Approaching Fast – FGS 2013 Conference

It’s hard to believe that the Federation of Genealogical Societies 2013 Conference is just a little over a month away.  I can’t wait!  This is my one conference for the year and I’m looking forward to some wonderful educational opportunities, researching at the Allen County Public Library, and getting together with my colleagues and friends (and hopefully meet some new ones!)

Below is some information I received today from the FGS conference chairs that I thought I’d pass along to my readers.

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This is a special genealogy conference you won't want to miss!

It's getting closer! The 2013 FGS conference takes place in Fort Wayne, Indiana on August 21-24 with pre-conference activities on August 20th and a Farewell Brunch on August 25th. Fort Wayne is the home of the renowned Genealogy Center which is giving us generous extended research hours during the conference.

• Of course, you may still register online or by regular mail for the FGS 2013 Conference in Fort Wayne!
• Register soon so that in early August you gain access to the online conference syllabus with an expanded subject index.
• We tweaked room arrangements and have ample room for more people to sign up for the luncheons that take place each day.
• Rooms are available at the two added hotels. They will run periodic shuttles to the Grand Wayne Convention Center. Fort Wayne has thousands of hotel rooms so there is space for all of us.
• Ample parking is available near the convention center.
• Don't forget about the wonderful quilt that will be awarded during the Friday evening festivities at the Allen County Public Library. That's an evening to benefit the War of 1812 Preserve the Pensions Project with lots of fun activities.  A dessert buffet will be sponsored by FamilySearch. If you have registered for that evening, you get access to the Genealogy Center from 6:00 p.m. till Midnight!

Want more details on these points and to keep up with breaking news? Follow us on:

• The conference website: https://www.fgsconference.org/
• FGS Conference News Blog: http://www.fgsconferenceblog.org/
• Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/FGSconference
• Twitter: @FGSconference, #FGS2013

We hope you join us for this great educational and fun week.

Choosing Sessions for a Conference

Figuring out what sessions to attend at a conference can be overwhelming, especially large, multi-day conferences that run several sessions at a time.  So how do you choose what session to attend when everything sounds so good?  And just how do you squeeze in time to visit vendors in the exhibit hall when your schedule is packed with sessions?  In this post, I’ll share my philosophy along with a few other tips along the way.

Choosing a Session

Session selection is based on my educational goals.  At this point in my genealogy research and career, I’m particularly interested in topics that deal with methodology, record sets that I am not familiar with, and locations that I primarily research.   When nothing in a time slot fits that criteria I do one of three things (in this order): a) opt to visit the exhibit hall instead of a session, b) attend a session where the topic is completely foreign to me, even though it isn’t part of my goal (as an example, I don’t research in the South and have no desire to do so, however, I’m always open to learning something new—you never know when you might need it!), or c) attend a session on something I am already familiar with as a refresher and hey, I might learn something new.

Tip:  For sessions that I think may be popular (such as anything presented by Elizabeth Shown Mills and Thomas W. Jones) I really try to get to the session as early as possible.  But I always have a backup session in mind just in case the room is full.

Making Time for the Exhibit Hall

Depending on how much time is between sessions and where the exhibit hall is located in relation to the sessions, I may try to pop into the exhibit hall.  However, I usually find there is not enough time, or I have too much walking to do to get from Point A to Point B and back to Point A.  With my health condition, that’s just not an option.  So, I usually schedule a few blocks of time throughout the conference to visit the exhibit hall.  I also have a plan for the booths I want to check out, which I usually highlight on the exhibit hall map.  Knowing where I want to go helps keep me from wondering around aimlessly and wasting time.

Tip:  Once the list of vendors is announced, I do some pre-investigating and determine if I want to stop by a particular vendor for a visit.  I make a list of those I really want to visit, noting the must-sees.  Whenever a map is available, I highlight the booths I want to visit, using one color for the must-sees and another color for the rest.

Keeping Track of My Schedule

I am a planner by nature.  If you read my previous posts, you know that the minute the schedule for the FGS 2013 Conference was released, I already had the sessions added to my calendar.  Everything gets put into Outlook (because that’s where I manage my life’s schedule!) and is then synced to my phone’s calendar.  Right now, there are no room numbers because that hasn’t been decided yet, but when those are released, I will simply add the location to each calendar entry.  When I’m at the conference, I only need my phone to tell me where I need to be.  And, it will remind me fifteen minutes before the start of a session or event so I know when to get moving.

Tip:  Using Outlook, I have to make sure to put the sessions in at the stated time in the conference location’s time zone.  For example, I am in the Central time zone, but the FGS 2013 Conference takes place in Fort Wayne, Indiana, which is in the Eastern time zone.  So when I add a session to my calendar, that starts at say 3pm, I add it to my calendar in the 3pm time slot but select Eastern as the time zone.  This way, when my computer, phone, tablet, etc. change time zones, my calendar is correct.

