Speaker: Joseph B. Everett

Areas of focus or expertise:

  • German Empire
  • Russian Empire/USSR
  • Germans from Eastern Europe
  • tracing immigrant origins

Email contact: joe_everett@byu.edu

Web/social media: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joeeverett

Home: Provo, UT

Native language: English

Presentation language(s): English primarily; German (if reading a paper)

Preferred presentation type: virtual and in-person

Travel preferences: North America preferred, Europe or South America on occasion

Biography

Joseph B. Everett, AG®, MLS is the Family and Local History Librarian at Brigham Young University. In his 30-year career, he has also worked as a librarian and manager for FamilySearch and as a content manager (including German projects) at Ancestry.com. He earned a degree in Family History/Genealogy (German emphasis) and Russian Language from BYU and a Master of Library Science from Emporia State University, Kansas. He is accredited in German and Russian Empire/USSR research.

In which societies are you a member?

  • Association of Professional Genealogists (APG)
  • National Genealogical Society (NGS)
  • International Commission for the Accreditation of Professional Genealogists (ICAPGen)
  • Foundation for East European Family History Studies (FEEFHS)
  • International German Genealogy Partnership (Partner Rep for FEEFHS)
  • Association of Genealogy Educators and Schools (AGES)
  • Utah Genealogical Association (UGA)
  • Mormon History Association (MHA)
  • Icelandic Association of Utah (IAU)
  • American Library Association (ALA): Reference and User Services Association (RUSA), History Section and Association of College & Research Libraries (ACRL), European Studies Section
  • Utah Library Association (ULA)
Speaking experience/references

This is only a partial list, focusing on things relevant to German

  • Everett, J.B. (2024, Jun 26). Finding Your immigrant Ancestor’s Birthplace [Hybrid meeting]. San Diego Genealogical Society, German Interest Group, San Diego, CA.
  • Everett, J. B. (2024, Mar. 20). Breaking through brick walls with the German Immigrants in American Church Records series [Virtual presentation]. St. Louis Genealogical Society Germany Special Interest group.
  • Everett, J. B. and Nusink, M. [undergraduate] (2024, Feb. 29). Getting Started Part 1: Using and preserving family sources [Conference session in person and webinar]. RootsTech, Salt Lake City, UT.
  • Everett, J. B. (2023, Aug. 3). Understanding Polish historical geography [Conference session]. Foundation for East European Family History Studies (FEEFHS) Conference, Salt Lake City, UT.
  • Everett, J. B. (2023, Aug. 2). Where exactly did my ancestor come from? [Conference virtual session]. Foundation for East European Family History Studies (FEEFHS) Conference, Salt Lake City, UT.
  • Everett, J. B. (2023, Jun. 9). Deutsche Digitale Bibliothek – The German Digital Library [Conference session]. International German Genealogy Conference, Fort Wayne, IN.
  • Everett, J. B. (2023, Jun. 10). Solving brick walls with the German Immigrants in American Church Records series [Conference session]. International German Genealogy Conference, Fort Wayne, IN.
  • Aigner, T., Everett, J.B. Pordzik, V. Champenois, C. N.; Beatty, J. D.; & Nahrwold, C. (Moderator). (2023, Jun. 8). Librarians’ Day speaker panel [Panel discussion]. International German Genealogy Conference, Fort Wayne, IN.
  • Everett, J. B. (2023, Jun. 8). Resources for beginning German research, [Conference session]. Librarians’ Day, International German Genealogy Conference 2023, Ft. Wayne, IN.
  • Everett, J. B. (2022, Oct. 25). Online tools and resources to facilitate German genealogical research [Webinar], Sacramento German Genealogy Society, Sacramento, CA.
  • Everett, J. B. (2022, Oct.). Deciphering handwriting in genealogical records [Recorded presentation]., Annual Genealogy Network of Texas Lock-in, various cities, TX. [A collaboration of Texas libraries and genealogical societies, shown at dozens of library lock-in events during Oct.]
  • Everett, J. B. (2022, May 27). Reading chicken scratch: Paleography techniques for difficult German handwriting [Conference session]. National Genealogical Society Conference, Sacramento, CA. [Also recorded for NGS 2022 On-Demand and presented to San Diego Genealogical Society German Interest Group in Nov 2023.]
  • Champenois, C. N., & Everett, J. B. (2022, May 26). How to find your German ancestor’s hometown [Conference session]. National Genealogical Society Conference, Sacramento, CA.
  • Everett, J. B. (2021, Jun.). Johann who? Of what place? Overcoming butchered names of people and places [Virtual conference session]. International German Genealogy Conference, online.
  • Everett, J. B. (2021, Mar. 31). Mining for images: Locating digital records on major websites and beyond [Virtual presentation]. Texas Research Ramblers Genealogical Society Meeting, online.
  • Everett, J. B., (2021, Mar. 17). German online record collections [Webinar]. BYU Library Family History Webinars, online.
  • Everett, J. B. (2020, Oct. 17). Academic genealogy: Using university and other research libraries [Virtual conference session]. Northern Kentucky Family History Conference, online.
  • Everett, J. B. (2020, Sep. 15). Who moved my microfilm? Thriving with research in a post-microfilm era [Virtual conference session]. Federation of Genealogical Societies (FGS) Conference, online.
  • Everett, J. B. (2020, Sep. 15). There’s a map for that: Digital resources for mapping your family history [Virtual conference session]. Federation of Genealogical Societies (FGS) Conference, online.
  • Everett, J. B. (2020, Sep. 15). Image mining: Tips for locating digital records on major websites and beyond [Virtual conference session]. Federation of Genealogical Societies (FGS) Conference, online. [Also presented in April 2019 for the Utah Valley Technology and Genealogy Group, Provo, UT.]
  • Everett, J. B. (2020, May). Austria, Poland, Russia, or Prussia? Making sense of Central and East European historical geography [Recorded conference session]. NGS 2020 On-Demand, National Genealogical Society Conference, online.
  • Everett, J. B. (2020, Jan. 31). Researching immigrants to the United States [Webinar]. BYU Library Family History Webinars, online.
  • Everett, J. B. (2019, Aug.). Deep research for clues and context in tracing immigrants [Conference session]. BYU Conference on Family History and Genealogy, Provo, UT.
  • Everett, J. B. (2009, Jul. 24). Resources for tracing your Germanic heritage on Ancestry.com [Conference session]. FEEFHS Conference, Milwaukee, WI.
  • Everett, J. B. (2007, Apr. 20). Online sources for Germanic research [Meeting presentation]. Utah Valley Chapter, Association of Professional Genealogists, Provo, UT.

Recording of previous presentation OR an IGGP partner you have presented for: https://familyhistory.lib.byu.edu/all-webinars/deciphering-names-of-german-people-and-places

Payment/expense arrangements

How do you approach payment for making a presentation? I am willing to negotiate a speaking fee with clients

Other expenses you would like to have reimbursed if you travel? Flight, hotel, meals (at least in part, depending on how many presentations)

Recordings/additional materials

Are you willing to prepare a handout? Yes

Would you be willing to develop a presentation on another topic? Yes

Do you have any restrictions on recording, re-use of recordings, handouts, etc? Recordings and handouts may not be published, shared, or sold except to those who have registered for the specific event where they are presented without express permission.

Are you willing to have the presentation translated or translate it yourself? Yes

Presentation topics

See speaking experience at left. All have been delivered in English. Could translate to German. Most could be taught for any level or geared toward an beginner or advanced level, as needed.