There are two genealogical societies in Lake County, Illinois.
The Lake County (IL) Genealogical Society (LCIGS) has monthly meetings with educational programs from January through October. LCIGS has a library. The society has produced a number of publications. Each November they host a day-long fall workshop, with two tracks given by local and nationally-known speakers.
LCIGS meets on the second Tuesday of the month, at 7 p.m. Meeting address: Vernon Hills Village Hall, 290 Evergreen Cr., Vernon Hills, Illinois. [Note: some meetings are being held via Zoom during to Covid restrictions.]
The LCIGS library is located in the lower level of the Vernon Hills Village Hall. It is open when a volunteer is present. Highlights of the collection include an obituary clipping file with over 100,000 obituaries, will books, Waukegan newspapers on microfilm, and an extensive book collection. Phone to see when a volunteer will be present: 847-918-3584. The library is at: Vernon Hills Village Hall, 290 Evergreen Drive, Vernon Hills, Illinois.
LCIGS members enjoy a quarterly publication, reduced fall workshop rates, and reduced prices on society trips.
LCIGS has a website and a Facebook page.
The Zion Genealogical Society (ZGS) was founded in 1979. ZGS hosts monthly meetings on the third Monday of the month, from 7 – 9 p.m. The membership meetings include instructional programs and are at the Beach Park Village Hall, 11270 W. Wadsworth Road, Beach Park, Illinois. Check their website, as occasionally the meeting location will be elsewhere. The society has produced a number of publications.
ZGS has a genealogy collection at the Zion-Benton Library at 2400 Gabriel in Zion. Society members offer research assistance at the Zion-Benton Library on Wednesdays from 7 – 9 p.m., with a break before Thanksgiving until the second week of January. [Check to see if the meeting is held via Zoom during Covid restrictions.]
ZGS membership benefits include a quarterly newsletter, an online surname list, a CD lending library, and research trips.
I am interested in knowing more about genealogy as a volunteer opportunity. I have researched my own family and am interested in finding out what I would need to do to volunteer eventually. I am currently a full- time teacher so my opportunities are limited but I am considering this as a long term goal, maybe in retirement, several years from now. Any direction to what I need to know about moving from a family researcher to a genealogist would be great!
Hi Jacquie. I suggest reaching out to a local genealogical society. Go to a membership meeting and program, become a member. There are no shortage of projects on the back-burner in those groups, but there is often a shortage of volunteers. Many helpful things can be done from home, in your spare time. When I began volunteering for my local group, I learned a lot about the resources in my area. That helped to prepare me for client work. Good luck! If you need help locating a genealogy society, you can check the Federation of Genealogical Societies to see if there is one listed in your area.
Another idea is to find a message board or mailing list that focuses on an area or topic that you have a good background in. Volunteer by offering help in the form of answers to questions that are asked on the message boards you are interested in.