Your Turn

How do you choose what sessions to attend at a conference?  Do you plan ahead or wing it?  What about making time for the exhibit hall?  Do you have a strategy, wing it, or do you not visit the exhibit hall at all?  Love to hear from you, so please share your thoughts in the comments of this post!

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This post was written for the June/July Ambassador Blogging Prompt as part of the FGS 2013 Conference Ambassador Program. 

If you’d like to be an Ambassador, you can sign up here.

 

Don’t forget!  The Federation of Genealogical Societies 2013 Conference is quickly approaching.  It will be held from August 21-24 in Fort Wayne, Indiana.  The early registration deadline, which saves you $50 on the cost of the full-conference registration fee ends July 1.  Don’t delay, head over and register now to save!

Don’t Forget to Register for the FGS 2013 Conference Before July 1st to Save $50!

June is almost halfway gone and the FGS 2013 Conference is getting that much closer.  If you haven’t registered yet, be sure to do so by July 1st in order to save $50 on a full registration.  I myself have been procrastinating, but as soon as I post this, I’m heading over to register.  See the press release below for more details.

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2013 FGS CONFERENCE EARLY-BIRD REGISTRATION ENDS JULY 1
“Journey through Generations” – A Conference for the Nation’s Genealogists

June 10, 2013 – Austin, TX.  Discounted early-bird registration for the 2013 Federation of Genealogical Societies Conference will continue only until July 1. Early registrants receive a $50 discount for the full four days, or a $20 discount for any single day. Details at http://www.fgsconference.org.

The conference will be held 21-24 August 2013 in Fort Wayne, Indiana at the Grand Wayne Convention Center. This year’s conference theme is “Journey through Generations,” and the local hosts are the Allen County Public Library (ACPL) and the Allen County Genealogical Society of Indiana (ACGSI). Platinum sponsors are FamilySearch, FindMyPast.com and Ancestry.com.

The conference offers opportunities for all who are interested in researching their family history, with over 160 educational sessions on records, strategies, and tools for genealogists at all levels. The exhibit hall features over 70 vendors offering a wide range of genealogical products and is open and free to the public.

Luncheons, workshops and special events provide additional opportunities for networking and learning. Make sure the get your tickets to these conference “extras” early to guarantee your spot.

See you in Fort Wayne in August!

Learn More and Stay Connected

• Visit or subscribe to the FGS Conference Blog at http://www.fgsconferenceblog.org.
• Like the conference on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/FGSconference.
• Follow the conference on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/FGSconference and hashtag #FGS2013.
• Visit Fort Wayne at http://www.visitfortwayne.com/FGS.

About the Federation of Genealogical Societies (FGS)

The Federation of Genealogical Societies (FGS) was founded in 1976 and represents the members of hundreds of genealogical societies. FGS links the genealogical community by helping genealogical societies strengthen and grow through resources available online, FGS Forum magazine (filled with articles pertaining to society management and genealogical news), and Society Strategy Series papers, covering topics about effectively operating a genealogical society. FGS also links the genealogical community through its annual conference -- four days of excellent lectures, including one full day devoted to society management topics. To learn more visithttp://www.fgs.org.

My Itinerary – FGS 2013 in Fort Wayne, Indiana

It’s hard to believe the Federation of Genealogical Societies (FGS) 2013 Conference is just a little over two months away!  I’m really looking forward to spending a week in Forth Wayne, Indiana, where I can visit with all my genealogy friends (and hopefully meet some new ones!!), explore the exhibit hall, take in some wonderful lectures, and of course, spend some time at the Allen County Public Library.

I’m a planner by nature.  I like to know what I’m doing and when…I don’t like surprises.  So the minute the conference schedule was announced, I immediately added to my calendar the session I wanted to attend.  There are a few in particular that I think will help me with my genealogy research, especially in places and records that I’m unfamiliar with.  Here are some of those sessions:

Day/Time	Session	Speaker
Thursday 5pm	Research Reports for Ourselves: More Than a Research Log	Paula Stuart-Warren
Friday 8am	Research in the Hawkeye State: Records and Repositories of Iowa	Jill Crandell
Friday 11am	Discovering the Past Block-by-Block: Using ChicagoAncestors.org	Ginger Frere
Friday 2pm	German Marriage Laws and Customs	Warren Bittner
Friday 3:30pm	He Took Her Name: Understanding German Farm Names	Teresa McMillin
Friday 5pm	Methods For Identifying the German Origins of American Immigrants	Michael Lacopo
Saturday 9:30am	Finding Catholic Church, Cemetery, School and Religious Order Records	Lou Szucs
Saturday 2pm	Organizing Evidence to Overcome Record Shortages	Thomas Jones
Saturday 3:30pm	Overlooked and Undervalued: Local Government Records in New York State	Karen Mauer Green

And of course I have added a few days to the trip so I can spend some time at the Allen County Public Library.  I’ve never been to ACPL so I’m really looking forward to my first visit.  I’m still working on my plan of attack, but fortunately, I had previously added plenty of to-do items to my Legacy database, so a quick filter on ACPL showed a lot of resources I need to check out.  I’ve also been perusing the ACPL card catalog and the Genealogy page for guidance.  Not sure if I’ll break down any brick walls, but you never know what you’ll find until you look!

