With the increased interest from individuals exploring the possibility of obtaining Canadian citizenship by descent, we have seen a substantial increase in library activity and visitors.

To help meet this growing demand, we have expanded library hours and increased the availability of research assistance whenever possible. However, our organization is entirely volunteer-driven, and all of our researchers generously donate their time and expertise to assist visitors.

We kindly ask visitors to keep this in mind when planning a visit. Research assistance is provided on a first-come, first-served basis unless you have a specific appointment with a research assistant that has been arranged and confirmed in advance by email.

Our goal is to help everyone who visits the library achieve their research objectives, and we will do our very best to assist each visitor as time and resources allow.

If you would like to arrange an appointment for research assistance or inquire about availability beyond our standard library hours, please send your request to library@acgs.org. We look forward to supporting your research needs and will do our best to accommodate your schedule.

Thank you for your patience, understanding, and support of our volunteers.

For the summer of 2026, ACGS created an internship for an aspiring genealogist to see the ins and outs of the work involved at a genealogy society and how we go about helping our patrons with their research.  Luke Insana, a soon to be senior at UNH has written, on our request, a write up of the internship experience.  If any college students are interested in a similar internship in the future, please reach out to president@acgs.org for further discussions, there is no guarantee for placement.  This write up is not an all inclusive rendering of Luke’s work with ACGS, but it targets how the internship will impact his career goals.  It was a pleasure to have Luke as an intern this summer, his enthusiasm for research was refreshing.  Thank you – ACGS Board of Directors.

Summer 2026 ACGS Internship Summary – Luke Insana

Organization: American-Canadian Genealogical Society (ACGS)

Role: Genealogical Research Intern

Timeline: Monday June 1, 2026 – Friday August 14, 2026

Schedule: 2 Days in Person, 2 Days Remote

Executive Summary

This summer’s 2026 internship at the American-Canadian Genealogical Society (ACGS) served as a foundational milestone for me in translating my academic knowledge into a professional genealogical practice. Commencing on June 1, 2026, the internship provided structured, hands-on exposure to archival methodologies, French-Canadian and Acadian record repositories, and professional research standards.

By operating on a consistent schedule, primarily Monday and Wednesday shifts with Denis Joyal and Roger Lanctot, the internship offered a balance of dedicated library and database work with independent portfolio construction. The primary objective of this position was to build rigorous archival research credentials, master specialized research tools, and compile a client-ready portfolio to support long-term professional ambitions within the genealogy field, specifically targeting roles such as AncestryProGenealogists.

Core Responsibilities & Daily Operations

During the course of the internship, daily responsibilities spanned direct record handling, database navigation, and archival problem-solving. Key operational areas included:

• Archival Navigation & Record Indexing: Working directly within the ACGS library collections to locate periodical records to further analyze vital records, parish registers, land documents, and census data.
• Patron & Query Support: Assisting in resolving complex lineage questions and navigating historical records specific to French-Canadian, Acadian, and New England migration patterns. I even got to show Denis & Roger some tools to help ACGS trace genealogies beyond French-Canada / North America, and into European Places like Ireland, Scotland, and Italy on FamilySearch.org
• Research Log Management: Maintaining meticulous, standards-compliant research logs documenting repositories consulted, search strategies deployed, negative findings, and record citations.

Specialized Databases & Technical Mastery

A central focus of the internship was attaining advanced proficiency in primary French-Canadian and Acadian genealogical research tools. Mastery was developed across two premier databases:

1. PRDH (Programme de recherche en démographie historique)

• Deep utilization of the Université de Montréal’s demographic database for 17th and 18th-century French-Canadian populations.
• Execution of family re-constitutions (reconstitutions de familles) using baptism, marriage, and burial records.
• Disambiguation of individuals with common surnames (dit names) through cross-referencing parents, godparents, and witnesses across generations.

2. LaFrance & Drouin Collection (Généalogie Québec)

• In-depth searching of over 5 million vital records spanning Quebec, Acadia, and neighboring regions.
• Verification of Catholic and Protestant parish registers from the early colonial period through the mid-20th century.
• Analysis of original handwriting (paleography) in French parish registers to ensure accurate transcriptions and genealogical proof.

Portfolio Development & Skill Stack

Primary Focus Area	Key Deliverable / Competency
French-Canadian Paleography	Transcribing 17th/18th century registers
Advanced Database Mechanics	Complex queries in PRDH & LaFrance
Evidence Evaluation	Applying the Genealogical Proof Standard
Client-Ready Reporting	Case study compilation & citation logs

 

Research outputs compiled during the internship included:

• Case Studies & Proof Summaries: Assembled detailed written analyses evaluating conflicting evidence, missing records, and indirect evidence in line with the Genealogical Proof Standard (GPS).

• Featured Portfolio Pieces: Structured research outputs generated during the internship to serve as the core evidence base for professional credentials, independent consulting work, and future corporate outreach.

Strategic Value & Career Impact

The summer internship at ACGS directly bridged theoretical training and high-level industry application:

1. Specialized Niche Expertise: Established clear knowledge in French-Canadian and Acadian migration research—a highly sought-after specialization in North American genealogy.
2. Career Trajectory Alignment: Directly strengthened my professional resume and research portfolio needed to pursue advanced roles in the field, including professional consulting and placement with major industry organizations by 2027.

As family historians, we spend countless hours searching for records, analysing evidence, and building our family trees. But one of the most important parts of the research process is often overlooked—recording exactly where our information came from.

