GSBC Meetings + Presentations
GSBC Meetings are held every 4th Monday of the month (except holidays and December). General Meetings include a brief business meeting. Meetings start promptly at 7pm in the Ridgewood Public Library Auditorium, 125 N. Maple Ave., Ridgewood, NJ. Phone (201) 670-5600 (see map, above), unless otherwise noted. Your membership dues directly supports this programming and allows us to host speakers on a wide variety of topics — thank you!
GSBC Special Events + Seminars
The GSBC holds several special events, including our day-long Annual Seminar and late-night RPL Lock-In—where genealogists can attend talks on a variety of subjects, collaborate on problems, and receive one-on-one research assistance. Additional event fee may apply. Discount for GSBC members.
GSBC Classes + Ridgewood Public Library Programs
The Bolger Heritage Center at the Ridgewood Public Library holds events on local history and genealogy-focused computer classes. Ridgewood residents and GSBC members receive a discount on these events. Included in the calendar below are RPL classes of interest to genealogists and local researchers. Please check the full RPL calendar for class information, fees, registration, cancellations, and for classes on other topics. All registration is through the Ridgewood Public Library calendar or by calling (201) 670-5600.
Additionally, the GSBC holds in-depth courses, for those 55 and older, at Bergen Community College, Institute for Learning and Retirement (BCC-ILR). Please check our calendar for registration dates, visit the BCC-ILR website, or contact BCC-ILR at 201-447-7156.
Below is our complete calendar showing all Meetings, Events, Seminars. Library Programs and Classes. Use the Category filter below to hide the events in a specific category.
Specialties:
Ancestry
Census
Ireland
Immigration
New York City and New Jersey
On-Site GSBC Genealogy Consultations at the Ridgewood Public Library (RPL)
GSBC Members and others receive complimentary on-site consultation with our Genealogy Consultants at the Bolger Heritage Center. All our consultants can help beginners through experienced researchers, guide you in the use of the Genealogy and Local History Reference collections at the Bolger Heritage Center, and help you break through your brick-walls. If you need assistance with a specific area not listed, contact us and we will match you as best we can with an expert in that area.
To make an appointment, email contact@njgsbc.org to reserve your consultation window.
Virtual Tour of the Bolger Heritage Center
Monday, 13 July @ 2pm
Sarah Kiefer, Local History Librarian, Ridgewood Public Library
Get a glimpse at all that the Bolger Heritage Center for Genealogy and Local History at the Ridgewood Public Library (https://www.ridgewoodlibrary.org/localhistory) has to offer through this virtual tour led by Local History Librarian Sarah Kiefer. Learn how to research your home, find information on your ancestors, and gain insight on the history of Ridgewood. In addition, you'll get a chance to view our newly restored Sanborn fire insurance maps, thanks to a grant funded by the Bergen County Cultural & Historic Preservation Committee.
REGISTER HERE: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/1215535800693133840
Specialties:
AncestryLE
Internet Research
Advanced Research
Netherlands
Available by Appointment
On-Site GSBC Genealogy Consultations at the Ridgewood Public Library (RPL)
GSBC Members and others receive complimentary on-site consultation with our Genealogy Consultants at the Bolger Heritage Center. All our consultants can help beginners through experienced researchers, guide you in the use of the Genealogy and Local History Reference collections at the Bolger Heritage Center, and help you break through your brick-walls. If you need assistance with a specific area not listed, contact us and we will match you as best we can with an expert in that area.
To make an appointment, email contact@njgsbc.org to reserve your consultation window.
New Jersey State Library and the Genealogical Society of Bergen County, NJ
Organizing (and Staying Sane with) Your Genealogy
Tuesday, 14 July @ Noon
Free Online Webinar!
Organizing (and Staying Sane with) Your Genealogy
There are as many ways to organize genealogical information as ancestors in our family tree, and most find that they need to improve their methods as their records grow.
Michelle D. Novak—a designer, photographer, and Masters of Information student in Archive Sciences—will demonstrate some common-sense organizational methods that she has developed to handle large client projects (that contain thousands of assets) and how she adapted some of these methods to her research—which works for both digital and paper files.
We’ll look at recording, naming, and organizing files (paper and digital); discuss some common technology pitfalls to avoid; peek into backups and cloud sharing; and look at some ideas to help your research live on. We’ll draw inspiration from the past, set up common-sense systems, protect against “a matter of when” disasters, and find inspiration in taking control of all your “stuff.” (Note that this talk is ever-evolving and is a bit different each time it’s presented.)
