Nancy Calhoun, head of the Genealogy and Local History Department, said the rising interest in genealogy may be a result of changes in society.

“There seems to be a need in our society for a sense of connecting,” she said. “We have an increase in younger people interested in their family background. There are so many broken homes now. I think it’s healing for them to study their ancestors. They grow to be proud of their background and more understanding. When they look at the lives of their parents and grandparents, they see what they went through.”

Calhoun said many beginners get so interested in genealogy and history that they become regular visitors in the department. Some even become volunteers.

“We have approximately a dozen volunteers,” she said. “They create indexes, wait on customers and shelve materials. People who do genealogy are sharing people. A lot of our volunteers do as much for others as they do on their own projects.”

Learning how to research

The Muskogee Public Library, 801 W. Okmulgee Ave., offers two free genealogy classes per month.

This month, the Internet Genealogy class will be held at 7 p.m. Monday on the second floor in the computer lab. The Basics of Genealogy class (no Internet) will be held at 7 p.m. Tuesday in the new genealogy room on the first floor of the library.

The free classes are on a first-come, first-served basis. Pre-registration is required. Information or registration: Nancy Calhoun, 682-6657, ext. 257.