Lecture Hall: Disaster Planning for the Genealogist - April 2026

Disaster Planning for the Genealogist: Safeguarding Your Genealogical Records

April 30, 2026 7PM ET

No one knows when a future fire, tornado, earthquake, or flood may happen in your area. Don't wait until after tragedy strikes! There are steps you can take to save and preserve your genealogical records.

Learn how to design your own disaster plan from a professional archivist! You'll leave with tips to safeguard your family research records from destruction.

In this Lecture Hall you will learn:

• Home Archivists – simple steps to get started
• How to create a Disaster Preparedness Plan
• How to deal with Natural Disasters
• How to handle Man-Made Disasters
• Strategies for Digitization
• The importance of Climate Controls
• Tips from an Insurance Adjuster
• PLUS - all participants receive a session handout, no need to take copious notes!
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About the instructor:

Melissa Barker is a Certified Archives Manager and Public Historian currently working at the Houston County, Tennessee Archives. She lectures, teaches and writes about the genealogy research process, researching in archives and records preservation. She conducts virtual webinar presentations across the United States for genealogical and historical societies. She writes a popular blog entitled A Genealogist in the Archives and is a well-known genealogy Book Reviewer. She writes a bi-weekly advice column entitled The Archive Lady published at Genealogy Bargains. She writes history pieces for her local newspaper The Houston County Herald called From the Archives. She is a Professional Genealogist with an expertise in Tennessee records and she is currently taking clients. She has been researching her own family history for the past 31 years.