REGISTER HERE > https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/6077810414756546571
Michelle D. Novak is a brand designer and president of [MND] (mnd.nyc) which serves finserv, education, and technology; a genealogist; and a teacher. She is a Master of Information student at Rutgers University, holds a BFA from the Rhode Island School of Design, and certificates from BU, Gen-Fed, and GRIP. Novak is Trustee and Webmaster for the Genealogical Society of Bergen County (GSBC) and a former Trustee of the Genealogical Society of New Jersey. She also serves as Project Administrator for the GSNJ-NJSA New Jersey Early Land Records Project; Editor of the GSBC’s national award-winning newsletter, “The Archivist”; and is involved with numerous transcription, indexing, publicity, and digitization projects.
Join us as we talk about all things Bergen County! Over two sessions, we will dive into County-specific topics, history, and resources with the experts, historians, and genealogists who know Bergen County, New Jersey, best.
Bergen Roots—Part One
Monday, 1 June @ 2pm (EDT)
Genealogies & County Histories; Land Records
(Recorded, will be available on the GSBC Members' website.)
Bergen Roots—Part Two
Monday, 15 June @ 2pm (EDT)
Church & Cemetery Records; Probate & Wills
(Recorded, will be available on the GSBC Members' website.)
Bergen Roots—Part Three
Monday, 20 July @ 2pm (EDT)
GSBC Website Resources; Newspapers
REGISTER: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/4223464263241701136
Any level of question—from beginner to expert—is welcome. We will try to answer as may as we can and may follow up with you after the session to help.
We will field questions during the sessions but you can also present a question to us in advance via this form. This will allow us to do some research before the event and your question will be at the top of the list! https://forms.gle/uESrVsHxygQATzR79
Thank you—and join us for this, and other, online events!
On-Site GSBC Genealogy Consultations at the Ridgewood Public Library (RPL)
GSBC Members and others receive complimentary on-site consultation with our Genealogy Consultants at the Bolger Heritage Center. All our consultants can help beginners through experienced researchers, guide you in the use of the Genealogy and Local History Reference collections at the Bolger Heritage Center, and help you break through your brick-walls. If you need assistance with a specific area not listed, contact us and we will match you as best we can with an expert in that area.
To make an appointment, email contact@njgsbc.org to reserve your consultation window.
Specialties:
All computer applications
Advanced Research
Local History
Bergen County
Available by Appointment
On-Site GSBC Genealogy Consultations at the Ridgewood Public Library (RPL)
GSBC Members and others receive complimentary on-site consultation with our Genealogy Consultants at the Bolger Heritage Center. All our consultants can help beginners through experienced researchers, guide you in the use of the Genealogy and Local History Reference collections at the Bolger Heritage Center, and help you break through your brick-walls. If you need assistance with a specific area not listed, contact us and we will match you as best we can with an expert in that area.
To make an appointment, email contact@njgsbc.org to reserve your consultation window.
GSBC July General Meeting
Monday, 27 July @ 7pm
Regina Fitzpatrick. Genealogy Librarian, New Jersey State Library
Free Online Webinar
Genealogy Resources and Programs at the New Jersey State Library
Learn what the State Library has to offer to help you research your family history, both in New Jersey and out of state!
The New Jersey State Library (NJSL) in Trenton, NJ, offers an amazing array of resources for family historians, including the Genealogy Collection which includes city directories, family charts, genealogy research guides, newspapers, historic maps, and Sanborn fire insurance maps—and much, much more.
Regina Fitzpatrick, Genealogy Librarian at the NJSL, will discuss NJSL’s physical and virtual resources, our offered webinars, how NJSL staff is providing remote service for researchers during the COVID pandemic, and what you can access from home.
REGISTER: https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/1416736533019477007
Regina Fitzpatrick, MLIS, is Genealogy Librarian at the New Jersey State Library. In addition to the Genealogy Collection, a non-circulating 18,000 plus item collection, she also oversees the Map and Atlas Collection, and the New Jersey State Library Archives collection. Prior to working at the Library, Regina worked for the New Jersey State Archives, where she became an expert on New Jersey Genealogical Collections, including Revolutionary and Civil War military collections, and helping to conduct family history research. At the State Library, Regina currently provides general Reference Services, in addition to specific Genealogy assistance, and teaches classes on conducting New Jersey Genealogy research.
New Jersey State Library > https://www.njstatelib.org
New Jersey State Library, Genealogy and Local History > https://www.njstatelib.org/research_library/collections/genealogy_and_local_history/
Specialties:
AncestryLE
Canadian Records (French and English)
State and Federal Census
Advanced Research
New York City Research
City Directories
For July 2018: by appointment
On-Site GSBC Genealogy Consultations at the Ridgewood Public Library (RPL)
GSBC Members and others receive complimentary on-site consultation with our Genealogy Consultants at the Bolger Heritage Center. All our consultants can help beginners through experienced researchers, guide you in the use of the Genealogy and Local History Reference collections at the Bolger Heritage Center, and help you break through your brick-walls. If you need assistance with a specific area not listed, contact us and we will match you as best we can with an expert in that area.
To make an appointment, email contact@njgsbc.org to reserve your consultation window.