The FGS 2013 Conference is being held August 21-24 in Fort Wayne, Indiana.  If you haven’t registered for the conference yet, there is still plenty of time to do so and still get the early-bird rate of $190 (ends July 1, after that, the rate increases to $240).  Hope to see you there!!

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This post was written for the May/June Ambassador Blogging Prompt as part of the FGS 2013 Conference Ambassador Program. 

If you’d like to be an Ambassador, you can sign up here.

Learning & Networking: Why Genealogy Conferences Are Important to Me

Conferences come in all varieties and cover a wide range of interests.  Whether it’s your favorite hobby or a professional interest, there’s probably a conference (and maybe even an app!!) for that.  No matter the conference, they are designed to provide its attendees with learning experiences and networking opportunities.  So when asked “Why genealogy conferences?” my short answer is learning and networking.

Truth be told, I am still fairly new to the genealogy world.  I have only been working on my genealogy for about six years, but a few of those years genealogy was a daily occurrence.  I am by no means an expert and I still have things to learn.  While I take advantage of books, journals/magazines, webinars, and local programs to continue my genealogy education, I find that conferences offer so much more.

First, they are usually multi-day events, and it gives me an opportunity to immerse myself completely in genealogy for those few days…an escape from real life, and hey, we all need that every once in awhile.  I can attend sessions to learn about records and methodology and I can visit with vendors in the exhibit hall to explore various products.  Most importantly, I’m surrounded by people with the same interests and passions, which always makes for great conversation and networking. 

Of course I can read a book or attend a webinar on a topic, explore a software provider’s website, and even hang out with genealogy buddies on Facebook, but it’s not the same as the face-to-face interaction I experience at a conference.  This is why, for me at least, I look forward to attending genealogy conferences.  Where else can you talk about great-aunt Frieda for three or four days straight without anyone running away shouting “save me” or falling asleep from boredom?

I am really looking forward to attending the Federation of Genealogical Societies (FGS) 2013 Conference this August (it’s been on my calendar since 2011!!).  Honestly, location has a lot to do with why I am attending this particular conference to fulfill my one-conference-a-year quota.  It’s being held in Fort Wayne, Indiana, which is within driving distance for me, and I have never been to Fort Wayne, which is home to one of the largest genealogy collections around—Allen County Public Library (ACPL). 

Beyond location, I attended the FGS 2011 Conference in Springfield, Illinois, and had a spectacular time (it was also my first national genealogy conference).  The speakers were great, the atmosphere was wonderful, and I met a lot of fantastic people.  I’ve been to other national conferences since then, and so far, FGS takes the cake!

Of course I’m looking forward to the learning and networking opportunities as well.  In fact, the day the session schedule was released, I added all of the sessions I want to attend to my calendar (I know, obsess much?).  I am particularly thrilled that Elizabeth Shown Mills will be presenting at FGS 2013, as I have never attended one of her lectures and am looking forward to that experience…maybe she’ll sign my copy of Evidence Explained….

I am also looking forward to meeting “in person” genealogy friends I have come to know over the years through social media outlets such as Facebook and Twitter.  I also can’t wait to see the many friends I have met at genealogy events in the past and play catch-up.

I really am bubbling over with excitement as I write this post, but disappointed that the conference is still three months away!  Oh well, I guess that means more time to develop my research plans for the ACPL while I’m in town a few days before the conference!

Will you be at the FGS 2013 Conference?  Maybe we could meet up!  Drop me a line in the comments or via email if you prefer.

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This post was written for the April/May Ambassador Blogging Prompt as part of the FGS 2013 Conference Ambassador Program. 

If you’d like to be an Ambassador, you can sign up here.

I’m an FGS 2013 Conference Ambassador, Have You Signed Up Yet?

Yesterday I received an email from the Publicity Chair, Tina Lyons, for the 2013 Conference of the Federation of Genealogical Societies.  All genealogy bloggers, societies, writers, and editors are encouraged to become an Ambassador for the conference, which will be held August 21-24 in Fort Wayne, Indiana.  An Ambassador is someone who will help promote the FGS 2013 Conference through blogging and social media. 

If you are interested in becoming an Ambassador, take a look at the press release below.  Then all you need to do is sign up (by filling out a very short form), grab the Ambassador badge, and start promoting the conference!

