Caron Primas Brennan has been speaking at local libraries and genealogical societies for over fifteen 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. Zoom or online presentations are available.  For in person presentations, 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 the "why" and "how" of DNA testing in genealogy research.  Using case studies and examples, I will 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 well-known sites like FamilySearch and Find My Past, and also lesser known sites.

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

How do you present your genealogy research to non-genealogist family and friends in an interesting way?   You can tell them stories, but maybe you want something that lasts longer.  In this seminar, we will look at ideas on sharing through websites, books, videos, blogs and other methods. 

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.

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.  Target audience is folks interested in learning more about genealogy or just getting started. 

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.

There are new genealogy sites on the Internet every day.  This fast-paced presentation is a review of popular, new, little known, and perhaps unusual genealogy resources on the internet to help you in your research.

Traveling to a significant location in your personal history can be a very satisfying experience.  Seeing the homes of your ancestors, walking the paths of your people and seeing the geography that informed their existence can be moving as well as helpful to understanding them.  This presentation uses Caron's real-life adventures of traveling to do genealogical research.

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 are built upon that foundation to explore other research opportunities and tools useful for genealogists and family historians. Topics include Foundations of Genealogical Research, FamilySearch.org, Ancestry.com, other genealogical websites for research, and organization for genealogists.