Summer is often marked by family gatherings—graduations, weddings, and family reunions bring people together. It’s a great time to start or carry on traditions that tie family history to present activities. The Michigan eLibrary (MeL) provides eResources to help with genealogical research and ideas for fun family activities that will have everyone wanting in on the action.

MyHeritage Library Edition is a genealogy research eResource that includes over 19 billion historical records and the United States Census through 1950, as well as military and immigration records. Discovering more about your family tree can be done via a general search. Those who have more details can also complete advanced searches and view information by category including birth, marriage, and death records and government records such as land, court, and will documents. Access to MyHeritage Library Edition is available both in libraries and at home within Michigan, so research is convenient for everyone.

When planning a family event, sharing history can be fun and easy. Internet Genealogy in Hobbies & Crafts Source suggests "Ten Ways to Share Genealogy at Your Family Reunion." From displaying a large family tree to sharing oral histories, there are ideas to connect even the youngest family members to their past. Public libraries can help with sharing older media as the article suggests. Many offer equipment that can be used to scan photos, digitize home movies, and convert slides to a more accessible format so that memories are not lost as technology advances.

Younger generations might not be familiar with traditions such as regularly visiting cemeteries to pay respect to deceased loved ones. "Invite Your Ancestors to Your Family Reunion" in Ancestor Hunt: Quarterly Publications of the Ashtabula Genealogical Society of Ohio in MasterFILE Complete describes how you might conduct an in-person or virtual cemetery tour. If you would like to document graves, Internet Genealogy in Hobbies & Crafts Source shares tips for "Taking Better Tombstone Photos" such as preparing the stone by removing any debris that might cause shadows, cleaning off moss and lichen, and bringing along chalk to help brighten the text.

Everyone will want to keep holding family events if they have fun and remember them fondly. Pathfinders Travel Magazine for People of Color in MasterFILE Complete includes "The 3 Es of an Epic Family Reunion: Early Planning, Expectations and Energy!" to help make lasting connections with family. As you plan fun summer events, remember that the MeL eResources include even more excellent publications to jumpstart genealogical research such as Family Tree Magazine and Treesearcher.

If you have any MeL eResources questions or issues, contact [email protected] for help.