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Become a FGS 2013 Ambassador

April 8, 2013 – Genealogy bloggers, societies, writers and editors are invited to participate in the Federation of Genealogical Societies 2013 Conference by becoming FGS 2013 Ambassadors. Ambassadors help to spread information about the FGS 2013 Conference in Fort Wayne, Indiana, August 21-24, through social media to their friends, colleagues, and everyone interested in genealogy.

FGS 2013 Ambassadors will be:

• Participating in monthly blogging prompts.
• Writing about the conference on their blog.
• Using the hashtag #FGS2013 on Twitter.
• Mentioning FGS 2013 on Facebook, Google Plus, and other social networks.
• Letting their local historical and genealogical societies know about the conference.

Visit https://www.fgsconference.org/media/ambassadors/ to register as an FGS 2013 Ambassador and find the FGS 2013 Ambassador badge to add to your blog or other social media account. 

Benefits to FGS 2013 Ambassadors:

• Giveaways for active ambassadors, including conference registrations and discounts, special event tickets, and more.
• Potential to be guest blogger on FGS Conference Blog.
• Link to your blog or website on the FGS Conference blog's Ambassador Page.
• Part of Twitter list of FGS 2013 Ambassadors.
• Ambassador badge ribbon at the conference

The FGS 2013 Conference Committee looks forward to working with the FGS 2013 Ambassadors to make this conference a success. See you in Fort Wayne in August!

Learn More about FGS 2013 and Stay Connected

• Visit the conference website at http://www.fgsconference.org.
• Find the latest news on the conference blog at http://www.fgsconferenceblog.com.
• Like the conference on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/FGSconference.
• Follow the conference on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/FGSconference and hashtag #FGS2013.

About the Federation of Genealogical Societies (FGS)

The Federation of Genealogical Societies (FGS) was founded in 1976 and represents the members of hundreds of genealogical societies. FGS links the genealogical community by helping genealogical societies strengthen and grow through resources available online, FGS Forum magazine (filled with articles pertaining to society management and genealogical news), and Society Strategy Series papers, covering topics about effectively operating a genealogical society. FGS also links the genealogical community through its annual conference -- four days of excellent lectures, including one full day devoted to society management topics. To learn more visit http://www.fgs.org.

Findmypast.com Announces Partnership with Federation of Genealogical Societies

I received a copy of this press release earlier today and thought I’d share it with my readers.

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Findmypast.com Announces Partnership with
Federation of Genealogical Societies
Partnership makes records available to findmypast.com and
creates a vital source of revenue for local societies

LOS ANGELES, August 30, 2012 – Findmypast.com, an international leader in online family history research, today announced a national partnership with Federation of Genealogical Societies (FGS) to preserve, digitize and provide access to local records from genealogical societies across the country.

The collaborative initiative will help preserve genealogical records and provide a vital revenue stream for the societies. Throughout the remainder of 2012, findmypast.com will release records from the following pilot partners:

• New York Genealogical and Biographical Society, the most authoritative source for research on New York familie
• Illinois State Genealogical Society
• Williamson County (Texas) Genealogical Society

“As we aggressively grow our business in the U.S., we are looking to form partnerships that benefit both the genealogical community and findmypast.com,” said Chris van der Kuyl, CEO of brightsolid, the parent company for findmypast. “This partnership will benefit our customers by giving them access to records that can’t be found anywhere else and participating societies will receive royalties for record images viewed.”

The records are a fantastic addition to a growing collection of US records on findmypast.com. FGS members who participate will reach new audiences as each society and their collection will be promoted by findmypast.com. 

The society collection complements the new US and international records that will be made available on findmypast.com and could include:

• Newspapers and obituaries
• Bible records
• Cemetery records
• Birth, marriage and death records
• Land records
• Court records

“Through its partnership with findmypast.com, the Federation of Genealogical Societies is pleased to offer a way for its member societies to engage with content providers and publishers,” said Pat Oxley, President of FGS. “Currently, one of the biggest challenges for societies is the pressure to provide online content, while also growing their membership and operating budgets. Through this partnership, societies will generate income and entice new audiences.”

About findmypast.com
Findmypast.com (owned by brightsolid) is the U.S. site of findmypast, an international leader in online family history with over 18 million registered members worldwide. Findmypast connects people to core and unique U.S., English, Welsh, Scottish, Irish, Australian and New Zealand records dating back as far as 1200. 

About brightsolid
Findmypast.com is owned by brightsolid online publishing, a British-owned world leader in online genealogy, with over 45 years’ experience in family history and a record of online innovation in the field of family history nearly two decades long. With nearly 18 million registered users across its family of online genealogy brands, brightsolid hosts over a billion genealogical records from across the globe. The company reported a 75 percent growth in turnover and a 47 percent growth in gross profits in its most recent published accounts and was voted Best Genealogy Organization in the Online Gene Awards.

