MERRILLVILLE | For nearly a decade, genealogists have celebrated Family History Month in October. As part of this year's celebration, the Northwest Indiana Genealogical Society and Lake County Public Library are co-hosting a special program, Repairing and Dating Family Heirloom Photographs, with sessions at 10:30 a.m. and 1:15 p.m. Saturday at the central library, 1919 W. U.S. 30.

Featured speaker Eric Basir is a member of the Genealogical Speakers Guild and owner of a photo retouching studio in Evanston, Ill. He serves the genealogical community as a teacher and author of "Ask the Retoucher," a column for genealogical publications.

The restoration and retouching of old heirloom photographs can be a fun hobby. Those who have photographs needing a facelift can bring them to the program. Basir will use some photographs from the audience to demonstrate how to restore and preserve treasured photographs using modern technology.

If you want to retouch and restore old heirloom photographs at home, you will need a flatbed scanner and a graphics software package. Basir will offer some suggestions about purchasing the proper equipment and software. He will also demonstrate how to correct common picture flaws like scratching, staining, and fading. Even torn and dog-eared photographs can be restored.

Newly restored photographs can be saved in digital format on a computer or CD for years of enjoyment. Basir can also provide tips for proper handling and storing of heirloom photographs.

While looking at old photographs, families often need help dating and identifying the subjects. Basir can help with some techniques for gathering clues - is it a Daguerreotype, tintype or cabinet card? Are there background objects such as a car, or can you use the fashions worn to help date the photo?

In conjunction with Saturday's program, the library is hosting a traveling table-top exhibit from the Indiana Historical Society. A Perfect Likeness: Care and Identification of Family Photographs can be viewed in the Periodicals Department at the central library in Merrillville through Tuesday.

The exhibit focuses on identifying and caring for common 19th century photographic formats, with examples drawn from the collections of the Indiana Historical Society and George Eastman House. This exhibit is cosponsored by the Lake County Historical Museum.

Also, the library is featuring four popular genealogy magazines "Ancestry," "Family Tree" "Internet Genealogy" and "The Genealogical Helper." Check out some of these helpful and interesting issues.

- The Times

BREAKOUT

If you go:

WHAT: Repairing and Dating Family Heirloom Photographs workshop

WHEN: 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. (sessions at 10:30 and 1:15, with lunch break) Saturday

WHERE: Lower Level Meeting Rooms, Lake County Public Library, 1919 W. U.S. 30, Merrillville

FYI: Call (219) 769-3541, ext. 334 to register. Reserve a box lunch at www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~innwigs/