Throughout the year, there are a number of formal genealogical and family history education opportunities offered locally, especially for beginning, returning and intermediate genealogists.

For example, there are on-going programmes at both the Cloverdale Public Library in Surrey and at the Community College for the Retired in Burnaby. Follow the links below to learn more about these programmes, offered several times a year.

At Cloverdale Library, instructor Brenda Smith teaches both “Start Searching your Family History: A Beginners’ Workshop in 5 Lessons” and “Start Writing your Family History: A Communications Workshop in 5 Lessons”.

And in Burnaby, M. Diane Rogers teaches 2 courses – both 8 week sessions, “Genealogy 202″ for beginners and those returning to genealogy after a period away from research, and “Internet Genealogy” for those wanting to learn how to best use Internet resources, including hands-on experience with Ancestry.com.

Night school courses coming up in Maple Ridge and New Westminster include genealogy sessions too. Follow the links to see details.

Instructor Rob Whitlock’s evening course through Ridge Meadows College in Maple Ridge, “Find Your Family Tree: An Introduction to Genealogy” will run first, January 31-February 21, and next, from May 14-June 4, 2013.

And M. Diane Rogers will teach an all day “Introduction to Genealogy” seminar through New Westminster Continuing Education, Saturday, May 11, 2013.

Informal genealogy and family history education in the Greater Vancouver area includes the meetings and special interest group sessions hosted by the British Columbia Genealogical Society and other historical and genealogical groups, and a variety of sessions at local libraries, including the Central Branch, Vancouver Public Library. Watch for news about 2013 events like these by clicking the Events tab above on the menu.