There is only so much excitement that can be generated from ancestor charts and family group sheets. Pictures are indeed worth a thousand words. Your clients and family may not be interested in the dry facts of genealogy, but you can draw them in with enticing and informative illustrations. Find out what topics can benefit from illustration. What kinds of memorabilia might you find to enrich your family history? Where can you find relevant illustrations online and offline? How can you encourage strangers and distant relatives to share memorabilia, documents, and photos of your family? In this informal, informative, and fun session, Dr. McCoy will share some of her photos and memorabilia that have enhanced her own and her clients’ family histories. Then, there will be opportunities for the group to share some of their own memorabilia and stories of how they obtained them.

Carol Prescott McCoy, Ph.D., owner of Find-Your-Roots.com., in Brunswick, Maine, teaches, writes, and coaches about genealogy. A past president and former director of the Maine Genealogical Society, she transcribed The Vital Records of Durham, Maine. Her specialties include land, tax, and town records in genealogy research. She likes to help clients solve complex problems and to learn the stories of their ancestors. Her areas of focus include New England; New York; West Virginia; Northern Ireland; and People of Color. McCoy grew up in Bronxville, Westchester County, New York, and as a child dreamed of playing for the Yankees. She earned her B.A. from Connecticut College, and Ph.D. in psychology from Rutgers University. She moved to Maine in 1991. She started her own training and development business in 1999 and her genealogy business around 2001. She enjoys giving webinars on genealogy and writing about her own roots