in the 21st Century 2013 - This Family History Fair was presented on January 26, 2013 at the Tucson East Stake Center. Click here for the list of cources and links to class handouts.



Collections

 * The Cox Collection: This microfilm collection contains copies of US county histories published in newspapers in the 1875-1900 period, as well as city directories for major cities of the time.
 * Tucson FHC catalog Several thousand donated books, film and fiche as well as webinars are part of our holdings.This User guide explains how to search it. New acquisitions and "staff favorites" are updated occasionally.
 * FHC Portal: This center has access to the Family History Center Portal page which gives free access in the center to premium family history software and websites that generally charge for subscriptions. Websites available are:
 * 19th Century British Library Newspaper Digital Archive
 * Alexander Street Press (Civil War)
 * American Ancestors (New England Historic and Genealogical Society)
 * Ancestry.com
 * Create your "Who Do You Think You Are?" story for free
 * Find My Past (UK)
 * Fold3.com (military records)
 * Historic Map Works
 * Kinpoint
 * MyHeritage / World Vital Records (all content has been added to MyHeritage.com)
 * Access Newspaper Archive
 * Paper Trail
 * ProQuest Obituary Listings
 * Puzzilla.org
 * ArkivDigital Online - Swedish church records
 * Scottish Records (DOS program version)

Periodicals and Magazines

 * Internet Genealogy
 * NGS quarterly
 * American Ancestors (NEHGS online magazine)

Computer Software Programs and Resources
We have deluxe versions of the following genealogy mangement software for you to "test drive."


 * Ancestral Quest 12
 * Legacy 8
 * Roots Magic 6 and 7 (software programs that interact with Family Search and My Heritage)

Additional computer resources include:


 * Archives.com
 * Genealogy Bank
 * Family Tree Maker disks (some--check catalog)
 * Some Pedigree Resource File disks
 * PAF 4 and PAF 5
 * Genelines Universal Edition
 * Generation Maps Consultation Software
 * Charting Companion for FamilySearch
 * Map My Family Tree
 * MagiKey Family Tree

Family Search Compatible and Verified Programs


 * Many interesting and helpful programs that tie to information in Family Search can be found at FamilySearch.org/apps

Hardware and Equipment

 * 10 patron use computers
 * microfilm digital copier
 * scan pictures directly to FamilySearch (NEW)
 * flatbed scanner

Individual Consulting

 * Center staff are available for personal consulting with no appointment needed

Staff Research Specialties

 * British Isles: Saturday, 10am - 2pm
 * US: Thursday, 10am - 2pm
 * Spanish: Tuesday, 7pm - 9pm
 * Other specialty times and languages available; send your request to az_tucson@ldsmail.net

Volunteer at the Center
Community volunteers with an interest in family history, and a desire to serve others, who are willing to commit to a weekly shift for at least one-two years are invited to join our staff. Training will be provided. Contact the Director through our email above for further information.