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Since 2013, ZSR has been developing ZSRx, a platform of free online learning opportunities for the greater WFU community. The most recent ZSRx offering, RootsMOOC, launched on March 23 and is the most ambitious ZSRx initiative to date. The free course, which introduces the basics of genealogy research, was developed in collaboration with the State Library of North Carolina and is funded by a grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services.

RootsMOOC, like all ZSRx courses, differs significantly from the classes you may have taken in college. For starters, RootsMOOC is free and not for credit, so there are no graded assignments or final exams. It also has close to 3,900 participants, making it the biggest course offered by ZSRx so far. Instead of having one expert teacher, RootsMOOC has become a community of learners of all levels of experience. This community includes professional librarians and archivists (including those at the State Library of North Carolina), family history researchers who have been researching their families’ stories for decades, as well as complete newcomers, all of whom are sharing questions, advice, and fascinating stories of their own experiences.

You can still sign up and complete the course at your own pace. RootsMOOC will run until June 1. To enroll, visit the RootsMOOC website.