NGS Conference Schedule Revised

I received notice today from the NGS Conference Committee that they have created a REVISED Registration Brochure. This new version reflects several schedule changes to accommodate the Live Streaming. The session I am presenting on "Tract Books: Master Index to Federal Land Records" is now Friday morning at 9:30am. You can download the new version of the brochure here: Revised NGS Conference Brochure. [Shared with permission.] 

Use this updated guide to plan your schedule for the NGS Conference on May 7 - 10, 2014. As the conference gets closer I will post the sessions I am looking forward to attending.

I'll see you in Richmond!

FGS 2014 Conference Registration is Open

If you follow FGS on Facebook and Twitter, you may already be aware that registration for the FGS 2014 Conference in San Antonio, August 27-30, is open! Here is a copy of the press release:

FGS 2014 Conference Registration is Open
“Gone to Texas” – A Conference for the Nation’s Genealogists

March 26, 2014 – Austin, TX. Online registration is now open for the 2014 Federation of Genealogical Societies Conference, scheduled 27-30 August 2014 in San Antonio, Texas. Register at http://www.fgsconference.org by 1 July 2014 for an early-bird discount. This year’s conference theme is “Gone to Texas,” and the local hosts are the San Antonio Genealogical and Historical Society (SAGHS) and the Texas State Genealogical Society (TSGS).

This year’s FGS conference offers an exciting opportunity for anyone interested in researching their family history. This conference will offer over 160 educational sessions on records, strategies, and tools for genealogists of all levels. Sessions will be presented by some of the leading genealogists from the United States. Ten different sponsored luncheons will provide opportunities for networking.
Platinum sponsors include leading family history companies, Ancestry.com, FamilySearch, and findmypast. Other participating and supporting organizations include Dell, Lexmark, Board for Certification of Genealogists, National Genealogical Society, The Polish Mission of the Orchard Lake Schools, Texas State Genealogical Society, Texas State Library and Archives Commission, and The National Huguenot Society.

Conference Highlights

• Conference Sessions:  A wide variety of genealogy-related lectures and workshops for all experience levels. Attendees will be able to learn about Texas and neighboring states research, African-American and ethnic origin research, military research, genetics, technology, migration, methodology and more.
• Exhibit Hall: The large exhibit hall will feature the latest software, books, maps, databases and gadgets on the market for genealogists and family historians, as well as information about genealogical organizations. Representatives of FGS member societies will staff their booths in the special Society Showcase area.
• Special Events: On Wednesday evening, local hosts San Antonio Genealogical and Historical Society and Texas State Genealogical Society invite registrants to an evening at the Institute of Texas Cultures, an amazing museum located directly behind the convention center. On Friday evening, The San Antonio Conservation Society hosts a festive evening with strumming guitars, shining horns, a capella voices of mariachis and local artisans at work at La Villita. The Conservation Society only hosts 10 of these events each year and FGS is excited to able to offer this. Details can be found at www.fgsconference.org
• Focus on Societies: On Wednesday, August 27, 2014, sessions are jam-packed with ideas and tools to help societies promote themselves, increase membership, and develop sources of revenue.  The day kicks off with a first ever, half-day workshop to develop a plan and tools to use to enhance and guide their society forward.
• Librarians’ Day: On Tuesday, August 26, 2014, ProQuest will sponsor a full-pre-conference day of sessions designed for librarians, archivists, and other information professionals serving family history researchers.

There are more activities and research opportunities too numerous to list. However, you can learn all about the 2014 FGS Conference and register for this exciting four-day event at http://www.fgsconference.org. Be sure to also visit or subscribe to the FGS Conference Blog at http://www.fgsconference.org/blog for more information.

Learn More and Stay Connected
Like FGS at:  https://www.facebook.com/FGSgenealogy
Follow FGS on Twitter at https://twitter.com/fgsgenealogy and hashtag #FGS2014.
Visit San Antonio at http://visitsanantonio.com/

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 for the family history community), 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.

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Contact:
Federation of Genealogical Societies
PO Box 200940
Austin, TX 78720-0940
phone: +1 (888) 347-1500
fax: +1 (866) 347-1350
mailto:marketing@fgs.org

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Free Archived Webinars and Lectures from NEHGS

Would you like to learn research skills from some of the experts at he New England Historic Genealogical Society? Did you know they have how-to videos, archived webinars, and recorded lectures available free on their website? NEHGS is expanding their online educational programs and have a variety of presentations on research subjects as well as using the NEHGS website.