About the Federation of Genealogical Societies (FGS)
The Federation of Genealogical Societies (FGS) was founded in 1976 and represents the members of hundreds of genealogical societies. FGS links the genealogical community by helping genealogical societies strengthen and grow through resources available online, FGS Forum magazine (filled with articles pertaining to society management and genealogical news), and Society Strategy Series papers, covering topics about effectively operating a genealogical society. FGS also links the genealogical community through its annual conference -- four days of excellent lectures, including one full day devoted to society management topics. To learn more visit http://www.fgs.org.

FGS 2011 – My Overall Experience

The FGS 2011 Conference was a whirlwind of activities, and as exhausted as I am (even after being home for a few days), it was well worth it.

Ribbons

Since this was my first national genealogy conference, I had to of course see how many ribbons I could amass.  By the time I left on Sunday, I had 28 ribbons, which reached my ankles.  If I didn’t have the longest tail, I’m sure I was a close second.  Sadly, it reminds me how much I spend on genealogy (albeit, for me, well worth it) since all of the membership ribbons are legit (I didn’t take anything that I didn’t belong to).

Exhibit Hall

I don’t typically spend much time in the exhibit hall at conferences.  I usually take in as many sessions as I can, but this conference was a different experience for me.  I found the exhibit hall to be my networking hub and spent more time there then I would’ve bet on one week earlier.

I visited about 75% of the vendors over three days.  I learned about a variety of new products and services that I was previously unaware of, and learned about new offerings from familiar vendors.  Look for blog posts later this week about some of my favorite vendors and interesting news items.

Since I normally don’t find myself in the exhibit hall, I don’t usually come home with much more than I left with, but I found some great goodies and memberships that I just had to have:

Books

• Carmack’s Guide to Copyright & Contracts, Sharon DeBartolo Carmack
• Michigan Genealogy, Carol McGinnis
• Michigan Place Names, Walter Romig
• Genealogical Writing in the 21st Century, Michael Leclerc and Henry Hoff (I was in the right place at the right time and got a free copy and had it signed by Michael!)

Memberships

• JustAJoy
• Godfrey Memorial Library
• Utah Genealogical Association

Other

• Subscription to Family Chronicle
• Several back issues of Family Chronicle and Internet Genealogy
• NGS membership pin

Fellow Genealogists

I had a blast talking with everyone I came in contact with.  One of the benefits of being on Facebook and having a blog is that I already knew so many people before having ever met them in person.  Most everyone was as I imagined.  And of course I met some new friends and I look forward to growing those relationships.

Wrapping It Up

Overall, FGS 2011 met or exceeded my expectations.  I really do encourage you to attend a national genealogy conference if you have never been to one.  There is so much to learn and so many wonderful people to connect with, you are at a disadvantage if you don’t.

If you weren’t able to attend FGS 2011, you can purchase conference recordings of the sessions.  (Note:  Not all sessions were recorded.)  Recordings can be purchased at Fleetwood Onsite Conference Recording. 

To read more about my conference experience, refer to the following posts:

• FGS 2011 – Recap of Pre-Conference Activities
• FGS 2011 – Recap of Day 1
• FGS 2011 – Recap of Day 2
• FGS 2011 – Recap of Day 3
• FGS 2011 – Recap of Day 4
• FGS 2011 – Recap of Post-Conference Activities

FGS 2011 – Recap of Post-Conference Activities

The nice thing about this conference was the post-conference brunch.  Even though I only live an hour away from Springfield, I knew I would be too exhausted to drive home Saturday night.  So I was pleased to see the Farewell Brunch on Sunday, which offered one last chance to hang out with colleagues before heading home.  The brunch was well-attended and I hope they continue to do this at future conferences.

I of course was thoroughly ecstatic when my number was called for the 1-year Ancestry membership door prize.  My subscription is up in a few months, so this will come in handy!  (And by saving on my subscription this year, I may be able to go to RootsTech 2012.)

After some emotional goodbyes, it was off to rejoin reality.  But I can’t wait to incorporate all that I’ve learned and take my research in new directions.  And of course, continue to build relationships with fellow genealogists, some of which started on Facebook several years ago.

It’s an exciting time in genealogy.  If you’ve never been to a national conference, I strongly encourage you to attend one.  You’ll be surprised just how much fun you can have.

FGS 2011 – Recap of Day 4

It’s deja vu…another day of sessions and making my way around the exhibit hall.  Since it was the final day, I had to make it count!

Digital Scrapbooking – I have to be honest, I was prepared to attend a different session at this time, but it was full.  So it was on to my second choice.  Although I’m not really that interested in scrapbooking, Linda Woodward Geiger made the topic interesting.  And although I didn’t walk away with a strong desire to start scrapbooking, I did come away with a few scanning tips that will come in handy on other projects.