Specialties:
AncestryLE
Internet Research
Advanced Research
Netherlands
Available by Appointment
On-Site GSBC Genealogy Consultations at the Ridgewood Public Library (RPL)
GSBC Members and others receive complimentary on-site consultation with our Genealogy Consultants at the Bolger Heritage Center. All our consultants can help beginners through experienced researchers, guide you in the use of the Genealogy and Local History Reference collections at the Bolger Heritage Center, and help you break through your brick-walls. If you need assistance with a specific area not listed, contact us and we will match you as best we can with an expert in that area.
To make an appointment, email contact@njgsbc.org to reserve your consultation window.
Specialties:
Ancestry
Census
Ireland
Immigration
New York City and New Jersey
On-Site GSBC Genealogy Consultations at the Ridgewood Public Library (RPL)
GSBC Members and others receive complimentary on-site consultation with our Genealogy Consultants at the Bolger Heritage Center. All our consultants can help beginners through experienced researchers, guide you in the use of the Genealogy and Local History Reference collections at the Bolger Heritage Center, and help you break through your brick-walls. If you need assistance with a specific area not listed, contact us and we will match you as best we can with an expert in that area.
To make an appointment, email contact@njgsbc.org to reserve your consultation window.
Specialties:
All computer applications
Advanced Research
Local History
Bergen County
Available by Appointment
On-Site GSBC Genealogy Consultations at the Ridgewood Public Library (RPL)
GSBC Members and others receive complimentary on-site consultation with our Genealogy Consultants at the Bolger Heritage Center. All our consultants can help beginners through experienced researchers, guide you in the use of the Genealogy and Local History Reference collections at the Bolger Heritage Center, and help you break through your brick-walls. If you need assistance with a specific area not listed, contact us and we will match you as best we can with an expert in that area.
To make an appointment, email contact@njgsbc.org to reserve your consultation window.
On-Site GSBC Genealogy Consultations at the Ridgewood Public Library (RPL)
GSBC Members and others receive complimentary on-site consultation with our Genealogy Consultants at the Bolger Heritage Center. All our consultants can help beginners through experienced researchers, guide you in the use of the Genealogy and Local History Reference collections at the Bolger Heritage Center, and help you break through your brick-walls. If you need assistance with a specific area not listed, contact us and we will match you as best we can with an expert in that area.
To make an appointment, email contact@njgsbc.org to reserve your consultation window.
Specialties:
AncestryLE
Canadian Records (French and English)
State and Federal Census
Advanced Research
New York City Research
City Directories
For July 2018: by appointment
On-Site GSBC Genealogy Consultations at the Ridgewood Public Library (RPL)
GSBC Members and others receive complimentary on-site consultation with our Genealogy Consultants at the Bolger Heritage Center. All our consultants can help beginners through experienced researchers, guide you in the use of the Genealogy and Local History Reference collections at the Bolger Heritage Center, and help you break through your brick-walls. If you need assistance with a specific area not listed, contact us and we will match you as best we can with an expert in that area.
To make an appointment, email contact@njgsbc.org to reserve your consultation window.
Specialties:
AncestryLE
Internet Research
Advanced Research
Netherlands
Available by Appointment
On-Site GSBC Genealogy Consultations at the Ridgewood Public Library (RPL)
GSBC Members and others receive complimentary on-site consultation with our Genealogy Consultants at the Bolger Heritage Center. All our consultants can help beginners through experienced researchers, guide you in the use of the Genealogy and Local History Reference collections at the Bolger Heritage Center, and help you break through your brick-walls. If you need assistance with a specific area not listed, contact us and we will match you as best we can with an expert in that area.
To make an appointment, email contact@njgsbc.org to reserve your consultation window.
Specialties:
Ancestry
Census
Ireland
Immigration
New York City and New Jersey
On-Site GSBC Genealogy Consultations at the Ridgewood Public Library (RPL)
GSBC Members and others receive complimentary on-site consultation with our Genealogy Consultants at the Bolger Heritage Center. All our consultants can help beginners through experienced researchers, guide you in the use of the Genealogy and Local History Reference collections at the Bolger Heritage Center, and help you break through your brick-walls. If you need assistance with a specific area not listed, contact us and we will match you as best we can with an expert in that area.
To make an appointment, email contact@njgsbc.org to reserve your consultation window.
On-Site GSBC Genealogy Consultations at the Ridgewood Public Library (RPL)
GSBC Members and others receive complimentary on-site consultation with our Genealogy Consultants at the Bolger Heritage Center. All our consultants can help beginners through experienced researchers, guide you in the use of the Genealogy and Local History Reference collections at the Bolger Heritage Center, and help you break through your brick-walls. If you need assistance with a specific area not listed, contact us and we will match you as best we can with an expert in that area.
To make an appointment, email contact@njgsbc.org to reserve your consultation window.