Look for the the following programs available at http://www.americanancestors.org/watch/

Archived Webinars:

Find Your 17th-c. New England Ancestors with NEHGS
Presented by: David C. Dearborn

Ten Steps to Writing & Publishing Your Family History
Presented by: Penny Stratton

Get the Most from NEHGS . . . from Home!
Presented by: Jean Maguire

Maximize Your AmericanAncestors.org Search Results, Parts I & II
Presented by: Andy Hanson-Dvoracek

Expand Your Research Using NEHGS Online Databases
Presented by: Ellie Spinney and Sam Sturgis

Video Lectures:

Getting Started: Genealogy with Rhonda R. McClure

Searching AmericanAncestors.org with Ryan Woods

Getting Started: Irish Genealogy with Marie Daly

Identifying Civil War Ancestors with David Allen Lambert

How-To Videos

Number an Ahnentafel with Penny Stratton

Number in Register Style with Penny Stratton

Use Torrey's New England Marriages Prior to 1700
with David C. Dearborn

Search Journals on AmericanAncestors.org with Andy Hanson-Dvoracek

Save Searches on AmericanAncestors.org with Andy Hanson-Dvoracek

Print Records on AmericanAncestors.org with Andy Hanson-Dvoracek

NGS Conference Early-bird Deadline Approaching

I am excited to attend the NGS Family History Conference in Richmond this year. I am one of the official bloggers and will be posting my conference tips before the conference, and some of the things I learn while I am at the conference. For those of you thinking of registering for the conference, the early bird deadline is only a week away. For those of you already registered, be sure you have reservations for the luncheons and NGS banquet if you want to attend. Meal reservations have to be in by April 24th. These are a great place to network and get to know other genealogists. Here is the latest press release on the conference from NGS:

Have you registered for the NGS Family History Conference in Richmond? The deadline for the early bird discount and ordering a print syllabus is 24 March 2014. After that date, the NGS member price will increase from $195 to $230 for all four days, the non-NGS member price will increase from $230 to $265, and only the flash drive syllabus will be available. You really don’t want to miss this year’s exciting conference program from 7–10 May at the Greater Richmond Convention Center and Richmond Marriott. For conference information and to register, go to http://conference.ngsgenealogy.org/attend/.

Breakfast, Luncheons, and the NGS Banquet

Participating organizations sponsor several luncheons during the conference, and the NGS Banquet is an event not to be missed!  Registration for all meals and social events closes on 24 April 2014. Tickets for social events will not be sold on-site. Make your reservations now at http://conference.ngsgenealogy.org/attend/. The NGS First-Timers Breakfast is $24; luncheons are $32; and the banquet is $51. Menus are in the registration brochure at http://goo.gl/MUoVEp.

Society Night

On Wednesday evening 7 May 2014, many Virginia genealogical and historical societies will be available in the Richmond Marriott from 5:15 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. to answer questions about local repositories and resources, discuss their group’s activities, and sell their publications.

Richmond Area Tours

There’s still time to sign up for several exciting tours through Richmond Discoveries on Monday, 5 May, and Tuesday, 6 May 2014, prior to the NGS Family History Conference. For more information, please see http://conference.ngsgenealogy.org/program/local-tours/. Registration for the tours closes on 1 April 2014.

Add Items to an Existing Registration

To add meals to your current registration, log on at http://www.ngsgenealogy.org, click on My Account, select My Events, and then click to Add Sessions. To add pre-conference events, click on My Account and then select Upcoming Events.

We hope to see you in Richmond in May. Frommer’s recently placed Richmond on its list of Top Destinations for 2014, and the city is just one of three US destinations listed.

APG Hosts Discussion Groups

The Association of Professional Genealogists (APG) is offering new group discussions for their members on the following topics:

• Starting A Business
• Writing and Blogging
• Publishing
• Personal Branding and Diversifying Your Income to Make a Profit
• Forensic Genealogy

These are not lectures, but online roundtable discussions where APG members can ask questions and share advice. They are hosted by experts and are a great way to learn about these topics. APG members have been sent an email with log in instructions. If you are not yet an APG member, this is one more benefit of membership. The dates, topics and discussion group leaders are listed below in the announcement from APG.

