The Benton County Genealogical Society will host its monthly program at 11 a.m. Saturday at Philomath Museum, featuring a presentation by Bob Taylor, co-creator of The Family History Guide website.
Taylor will present “Sharpen Your Skills with The Family History Guide,” offering an overview of the free online resource he helped develop to assist people at all levels of genealogical research.
Taylor’s involvement with family history education began in 2014 when he volunteered as a consultant at the Sandy Granite Family History Center in Utah. Noticing that visitors repeatedly asked many of the same questions, he created a website to address them. Drawing on his background in instructional design, Taylor built a structured learning framework into the site built around projects, goals, choices and steps.
Taylor later partnered with Bob Ives, technology coordinator for the Sandy Granite Family History Center, to form a company to promote the site. The organization eventually became The Family History Guide Association, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, which allows for tax-deductible contributions. The website itself remains free to use and carries no advertising.
Since launching in 2015, the guide has grown substantially. It has received approval from FamilySearch as an official training partner and added dedicated learning paths for Ancestry, MyHeritage and Findmypast. The site now draws visitors from more than 150 countries.
The association’s work extends beyond the website. It sponsors webinars through organizations such as Brigham Young University, promotes family history training for individuals and groups, and sends representatives to trade shows, conferences and family history fairs.
Admission to Saturday’s program is free and open to the public.