Michigan Roots: Genealogy Research in the Wolverine State – This was one of my must-see lectures, and sadly some things came up and I had to leave early and attend to my conference duties.  But here’s a brief synopsis of what I did manage to catch.  Kris Rzepczynski stepped through various record types and discussed time periods for each, what the records might reveal, and where to find them.  He also talked about a few statewide resources, including those related to the Michigan pioneer program.  Kris also recommended the following two books, one of which I had been eyeing just prior to the session (I did go back and purchase it later in the day, along with the other one):  Michigan Place Names (Walter Romig) and Michigan Genealogy (Carol McGinnis).  He also recommended the NGS Research in the States series for Michigan, which I think I already own.  You can purchase the recording of the session here.

Using Diaries and Journals to Add Personality to Your Research – Laura Prescott discussed the use of journals/diaries in genealogy research to give us perspective, insight, and a tangible connection to the past.  After seeing some of the gems she shared with us, I really want to go out and find whatever I can to supplement my own research…these sources are truly priceless.  One main point Laura brings up with regard to locating diaries/journals (along with other genealogical resources) is not to overlook university libraries.  Many times these rare resources were given to local universities before historical societies and public libraries existed.

In addition to the sessions, I attended a vendor demo for National Institute for Genealogical Studies in hopes of winning the door prize for a 9-course package so I could continue my certificate program.  Even though I am a student, I did learn a few things, so it was certainly worth attending, even if I didn’t win the door prize.

It was a hectic day with conference duties, and I ended up missing my scheduled luncheon with NGS.  I’m bummed because I really wanted to hear Janet Alpert’s presentation, How My Illinois German Ancestors Have Made Me a Better Genealogist.

I had a nice dinner with fellow genealogists Lisa Alzo, Amy Coffin, Caroline Pointer, Thomas MacEntee, and Paula Hinkel.  The night ended with a relaxing conversation with fellow ISGS board members Jane Haldeman, Carole McCarty, Larry Pepper, and Michele Claypool.

FGS 2011 – Recap of Day 3

By Friday, my days were blurring together, but regardless, I was still having a blast learning new things and meeting new people.  Again, this day was spent between sessions and the exhibit hall.

Researching Your Indian Wars Ancestor Before the Civil War – Craig Scott provided an overview of the Indian War period prior to the Civil War.  He also gave some tips on using some of the popular NARA records used in this research.  Craig also recommended two books that provide the details of many of these conflicts:  The Wars of America (Robert Leckie) and Colonial Wars of North America (Alan Gallay).

Using Correlation to Reveal Facts That No Record States – In this session Thomas Jones discusses the five methods for correlating evidence, which are narrative, list, timeline, table, and map.  Tom also provided examples of each method to help illustrate his points.  These methods will definitely be helpful in writing proof summaries and case studies in the future.  You can purchase the recording of the session here.

I also attended the Association of Professional Genealogists luncheon, which featured speaker Kenyatta Berry.  Her presentation, Discovering a Genealogical Treasure Trove with A. B. Caldwell, was fascinating. 

I closed out the evening at the FGS 35th Anniversary Celebration dinner.  Harold Holzer’s presentation, The Lincoln Family Album, was outstanding.

FGS 2011 – Recap of Day 2

I got a pretty late start on Thursday and missed the Keynote Session.  But I did arrive just in time to attend the press conference that we put together for the local media at 10am (for a clip of the local news, click here).  Then it was off to sessions and the exhibit all for the rest of the day.

Immigrant Cluster Communities: Past, Present, and Future – Because immigrants traveled together, they usually settled together.  Analyzing these communities, that is, beyond your own ancestors, could mean breaking down a brick wall.  Lisa Alzo provided several strategies for studying immigrant cluster communities.  In addition, she provided examples from her own research, which helped illustrate her points.  I myself have only struck the surface of cluster genealogy and plan to take Lisa’s strategies and apply them to my own research in hopes of finally breaking through my German brick walls.  You can purchase the recording of the session here.  Or, catch Lisa on September 21 in a live webinar on the same topic, hosted by the Southern California Genealogical Society.

Going Beyond the Bare Bones: Reconstructing Your Ancestor's’ Lives – Genealogy is more than just names, dates, and relationships.  In this lecture, Thomas Jones goes through a variety of sources that can be used to shed light on the lives our ancestors lived.  For example, court records could reveal the details of the dispute and the parties involved, financial status, occupation, property value/description, and more.  Using these sources and their information collectively can make for a rich story.  Tom also discussed different approaches to use when crafting a biography, one of which I had not previously considered.  You can purchase the recording of the session here.

In addition to these sessions, I attended the Illinois State Genealogical Society’s luncheon.  Speaker, Dr. Michael Lockett, presented Strange, But True, Stories of the Civil War, which was fascinating.  While I wasn’t attending sessions, I was mingling with the crowd and vendors at the exhibit hall.  Finally, I wrapped up the evening at dinner with fellow bloggers, Carol Genung, Kathryn Doyle, and Paula Hinkel.

