2017 MALHM Conference session: Tips for helping researchers

Your library is hopping with genealogists, with several researchers asking for materials to review as well as scans and copies. You're happy because your organization is reaching people who care about history and your collection.

On the other hand, you have a stack of research requests, piles of folders that need to be refiled and not enough time to get everything done. How do you help your customers without overburdening your work load?

Find out from someone who's been there, at our 2017 Annual Meeting and Conference, April 26-27, at Chase on the Lake in Walker, MN. Jennifer Rian, reference librarian at Gale Family Library, offers some tips in an aptly named session:
Help! I'm Drowning in Genealogists: Tips & Tricks to Effectively Assist Researchers Without Losing Your Mind
Genealogists can be the most enthusiastic and dedicated users of local history collections, conversely they can also be some of your most demanding researchers.  Learn tips & tricks for assessing information needs, leveraging pre-existing resources, developing your own reference tools, and managing workflow all so you don't lose your mind.  Formal presentation will conclude with an opportunity for participants to share their own institutional approaches for working with genealogists.

The Minnesota Alliance of Local History Museums (MALHM) is an professional organization dedicated to "Peers Helping Peers." Learn from your colleagues in the field, who will share their expertise at the conference.

Gale Family LIbrary at the Minnesota Historical Society

 Register now!
Registration is now open for the MALHM Conference, set for April 26-27 in Walker, MN. Register through our new online store. Attendees may also pay with a registration form and check by mail. With either method, attendees can indicate dietary needs, such as vegetarian and gluten free.

Registration deadline is April 10. Chase on the Lake will offer a discount to MALHM attendees who book by phone by April 4. For more information, see our Annual Conference page. If you have additional questions, please contact MALHM Coordinator Marci Matson or Conference Chair Jill Wohnoutka. Look for a full conference schedule soon!