Announcement: FGS Conference & Door Prizes

FGS Conference February 11-14, 2015

It's nine weeks to the FGS 2015 Conference in Salt Lake City!

Are you planning to attend? You don't have to wait for the conference to win door prizes. Early door prizes will be awarded to registrants over the next two weeks.


Who is eligible to win? Eligible entries will be those who have purchased a full four-day FGS 2015 conference registration through www.FGSconference.org  prior to each drawing deadline (excluding winners from previous weeks).

Prizes to be awarded include: a one-year Ancestry.com World Explorer subscription, a one-year Findmypast World subscription, a one-year Findmypast U.S. subscription, RootsMagic software, a one-year Fold3 subscription, and a one-year Newspapers.com subscription.

Each registrant will be assigned a consecutive number in the order of registration. Winners will be selected using a random number generator and will be notified by email to the address used for the conference registration and announced here on the FGS Voice Blog. 

The deadline for entries is midnight PDT December 17, and 24. Prizes will be awarded weekly on December 18, and 25. 

Register today for FGS 2015 for an opportunity to win an early door prize. 

Genealogy Roadshow: Interesting Concept, Great Show

Genealogy Roadshow premiered last night on PBS. I was able to watch it and I was impressed! The show features ordinary people who line up for a chance to have one of their genealogy mysteries or questions answered.

Last night's episode took place in the Belmont Mansion in Nashville Tennessee. If you've ever watched Antiques Roadshow you will have an idea how the show works. The participants submit their questions in advance and then take turns either sitting at a table with one of the two genealogists, Kenyatta Berry, president of the Association of Professional Genealogists (APG), and D. Joshua Taylor, president of the Federation of Genealogical Societies (FGS). 

Their expertise rang through but they also showed us that they are both naturals in front of the camera. They were warm and friendly, which provided a relaxed informal atmosphere to the show. If you missed last night's episode, depending where you live, you can watch it online on PBS Videos

Warning: Spoiler Alert!  

Participants vary. One was  a man who had a photograph of a black man and a small white boy. They were identified on the back as "Uncle Fayte" and ( I  forget the little boy's name but the owner of the photo knew who he was). The man's question was who was this "Uncle Fayte" and how was he connected to the family. This was actually my favourite segment in the show. The photo was very poignant as the little boy seemed so happy in the man's arms, and the man himself had a lovely half-smile on his face - very unusual for such early photographs. A lovely surprise awaited the gentleman who owned the photo as the research team not only found out who Uncle Fayte was, they tracked down a living 3rd great grand-daughter and brought her to the show.

Another was a woman whose family lore was that they were related to George Washington. A very touching segment involved a young woman who had never met her father. The behind-the-scenes research team had not only found photographs of him from childhood to adulthood, they found his sister and a living niece. She was brought to the show as a surprise to the young woman, and presented her with a lovely scrapbook of photographs about her father.

Some of the participants were disappointed to learn that they were not related to a famous person. Family lore was shot down but kudos to the show's producers for allowing this! It's refreshing to see a show that is "real" in the sense that often our family lore is incorrect, or mixed up, and beginning genealogists especially need to realize that they may find facts they don't like as they continue their research.

To nitpick, I wasn't sure I liked the "audience" standing around the table watching and applauding while Josh or Kenyatta spoke to the participants. And I definitely did not like the music! But those are two very minor complaints.

All in all, it was entertaining and informative and I will definitely be watching next week's episode. The show airs on PBS at 9 p.m. Eastern.

FGS and RootsTech Events To Be Held In Tandem 2015

FGS and RootsTech Events
To Be Held In Tandem

February 12-14, 2015 in Salt Lake City

SALT LAKE CITY – RootsTech announced today that The Federation of Genealogical Societies (FGS) will hold its 2015 National Conference in conjunction with the popular RootsTech conference in Salt Lake City, Utah, February 12-14, 2015. RootsTech, hosted by FamilySearch, has quickly become the largest family history conference in North America. The unique culture of the RootsTech conference attracts growing throngs of attendees from around the world both in-person and online seeking to discover and share family connections, stories, and history.
 
FGS represents the over 500,000 members of hundreds of genealogical societies and presents an annual national conference program that helps strengthen and link the genealogical community. Conducting both conferences at the same time in the same facility gives interested attendees the option to conveniently benefit from both conference programs for a nominal additional cost.
The Salt Palace Convention Center will be the common venue, and both FamilySearch and FGS will produce a unique event addressing the educational needs of the family history, technology and genealogical society communities. Attendees will see familiar elements of both events including dynamic keynote presentations, hands-on workshops, a Society Showcase and free Expo Hall.
 
"The FGS conference attracts genealogy society leaders that serve the needs of genealogy patrons worldwide, and RootsTech caters to a very different audience of all ages seeking to discover, preserve, and share their family stories and history," said Dan Martinez, RootsTech Director of Marketing. "Holding the two annual conferences in the same venue will create a rich learning environment and increase benefits to all attendees."
 