New Discussion Group Meetings - March 6 through May 20

We are pleased to announce eight new upcoming APG Discussion Group Meetings.

These meetings are open to all APG Members with no pre-registration and are a unique way to learn from and network with your colleagues. The access instructions for each discussion group can be found below, as well biographies of each Discussion Group leader.

The meeting room will open 15 minutes prior to the scheduled starting time and holds a maximum of 25 attendees. Therefore, access will be on a first-come, first-serve basis.

The Discussion Groups are meant to be discussions on a particular topic, not lectures or webinars. It is through the give and take of these discussions that the best learning experiences will occur. Please come prepared with your questions.

If you have any questions, please contact Melanie D. Holtz, CG at Melanie@holtzresearch.com.

We hope you enjoy the sessions!

APG Professional Development Committee



WHEN: Thursday, March 6, 2014, 9:00 p.m. EST

TOPIC:  Starting a Business

DISCUSSION GROUP LEADER: Amy Arner

Amy E. K. Arner specializes in Western Pennsylvania research and editing. She serves on the APG Board of Directors and previously was the president of the Great Lakes Chapter. In 2013, the Association of Professional Genealogists awarded her a Certificate of Appreciation for her service to the organization.


WHEN: Friday, March 21, 2014, 9:00 p.m. EST

TOPIC: Publishing

DISCUSSION GROUP LEADER: Craig Roberts Scott, MA, CG, FUGA

Craig Roberts Scott, MA, CG, FUGA is the President and CEO of Heritage Books, Inc. A professional genealogical and historical researcher for more than twenty-nine years, he specializes in the records of the National Archives, especially those that relate to the military. IGHR, SLIG and GRIP Military Course Coordinator.


WHEN: Saturday, March 22, 2014, 10:00 a.m. EST

TOPIC:  Publishing

DISCUSSION GROUP LEADER: Craig Roberts Scott, MA, CG, FUGA

Craig Roberts Scott, MA, CG, FUGA is the President and CEO of Heritage Books, Inc. A professional genealogical and historical researcher for more than twenty-nine years, he specializes in the records of the National Archives, especially those that relate to the military. IGHR, SLIG and GRIP Military Course Coordinator.


WHEN: Friday, April 4, 2014, 11:00 a.m. EST

TOPIC: Personal Branding and Diversifying Your Income to Make a Profit

DISCUSSION GROUP LEADER: Michael Hait, CG

Michael Hait, CG, is a full-time professional genealogist, with over fifteen years of research experience across the United States. His specialties include Maryland research, African American genealogy, and records of the U. S. Civil War/Reconstruction era. Michael is a frequent contributor to genealogy magazines and journals, and a popular lecturer. For more information on Michael's available services, visit http://www.haitfamilyresearch.com.


WHEN: Wednesday, April 9, 2014, 1:00 p.m. EST

TOPIC: Starting a Business

DISCUSSION GROUP LEADER: Amy Arner

Amy E. K. Arner specializes in Western Pennsylvania research and editing. She serves on the APG Board of Directors and previously was the president of the Great Lakes Chapter. In 2013, the Association of Professional Genealogists awarded her a Certificate of Appreciation for her service to the organization.


WHEN: Wednesday, April 16, 2014, 12:00 p.m. EST

TOPIC: Writing and Blogging

SESSION LEADER: Harold Henderson, CG

Harold Henderson, CG has been a professional writer since 1979, a professional genealogist since 2009, and a board-certified genealogist since 2012. He has published over 1300 blog posts and more than 50 articles, including several in the National Genealogical Society Quarterly and American Ancestors Journal (annual supplement to the New England Historical and Genealogical Register).


WHEN: Wednesday, April 30, 2014, 9:00 p.m. EST

TOPIC:  Forensic Genealogy

DISCUSSION GROUP LEADERS:

Kelvin L. Meyers
A professional genealogist for the last twenty-five years, Kelvin contracts with law firms, banks, and energy companies as a forensic genealogist. He also searches for missing or unknown heirs to estates and to oil and gas leases.
As a board member of the Council for the Advancement for Forensic Genealogy (CAFG), Kelvin lectures at the Forensic Genealogy Institute held by CAFG. He has been a guest lecturer at the Institute of Genealogical and Historical Research at Samford University and will return this summer lecturing in the Trans-Mississippi tract.

