Over the past two years I have had the opportunity to contribute three programs to Legacy FamilyTree Webinars. Together, they reflect the way I approach genealogy: careful research design, attention to historical and legal context, and practical use of modern tools.
Finding the Records for “Impossible” Genealogy
Legacy FamilyTree Webinars, 8 May 2024 (60 minutes plus Q&A)
This full-length webinar addresses research problems that are often described as “impossible” and explains why those barriers exist. Some communities appear difficult to research because they lack conventional records such as birth, baptism marriage, and death registrations (collectively: BMDs), church registers, censuses, and authored work (e.g., digital trees, lineage societies, and published genealogies). The problem is systemic, not personal. Record creation follows law, policy, and politics.
The presentation shows how alternative sources may replace missing conventional records, including business records, grave markers, immigration records, name association records and oral history. It explains how the Chinese Immigration Act (1885–1947) generated extensive documentation that now forms the foundation of Chinese Canadian genealogical research. It also demonstrates how a study of the system can yield unexpected and overlooked resources, regardless of the type of genealogy.
The session also emphasizes the role of context. Legal, political, social, cultural, linguistic, and historical frameworks determine which records exist and how they must be interpreted.
5 Reasons to Build a Genealogy Website
Legacy FamilyTree Webinars, 1 August 2025 (19:11)
This webinar short explains why maintaining a personal genealogy website is a good support in long-term genealogical practice. It was one of the Top 10 Tech Webinar Shorts for 2025.
The five reasons are:
- Cousin bait
- Exposure
- Building expertise
- Blogging as publishing
- Building a warehouse of knowledge
A research website can be the central hub for a genealogist’s work. It connects case studies, source collections, family trees, and curated links into a single structure that can grow over time.
Genealogy in Your Pocket: 5 Simple iPhone Tricks for Family History
Legacy FamilyTree Webinars, 2 January 2026 (15″)
This session focuses on everyday tools that improve documentation and preservation of family history:
- Play music from any era to unlock memory
- Record stories anywhere using Voice Memos
- Dictate notes and emails instead of typing
- Recover locations using GPS in Photos
- Scan documents directly in Apple Notes
These techniques allow research, documentation, and preservation to happen continuously, not only at archives or libraries.
Accessing the Webinars
All three programs are available through Legacy FamilyTree Webinars.
Details can be found at: FamilyTreeWebinars.com/LindaYip
I used AI as a support tool in developing this page, under my direction and supervision. The ideas, analysis, organization, and conclusions are mine, shaped by my experience as a genealogist and professional judgment. When I use AI, I will tell you.