Registration details for both events will be available in August 2014.
 
FGS President D. Joshua Taylor states, "FamilySearch has been a valued partner and sponsor for FGS during its past conferences. It only makes sense for both organizations to work together and produce what will be the most talked about genealogy event of 2015." Taylor added that such an event brings the best of RootsTech and FGS conferences together under one roof and will offer genealogists and family historians a wide array of activities and educational opportunities.

Findmypast.com Announces Partnership with Federation of Genealogical Societies

The following announcement was sent to Olive Tree Genealogy

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 families
·         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.”

You Can Help With the 1940 US Census (37 days and counting)

Are you ready? 37 more days until the 1940 US census comes online!

I was invited to be a 1940 US Census Ambassador and have signed up. If you would like to participate, you can submit a request to be an Ambassador or you can volunteer to help index the census.

Volunteer to be part of the 1940 US Census Community Project

Volunteer to be part of the 1940 US Census Community Project to help index the 1940 US Census

You can also follow the Twitter account for the 1940 US Census Community Project at @the1940Census

Register to become a 1940 Blog Ambassador 

As a 1940 Blog Ambassador, you will have access to exclusive content including badges for your site, blog post and contest ideas, blogger events, project updates and more. 1940 Blog Ambassadors will also have opportunities to be featured on the 1940 U.S. Census Community Project Official Blog.





Sponsors

The following websites and societies are sponsoring the 1940 US Census. Please pay them a visit.

Archives.com
FamilySearch
findmypast.com
Association of Professional Genealogists
Federation of Genealogical Societies
National Genealogical Society

FamilySearch Research Wiki and Your Genealogy Society

This announcement was just received by Olive Tree Genealogy:

Join us for the next episode of FGS Radio - My Society, an Internet radio show on Blog talk Radio presented by the Federation of Genealogical Societies. 

This week's episode on Saturday January 14, 2012 at 1 pm Central is hosted by Thomas MacEntee is entitled FamilySearch Research Wiki and Your Genealogy Society. Our guest will be Lise Embley, of FamilySearch who will help us understand how the FamilySearch Research Wiki works and how it can help your genealogy society. In addition, we'll be highlighting FGS member society, Fairfax Genealogical Society, Fairfax County. Virginia, in our weekly Society Spotlight feature.  

Tune in to FGS Radio - My Society each week to learn more about genealogy societies and join in a discussion of the issues impacting the genealogical community.

Click this link to set a reminder or to tune in:

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/mysociety/2012/01/14/the-familysearch-research-wiki-and-your-genealogy-society 

Thomas MacEntee, Marketing & Public Relations

Federation of Genealogical Societies

FEDERATION OF GENEALOGICAL SOCIETIES RADIO DEBUT

FEDERATION OF GENEALOGICAL SOCIETIES RADIO DEBUT

Special Guest Curt Witcher to Discuss 21st Century Genealogy Societies

April 20, 2011 – Austin, TX. The Federation of Genealogical Societies (FGS) announces the debut of My Society, the first Internet radio show dedicated solely to genealogy societies. Broadcast weekly each Saturday at 1:00 pm Central, My Society will host discussions of genealogy society topics with a variety of guests including well-known genealogists and genealogy community leaders. This unique media outlet can be accessed at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/mysociety.

Debut Episode of My Society with Special Guest Curt Witcher

On Saturday, April 23, 2011 at 1:00 pm Central, Curt Witcher, Senior Manager for Special Collections at the Allen County Public Library, will be the special guest on My Society hosted by FGS board member Thomas MacEntee. Witcher, who is also a former president of both FGS and the National Genealogical Society as well as the founding president of the Indiana Genealogical Society, will discuss bringing genealogy societies into the 21st century.

Internet Radio and FGS

Each week, My Society will focus on a selected topic relevant to genealogy society management and the role societies play within the genealogy community. Future topics will discuss increasing membership, developing a social media and Internet presence, member services, and more. In addition, each episode of My Society will spotlight a member society of FGS and discuss their various programs and offerings. Using the Blog Talk Radio platform, listeners will not only be able to hear a live broadcast, but they will also be able to call in and speak with the show’s host and guests to discuss their own genealogy societies.

George G. Morgan, FGS Vice President-Membership and veteran genealogy podcaster notes: “FGS strives to provide information and value to its members and to the entire genealogical community. We recently announced the FGS series of webinars, beginning on April 30th. However, we are also significantly expanding our offerings in 2011 to include the launch of regularly scheduled, live FGS Radio broadcasts over the Internet. These program will feature leaders in the genealogical field, and genealogical and historical societies sharing their success stories and best practices. Listeners can call in with their questions and comments. The programs will be recorded and made available for free download at the FGS website. We are very excited and proud about this new offering and look forward to expanding communication in the genealogy community.”

  To learn more visit http://www.fgs.org.