A good source citation allows you to return to the original record whenever you need to check a detail or review your conclusions. It also enables others to verify your research and assess the evidence for themselves. Whether you’re sharing your work with relatives, publishing a family history, or submitting research to a genealogy society, clear citations add credibility to your work.

Without proper citations, even the most exciting discoveries can lose their value. A birth date copied from a website or a photograph saved without recording its source may be difficult—or even impossible—to verify years later. Accurate citations help preserve your research and ensure that future generations can build upon it with confidence.

Many genealogists know they should cite their sources but find the process difficult or time-consuming. With so many different record types, it’s not always easy to remember the correct format or what information should be included.

That’s where Cite-Builder can help.

Cite-Builder is a web-based citation generator designed specifically for genealogists. With more than 1000 templates covering a wide range of genealogical records, it guides users through the process of creating clear, consistent, and professional source citations. Simply choose a template, enter the details from your source, and your citation is generated automatically.

You can find Cite-Builder at https://cite-builder.com. You can use it for free, using the Basic version which provides access to about 40% of the templates.  There is also a Premium version which gives access to all the templates, plus powerful additional features.  An annual Premium subscription is only AUD $35 (approx. USD $24).

Whether you’re documenting census records, parish registers, newspapers, probate files, books, or online resources, Cite-Builder makes citation writing faster and easier, allowing you to spend more time discovering your family’s story—and ensuring those discoveries remain reliable for years to come.

To view the ACGS member discount code please go to our ACGS Partnership page and receive 20% off your first year’s Premium Membership to Cite-Builder.

By Janelle Asselin

On May 15, 2026, the American-Canadian Genealogical Society (ACGS) crossed regional boundaries to lead a vital preservation and stabilization day at the historic St. Francis Xavier Cemetery in Ecorse, Michigan, just south of Detroit. Organized in close collaboration with the Archdiocese of Detroit, the French-Canadian Heritage Society of Michigan, and the local St. Andre Bessette Parish, this collaborative event brought together passionate volunteers to honor and restore a burial site deeply tied to early Downriver French Canadian Catholic families.

While ACGS has long maintained deep ties to the French Canadian heritage of New England, this event marked a strategic milestone in connecting our membership with the rich historical narrative of the Great Lakes region. The Downriver area of Detroit was first settled by French Canadian families in the late 1700s, making it one of the foundational communities of French-heritage pioneers in the Midwest. By stepping forward to care for this at-risk cemetery, ACGS successfully broadened its organizational visibility, built lasting institutional partnerships, and demonstrated that our preservation mission truly encompasses all of American-Canadian history.

The Legacy of St. Francis Xavier Cemetery

St. Francis Xavier Cemetery was officially established in 1848, though it represents generations of prior worshipers who were originally ministered to by Father Gabriel Richard through a mission. Over time, uneven maintenance and a devastating 1970s flood resulted in a critical loss of official parish burial records, plus the church connected to the cemetery was consolidated. To remedy this, premier local expert and genealogist Dale Renaud painstakingly reconstructed the cemetery’s historical population using surviving gravestones, death certificates, and external religious records, which he has published through the Downriver Genealogical Society.

Of the 2,443 total historical burials documented by Renaud, 1,748 records (71.6%) represent unmarked graves. The marked graves bear surnames that are likely to be familiar to French-Canadian genealogists. Among the most frequent surnames documented were: LeBlanc (63 records), Salliotte (44 records), Labadie (42 records), Bourassa (39 records), Drouillard (38 records), Montie (36 records), Renaud (34 records), and Riopelle (28 records). St. Francis Xavier holds the graves of my 3x great grandparents, Thomas LeBlanc and Adeline (McQuillen) LeBlanc Cicotte, among many other family members, plus their granddaughter and my great grandmother was a Drouillard, and I’m related through the Drouillards and LeBlancs to most of the large French Canadian families buried here, so this was also a personal project for me.

A Day of Hard Work and Heartfelt Stewardship

The cleanup combined professional care with active community involvement. Around twenty volunteers—including local parish members, society volunteers, and descendants of those buried in the cemetery—labored for five hours meticulously using preservation-safe methods and materials. Key achievements from the day included:

▪ Monument Preservation: Cleaned and stabilized historic family monuments using gravestone-safe techniques.
▪ Uncovering History: Carefully excavated and uncovered flat markers and stones that had been completely swallowed by grass and soil over the decades.
▪ Grounds Stabilization: Cleared away massive piles of accumulated brush, low-hanging branches, and debris to improve visibility and overall cemetery dignity.
▪ Photographic Documentation: Implemented comprehensive photo-documentation of markers to safeguard their genealogical data for future digital indexes.

The Archdiocese of Detroit has hailed this collaborative effort as a model framework for legacy cemetery stewardship. For ACGS, the day successfully forged invaluable organizational bonds and brought vital awareness to a beautiful, vulnerable piece of our shared history.

Slideshow of photos and information shared with the Board of Directors at the June meeting.

Updated 8/25/26

The ACGS Library has some changes to the library hours in September and October; we will be open on the follow days each week.

Wednesdays 10 am – 2 pm

Thursdays 9 am – 1 pm (every Thursday)

Saturdays 9 am – 2 pm

We recently discovered that people using Edge Browser could no longer view our PDFs on our website with this browser.  Edge change something in their set up that only allows certain file types to be viewable in their browser.  But we have found a work around for this.  Please watch the attached video link for directions on how to see our PDFs in your Edge browser.