The Camden Public Library will host historian Mark Bradford Richardson at 6 p.m. Tuesday, May 4, for an online presentation, “Genealogy and Historical Storytelling: Overcoming Pitfalls and Getting it Right.”

Richardson’s program will use several real-life studies to illustrate genealogy research entanglements he’s encountered and suggest strategies to overcome them.

“Searching for information about our ancestors can be rewarding,” said Richardson, according to a news release from the library. “Their stories tell us much about their time on this earth and enrich the history of our communities. But, how do we get their stories right?”

Richardson plans to describe the many resources that are typically tapped when people are on a quest for genealogy answers. He will review the challenges one can encounter when considering the stories behind family possessions, old photographs, newspaper articles, and obituaries. He will touch on the use of documents and records related to birth, marriage, military service, public service, work history, criminal records, and death. Richardson will also remark on important factors to consider when delving into online genealogy websites.

Richardson earned a master’s degree in Early American History from the University of New Hampshire and has been a Revolutionary War reenactor for 46 years. He spent most of his career as a municipal transfer station manager in New Hampshire. He has been active in Somersworth, New Hampshire, as a school and planning board member, regional planning commissioner, and cemetery trustee. Richardson is also a trustee of the country’s oldest municipal recycling cooperative and an active member of his Masonic Lodge, and researches the lives of local soldiers as part of Somersworth’s “Talking Tombstones” program.

To request a Zoom link to attend, email jpierce@librarycamden.org.

For more information on Camden Public Library programs, visit librarycamden.org.

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