FGS 2011 – Recap of Day 1

Wednesday at an FGS conference is traditionally Focus on Societies Day, where each of the sessions pertain to society management.  As an Illinois State Genealogical Society board member, I found each of these sessions offered some wonderful ideas to consider as ISGS continues to enhance its membership offerings.

How Will Our Society Survive? (Plenary Session) – David Rencher kicked off the day challenging society leaders to think about where their society is today and where they want to be tomorrow.  He encourages us to adapt to the changing world of genealogy and technology and find ways that will make our societies grow and prosper.  Determining a plan of action is key to successful change.  Oh, and don’t forget to start engaging the younger generation.

Tour Guide and Travel Agent: Planning Your Society’s Next Research Trip – As the chair of the newly formed Education Committee for ISGS, research trips are near the top of my list of activities, so naturally I had to attend Josh Taylor’s session on the subject.  Research trips are a great membership benefit and allow societies the opportunity to mentor new genealogists and support repositories.  Josh offered a variety of ideas on planning trips, including how to budget, schedule, and publicize your trip.  I think the biggest take-away is to be creative and consider lesser-known repositories as well as the “big” ones.  You can purchase the recording of the session here.

How to Develop and Implement Affordable Membership Benefits – George Morgan reminds us that membership benefits need to be effective in order to draw people in, but we also need to balance our offerings (or HOW we offer them) with the cost.  A perfect example of this is publications.  Should we continue to spend money on the hard-copy publishing of books (and even our periodicals) or should we consider making these publications available electronically at a lower (or near zero) cost?  Although this session was not recorded, the syllabus provides a wonderful outline of ideas to implement benefits both you and your members can afford.

Printed vs. Online Publishing for Societies – Truth be told, I attended this session for myself, even though it was targeted to societies…I had a feeling it would be just a valuable to an individual, which it was.  Donna Moughty discussed a variety of options available in the world of publishing today.  My favorite part of the lecture was when Donna talked about print-on-demand options, such as Lulu and CreateSpace.  Print-on-demand allows you to create a book, just as you would if you were going to have it printed, except that in this case, instead of ordering hundreds of books at a time, you order just what you need.  Additionally, consumers can purchase the printed book directly from the print-on-demand vendor.  It is a great alternative to traditional publishing and one (in my own opinion) societies should consider.  You can purchase the recording of the session here.

Building a Society Education Program for Genealogists and Family Historians – Again, this was a not-to-miss session for me as Education Committee Chair for ISGS.  And what a great session!  J. H. Fonkert provided a wealth of ideas, I simply couldn’t write fast enough!  One very important point he makes is that “students self-identify as beginners or experts.”  And in some cases we label ourselves incorrectly.  This point becomes important when planning educational activities.  You can purchase the recording of the session here.

After a day of sessions, I hung out at the Prairie Social, which was hosted by the Illinois State Genealogical Society.  From there, it was dinner with good friend and roommate Carol Genung.

FGS 2011 – Recap of Pre-Conference Activities

Like many of those on the conference committee, I arrived days early for conference prep.  On Monday, after I sorted and organized all of the signs, I helped to stuff the bags that would be handed out at registration.  The evening ended with dinner with fellow Illinois State Genealogical Society board members and Amy Crow.

On Tuesday, I spent the morning at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library doing research.  While Debbie in the newspaper microfilm lab was happy to see me, she (along with the rest of the library staff) was probably overwhelmed by the crowd that swarmed the library all week.

After my library visit, I attended to some conference duties and then it was a whirlwind of activities for the evening.  My calendar told me I had to be in four places at once; I managed to make my way to three events.  First, I hung out with fellow APG members, J. Mark Lowe, Laura Prescott, and DearMyrt for about a half-hour prior to the Roundtable session.  Then Myrt and I were off to the Blogger Reception held by FamilySearch, where we met up with fellow bloggers, Kimberly Powell, Amy Coffin, Paula Stuart-Warren, Thomas MacEntee, Linda Swisher, Jennifer Hollick, Ancestry Insider, Randy Seaver, Becky Higgins, and several others.  Paula and I had to leave the reception early to attend a small shindig with fellow conference committee members.  My evening ended with a friendly late-night dinner with Sue Zacharias and Margaret Cheney.

Can You Spare a Dime?

Back in April I wrote Are You Up for the Challenge? discussing the project that FGS is working on to digitize the War of 1812 pension files. 

In that post I reported that Indiana Genealogical Society stated a matching program where they will match contributions they collect up to $10,000.  I am happy to report that as of today, they have raised $9,700, just $300 shy of their goal!

IGS hopes to meet their $10,000 goal by August 31st, so if you have even just a few dollars to contribute to this worthy project, please head over to their website and make a contribution.  Not only will they match your contribution, Ancestry has also agreed to match all the donations, essentially quadrupling your contribution.

