Host: Sue Kaufman
Guest: Bill Buckner, Genealogy Supervisor of the Genealogy Center
The West Waco-McLennan County Library Genealogy Center boasts a collection of over 34,000 items covering 34 states with a strong emphasis on Texas and the Southeastern United States. In addition, the Center’s collection includes published family histories, immigration and passenger lists, and Native American resources, to name just a few gems. They have a wonderful genealogy beginners’ video series online that is available to everyone.
Bill Buckner, the Genealogy Supervisor, provides a great overview of the library’s resources and the emphasis they place on customer service. The staff and volunteers are willing to work with individual genealogists to help them find the answers to their family history questions.
During the podcast, Bill highlights the Genealogy Lock-in scheduled for October 20, 2023. In 2011, Bill envisioned a statewide “lock-in” that would connect libraries and societies with genealogy collections across Texas. The goal was to provide a slate of genealogical programming and promote local collection resources. Each library hosts its own events to promote local collection resources, individualizing the event to local genealogy patrons. In 2022, 60 plus libraries/societies participated in the event.
Bill continues to co-host this very popular annual statewide event with the Central Texas Genealogical Society. This event has helped bring together the organizations and individuals that use, support, and have an interest in the Waco Genealogy Center collection.
Address: 5301 Bosque Blvd, Waco, Texas (West Waco Library)
Phone: 254-750-5945
URL: https://www.waco-texas.com/Departments/Library/Genealogy-Services
Hours: 10 – 6 (Tues., Wed., Fri., and Sat.)
10 – 9 (Mon. and Thurs.)