Cathi Becker Wiest Desmarais, CG
Cathi is a full-time professional genealogist and the current APG Vice-President. She also serves on the board of the Council for the Advancement of Forensic Genealogy and coordinates its mentor program. Cathi locates missing or unknown heirs and works on U.S. Army military repatriation cases, finding next-of-kin and family DNA donors for MIA soldiers from past wars. She is an instructor at the Forensic Genealogy Institute and the Genealogical Institute of Pittsburgh.

Melanie D. Holtz, CG
Melanie is a full-time professional genealogist who specializes in Italian and Forensic Genealogy. She has worked on over 200 dual citizenship cases and researched U.S. Army military repatriation cases. Melanie is a member of the APG Board of Directors, the Vice President of the North Carolina Chapter, and serves as Chair of APG’s Professional Development Committee.


WHEN: Tuesday, May 20, 2014, 9:00 p.m. EST 
TOPIC: Personal Branding and Diversifying Your Income to Make a Profit
DISCUSSION GROUP LEADER: Michael Hait, CG

Michael Hait, CG, is a full-time professional genealogist, with over fifteen years of research experience across the United States. His specialties include Maryland research, African American genealogy, and records of the U. S. Civil War/Reconstruction era. Michael is a frequent contributor to genealogy magazines and journals, and a popular lecturer. For more information on Michael's available services, visit http://www.haitfamilyresearch.com.

NGS Announces Live Streaming Sessions for 2014 Conference

I am excited about this announcement from the National Genealogical Society! I knew they were planning to offer live streaming of two conference tracks, as the time of the lecture I am giving at NGS was changed to accommodate the scheduling, but I could not say anything until the announcement was made public. If you are unable to travel to Richmond for the NGS conference this  May, you can now participate in a portion from home.

March 5, 2014

NGS announces the live streaming of ten lectures from the NGS 2014 Family History Conference, which will be held 7‒10 May 2014, in Richmond, Virginia.  The upcoming conference will be the first time NGS has provided a portion of the conference to NGS members and others across the United States and overseas who are unable to attend the conference in person.

Details of the live streaming program can be found at on the NGS Conference website at http://conference.ngsgenealogy.org/attend/live-streaming-at-ngs2014gen/.  NGS has selected some of the most popular topics and nationally known speakers for the two featured tracks. Registrants for live streaming can select either track or the bundled package that includes both tracks. 

Track One: Records and Research Techniques can be viewed on Thursday afternoon, 8 May 2014, and Friday morning, 9 May 2014. Join the conference from home and learn about best practices and research sources.

Track Two: Virginia Resources and Migration Patterns can be viewed on Friday afternoon, 9 May 2014, and Saturday morning, 10 May 2014. Learn about Virginia’s records and her people who moved south and west to new lands pushing the frontier ever forward.

Registration for live streaming will close at midnight 30 April 2014. All registrants will receive an electronic version of the NGS 2014 Family History Conference Syllabus. Registration is discounted for NGS Members.  

Track Selection	Included Formats	Member Price	Non-Member Price	Track Descriptions
Track One or Track Two	Live Streaming and three months access to  Track One or Two	$65.00	$80.00	Records and Research Techniques. Five lectures on Thursday afternoon, 8 May 2014, and Friday morning, 9 May 2014, or Virginia Resources and Migration Patterns. Five lectures on Friday afternoon, 9 May 2014, and Saturday morning, 10 May 2014.
Bundled Package Track One and Track Two	Live Streaming and three months access to both Tracks	$115.00	$145.00	Records and Research Techniques. Five lectures on Thursday afternoon, 8 May 2014, and Friday morning, 9 May 2014, and Virginia Resources and Migration Patterns. Five lectures on Friday afternoon, 9 May 2014, and Saturday morning, 10 May 2014.

Once registered, you can watch the event live, or if you have other commitments on those dates, you can view the sessions as many times as you want for ninety days following the conference (through 10 August 2014). NGS has selected PlayBackNow to broadcast the live sessions and to provide the recorded sessions for later viewing. Instructions for viewing the live streaming will be sent to registrants before 6 May 2014.

For those fortunate enough to be able to attend the conference in person and chose from ten tracks and more than 175 lectures over four days, a reminder that the discounted Early Bird registration will close on 24 March 2014. Conference attendees may also benefit from NGS live streaming by registering to the view either track or the bundled package, which they will be able to view after they return home. By selecting different lecture presentations to hear live at the conference, they can expand their overall conference experience.