Research Webinars
Reference Librarians and Reference Archivists from the Texas State Library and Archives Commission (TSLAC) are presenting 20-minute Zoom webinars every fourth Friday of the month. Webinars will cover a variety of research topics.
Registration information will be made available on this webpage with a Zoom link provided.
Can’t make the live session? Recordings and presented materials will be made available here. Live sessions will be offered twice, with recordings available after each session.
Looking for other research topics? Check out the Past Sessions section. Still have questions? Contact the Reference Desk.
Upcoming Webinars
2021 Schedule:
Introduction to the Texas State Archives (Part 1) [View Recordings in Past Sessions - January 29, 2021 and July 23, 2021]
An introduction to the Texas State Archives collections.
Live sessions: January 29 /July 23, 2021
Introduction to the Texas State Archives (Part 2): Finding Materials [View Recordings in Past Sessions - February 26, 2021 and August 27, 2021]
Learn how to use finding aids and the online catalog to discover archival materials at TSLAC.
Live sessions: February 26 /August 27, 2021
Introduction to Photographic Resources at the Texas State Archives [View Recordings in Past Sessions - March 19, 2021 and September 24, 2021]
Learn about the extensive photographic collections at the State Archives.
Live sessions: March 19 /September 24, 2021
Locating County Records
Learn how to locate Texas county records online and through regional microfilm depositories for genealogical research.
Live sessions: April 23 /October 22, 2021 [View Recording in Past Sessions]
Locating Texas Documents
Learn about Texas state agencies publications in the TSLAC collections and how they may help your research.
Live sessions: May 28 /November 19, 2021 [View Recording in Past Sessions]
Locating US Documents
Learn about Texas state agencies publications in the TSLAC collections and how they may help your research.
Live sessions: June 25 /December 17, 2021. [View Recording in Past Sessions]
Past Sessions
View past research sessions below. Links will take you to presentation slides, handouts, recorded sessions (when available), or our online research guides.
Friday, September 24, 2021, 1 p.m. CDT
Introduction to Photographic Resources at the Texas State Archives
Learn about the extensive photographic collections at the Texas State Archives.
[Download slides]
Friday, August 27, 2021, 1 p.m. CDT
Introduction to the State Archives (Part 2): Finding Materials
Learn how to use finding aids and the online catalog to discover archival materials at TSLAC.
Friday, July 23, 2021, 1 p.m. CDT
Introduction to the State Archives (Part 1)
An introduction to the State Archives Collections.
Friday, June 25, 2021, 1 p.m. CDT
Locating US Documents
Learn about the federal documents in the TSLAC collections and the different types of government information available to your research.
Friday, May 28, 2021, 1 p.m. CDT
Locating Texas Documents
Learn about Texas state agencies publications in the TSLAC collections and how they may help your research.
Friday, April 23, 2021, 1 p.m. CDT
Locating County Records
Learn how to locate Texas county records online and through regional microfilm depositories for genealogical research.
Friday, March 19, 2021, 1 p.m. CDT
Introduction to Photographic Resources at the Texas State Archives
Learn about the extensive photographic collections at the Texas State Archives.
Friday, February 26, 2021, 1 p.m. CDT
Introduction to the Texas State Archives (Part 2): Finding Materials
Learn how to use finding aids and the online catalog to discover archival materials at TSLAC.
Friday, January 29, 2021, 1 p.m. CDT
Introduction to the Texas State Archives (Part 1)
Introduction to the Texas State Archives collections. 20-minute webinar.
Live sessions: January (note: scheduled for Friday, January 29, 2021)/July 2021
Introduction to Newspaper Collections (presentation slides)
Learn how to navigate the TSLAC newspaper collections and databases, how to find newspapers held by the Briscoe Center for American History (UT), provide tips on searching the Portal to Texas History. (July 2020).
Ancestry.com Texas Collections (presentation slides)
Register to use TSLAC resources freely available through the Ancestry.com Texas Collection database. (September 2020).
Searching the Census Online (presentation slides)
Reference staff will guide participants in searching the United States Census via Ancestry.com, Family Search and HeritageQuest and provide an introduction to non-population census information online. (July 2019).
Introduction to Texas County Records (presentation slides)
Reference staff will provide an overview of the Texas county records available at TSLAC and how to use them. (October 2019).
Orignal Resources for African-American Genealogy (recorded presentation) 
Join us to discover original resources for researching African-American genealogy. (February 2016).