DARLINGTON — The Lafayette County Genealogy and Historical Societies co-hosted Lori Bessler, Reference Librarian and Outreach Coor-dinator at the Wisconsin State Historical Society Sept. 23 at Darlington’s Town Bank. 

Bessler specializes in breaking down brick walls and finding hard-to-find resources. Twenty-one attendees listened as she detailed how to get the most out of genealogy by organizing and analyzing genealogy research findings.

Bessler advises those already working on their genealogy to stop researching until they have analyzed what they have, taken care and organized it. The best way to start that is by designating a place in your house devoted to genealogy work and work on it there; make a schedule of days in the month that are dedicated as “genealogy work days” and plan accordingly; gather all documents, charts, photos, etc. in one place; cite sources on every document and interviews as not to duplicate effort; date when sourcing since repositories move and change numbering systems through the years.

Another recommendation Bessler addressed was the usefulness of scanning documents and using a timeline. For more information, visit the LCGS Research Center, 309 Main St., Darlington. They are currently open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursdays and by appointment. To schedule an appointment please contact Bill Holland at 608-325-2990.  

The LCGS will meet at its research center at 1 p.m. Oct. 28 for a short monthly meeting. Longtime genealogist and author of Southwest Wisconsin, Karen Reese, will be the host. Reese is a member of the LCGS and is in care of rewarding recognition certificates to descendants of Lafayette County settlers who apply and can furnish acceptable documentation proof of each generation to the applicant. The three options are: Pioneer Before 1845; Early Settler 1847-1877; and Centennial 1878-1897. Some may already have the necessary proof.