Remember, this digitization project aims to have the pension files available for free on Footnote.  And although they plan to have the digitization complete in 2015, they are busy working to get the files scanned and uploaded as they go…as of today there are 58,021 images available.

UPDATE 9/1/11 – It’s official…IGS raised $12,117 for the project, all of which will be matched by both IGS and Ancestry.  You can read more here.

FGS 2011 Conference – Let the Countdown Begin

I’m very excited!  As I write this post, the FGS 2011 Conference is 50 days away.  In a way, it seems a little far off, but when you’ve been working on the conference behind the scenes for over a year, 50 days is actually not too far away.

FGS 2011 Conference

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I look forward to my first national genealogy conference.  There are many learning opportunities I am excited about, including:

• Overlooked War of 1812 Records in the National Archives, presented by Marie Varrelman Melchiori
• Going Beyond the Bare Bones: Reconstructing Your Ancestors’ Lives, presented by Thomas Jones
• Researching Your Indian War Ancestor Before the Civil War, presented by Craig Scott
• Avoiding Pitfalls in New England Research, presented by Rhonda McClure
• Land, Tax, and Court Records: Used Together Enhance Genealogical Data, presented by Wendy Bebout Elliott
• Michigan Roots: Genealogy Research in the Wolverine State, presented by Kris Rzepczynski
• The Genealogical Proof Standard: What It Is and What It Is Not, presented by Thomas Jones

There’s still plenty of time to register.  Check out the FGS 2011 Conference website to learn more about the conference, sessions, presenters, special events, and register online.

Hope to see you there!

Last Chance to Save $$$ on FGS 2011 Conference Registration

Time is running out to save $50 on the full registration fee for the FGS 2011 Conference.  Registration must be received online (or postmarked) by 11:59 pm on July 1st in order to take advantage of the discount price.

This year’s conference takes place September 7-10 at the Prairie Capital Convention Center in Springfield, Illinois.  The conference is open to anyone, and is an educational opportunity for beginners as well as seasoned professionals.  There are plenty of events and socializing opportunities as well. 

All the details and registration form can be found at the FGS 2011 Conference website.  And be sure to follow the FGS Conference News Blog for all the latest news.

FGS 2011…Here I Come!

So I finally registered for the FGS 2011 Conference, which will be held in Springfield, Illinois, September 7-10, 2011.  There’s plenty of time to register for the conference, but if you want to save some $$ you’ll have to register before July 1.

This is my first national conference for genealogy and I am very excited to attend.  Will you be attending?  If so, leave a comment or email me privately.  I look forward to seeing (and meeting) fellow genealogists.  Hope to see you there!

Here’s what my itinerary looks like:

Wednesday

• 8:30-9:15 - Plenary Session: How Will Our Society Survive? Do We Alter, Mutate, Modify, Shift or Switch?
• 9:30-10:30 - Tour Guide and Travel Agent: Planning Your Society's Next Research Trip
• 11:00-12:00 - How to Develop and Implement Affordable Membership Benefits
• 2:00-3:00 - Becoming the Outstanding Leader Your Society Needs
• 3:30-4:30 - Printed vs. Online Publishing for Societies
• 5:00-6:00 - Building a Society Education Program for Genealogists and Family Historians
• 6:00-8:00 – An Old Fashioned Prairie Social

Thursday

• 9:00-10:00 - Opening Session and Keynote Address
• 11:00-12:00 - Overlooked War of 1812 Records in the National Archives
• 12:15-??? – ISGS Luncheon
• 2:00-3:00 - Immigrant Cluster Communities: Past, Present, and Future
• 3:30-4:30 - Iowa History and Resources
• 5:00-6:00 - Going Beyond the Bare Bones: Reconstructing Your Ancestors' Lives

Friday

• 8:00-10:30 - BCG Certification Seminar
• 11:00-12:00 - Researching Your Indian Wars Ancestor before the Civil War
• 12:15-??? – APG Luncheon
• 2:00-3:00 - Using "Correlation" to Reveal Facts That No Record States
• 3:30-4:30 - Avoiding Pitfalls in New England Research
• 5:00-6:00 - Lessons from a Snoop: Collaterals and Associates
• 6:30-??? – FGS 35th Anniversary Gala

Saturday

• 8:00-9:00 - Land. Tax. and Court Records: Used Together Enhance Genealogical Data
• 9:30-10:30 - Options in Post-Adoption Research
• 11:00-12:00 - Michigan Roots: Genealogy Research in the Wolverine State
• 12:15-??? – NGS Luncheon
• 2:00-3:00 - Online, On Microfilm, And In Print: Finding Ancestors in Newspapers
• 3:30-4:30 - The Genealogical Proof Standard: What It Is and What It Is Not
• 5:00-6:00 - Using Diaries and Journals to Add Personality to Your Research

Sunday

• 10:00-12:00 – Farewell Brunch

For more information about these and other sessions, or the conference in general, visit the FGS 2011 Conference website.