Caron Primas Brennan has been speaking at local libraries and genealogical societies for over ten years, including teaching at the Newberry Library in Chicago, with consistently excellent feedback.  All programs are 1 to 1 ½ hours long and geared to the beginning and intermediate researcher.  A projector is required, and an internet connection (preferably wireless) is desired.  Caron can provide her own laptop or use yours.  Handouts are available for each program.

Everyone has heard of Ancestry, but there are some other big databases for genealogy research.  They all share search capabilities as well as have their own unique merits.  Learn "the good, the bad and the ugly" about the Big Four – Ancestry, FamilySearch, FindMyPast and MyHeritage.  Learning about these databases will help you target your research.  All of them have Library editions (free access) in addition to their subscriptions.

In this presentation, I talk about "why" and "how" of DNA testing in genealogy research.  Using case studies and examples, I explain how I have incorporated DNA testing into my research.  Disclaimer:  This is NOT a primer on the science of DNA, although some basic information is included.  The audience does not have to be knowledgeable about DNA testing to learn from this presentation.

If you are ready to "cross the pond" in your research, this presentation will provide ideas of where to find records for European records.  Includes the well-known sites like FamilySearch and Find My Past, and also lesser known sites.

Learn how to find and use newspapers to find information about your ancestors as well as the times they lived in. Some of the items to be found in newspapers includes obituaries, marriage and engagement announcements, birth announcements, legal cases, and ship passage information. We will learn how to find newspapers on line and in libraries and archives and cite your sources.

Just getting started or interested in learning more about genealogy?  This presentation covers the information needed to get started, basic forms and organization tips, along with an overview of top web sites and other resources used by genealogists.

This presentation covers basic information for amateur photographers and genealogists trying to organize their photos.  We will review managing digital photos, digitizing old photos, organizing, labeling, photo management software and photo sharing sources.

Organizing your genealogy information so that you can find what you want when you want it can be a daunting task. Get tips on how to keep records in digital and print-based formats.

A in-depth tour focusing on www.Fold3.com. We review of available documents and resources, many military and governmental, digitized from the National Archives, Library of Congress, and other institutions, not previously available on-line. Also includes a tour of the tools available on the site and how to use resources found on the site.

Caron will share what she has learned through researching her own elusive Norwegian great-grandparents and discovering cousins in Scandinavia. She will discuss things to know, lessons learned, research locations and guides, and other helpful hints.

This presentation will look at the Ancestry.com site, including the Ancestry Trees, and review what is has to offer beginners as well as more advanced genealogy researchers. It will also discuss what is available through the free site and the paid subscription. Whether you are just starting out and want to host a tree at Ancestry, or have been researching for years but want more information on-line, this is the session for you.

This seminar is an overview of the free FamilySearch.org web site to see what is has to offer genealogy researchers. Will include a review of the research opportunities as well as the newer areas for sharing family trees and pictures. We will also look at the genealogy programs that have been certified to share/interact with FamilySearch.

A six-session course, each session being 60 minutes long with the first session on basic genealogical research and record keeping the rest of the sessions build upon that foundation to explore other research opportunities and tools useful for genealogist and family historians. Topics include Foundations of Genealogical Research, FamilySearch.org, Ancestry.com, other genealogical websites for research, and organization for genealogists.