Eastern European Family History Conference

I received the following press release about the Eastern European Family History Conference to be held August 8-12, 2016 in Salt Lake City, Utah. I thought it would be of interest to those of you with Eastern European ancestry. 

-- For Immediate Release --
Springville, Utah

Eastern European Family History Conference

Perhaps the best-kept secret in Salt Lake City is a small, personalized conference on how to do research on Eastern European ancestors. Hosted annually by the Foundation for East European Family History Studies (FEEFHS), the conference is a bit more like a workshop – with intentionally small class sizes to allow sufficient attention to individual questions and needs.  The 2016 conference will be held 8 -12 August 2016 at the Plaza Hotel in Salt Lake City.

This year’s program is country-research-rich, with a full 3-day track on German research, and extended Polish, Russian, and Austro-Hungarian research tracks.  Class instruction levels include getting started research in a specific east European country (assuming a foundational knowledge of genealogical research), as well as more in-depth topics and unique record sources for advanced researchers.  Optional consultations are available on a first-come, first-served basis.

The 2016 program opens with a welcome reception on Tuesday evening and ends with a banquet on Friday evening, with research time available on other evenings and Saturday at the nearby Family History Library. Two pre-conference workshops will be offered: “Finding the Village of Origin,” which helps participants determine the name of the village their ancestor was born in/came from; and “Learning Cyrillic,” which prepares participants to read records written in Cyrillic Script.

Full information may be found at feefhsworkshop.org, with organizational information at FEEFHS.org. 

NGS Conference Recording Packages

Are you attending the NGS Family History Conference next week? I am excited to be there in person, but I always miss some excellent sessions because I can only be in one place at a time.

Are you unable to attend the NGS conference in Florida? Would you like to hear some of the conference sessions from home? Well, here are your options.

Option 1 --
There is still time to sign up to watch the live-streaming of ten of the sessions on Thursday and Friday, May 5th and 6th. If watching live does not fit into your schedule, you will have three months to watch the sessions at your convenience. Here is the link to register.

Option 2 -- 

You can purchase a pass which will include audio recordings of ALL 140 sessions of the conference! See the three package options in below, and click here to order online from PlayBack. This is a great deal, and if you act fast you can save $100 on the package by ordering before May 7th. After that date the prices go up.  

Option 3 --

If you just have a few sessions you are interested in, you can order them individually for $10 each. Click here to see a listing of all of the sessions by topic or presenter. I have ordered individual recordings of my favorite sessions for each of the last eight years. It is a great way to hear some of the best presenters in genealogy while you drive to work or take your daily walk. 

I hope you enjoy these options for continuing your genealogy education!

Angela

Registration Now Open for RootsTech 2016

I received the following press release today:


SALT LAKE CITY, 15 September 2015—FamilySearch announced today that registration for RootsTech 2016 is now open. RootsTech is a highly popular and growing global conference where people of all ages celebrate family and are inspired to share their memories and connections. The annual event attracts tens of thousands of participants worldwide. RootsTech 2016 will be held February 3–6 in Salt Lake City, Utah. The website for registration is RootsTech.org.

Attendees can expect a full lineup of inspirational keynote speakers, over 200 educational classes, exciting hands-on activities in the expo hall, and entertaining evening events, all designed to help celebrate families across generations! Exclusive early bird discount pricing is available now for full passes starting at just $149 and $169 for the RootsTech plus Innovator Summit pass.  Passes for the Getting Started track start at $19 for a limited single day and $39 for a limited 3-day.   

An exciting change comes to the class schedule for RootsTech 2016. Classes will now start earlier in the week, on Wednesday February 3, with the first class beginning at 1:30 p.m.

For RootsTech 2016, attendees can now use a new scheduling tool to build, edit, and print their class schedule at RootsTech.org. All RootsTech and Innovator Summit classes, including speakers, class titles, and descriptions, are now available within the scheduling tool. Attendees can begin to create and edit their schedules, and continue to edit them after registration. The online tool will sync with the mobile app available later this year.

As part of RootsTech, the Innovator Summit returns to offer developers, business leaders, and entrepreneurs access to the latest content and resources that provide insight on family history data, services, and inspiration for current and future projects. 

Along with the Innovator Summit, the Innovator Showdown also returns to RootsTech 2016 and is even bigger than before. Innovators of all kinds in any industry are invited to compete with their latest hardware and software apps and services. The top six finalists will be invited to demo live onstage for over 23,000 people. The audience and a panel of renowned judges will decide the winners!

Registration for Family Discovery Day is also now open. The event takes place on Saturday, February 6, 2016, and is designed for families and members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Members of the LDS Church are invited to register as families and  groups up to 10 at a time. . This free one-day event includes devotionals, classes, interactive activities, and entertainment to help families and members discover, preserve, and share their family connections. Event details, including speakers and classes, will be made available soon at RootsTech.org. 

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About RootsTech
RootsTech, hosted by FamilySearch, is a global conference celebrating families across generations, where people of all ages are inspired to discover and share their memories and connections. This annual event has become the largest of its kind in the world, attracting tens of thousands of participants worldwide.

Free Live Streaming of the SCGS Jamboree

The Southern California Genealogical Society has announced the sessions that will be streamed live on the internet next week. Thanks to diamond level sponsor Ancestry.com these sessions will be available for free. The email I received stated that session descriptions, speaker bios, and schedule details are provided on the registration site and will soon be posted on the Jamboree website. Click here to register. 

Here is the lineup of presentations that will be broadcast:

Friday, June 5

FR007: Be Prepared with a Genealogy Disaster Plan - Denise May Levenick.

FR018: Five Tips for Successful Research in a New Location - J. H."Jay" Fonkert, CG.

FR019: Genetic Genealogy and the Next Generation - Blaine T. Bettinger, PhD, JD and Paul Woodbury.

FR032: Finding and Utilizing German Church Records - Dr. Michael D. Lacopo.

 

Saturday, June 6

SA007: Google Tools and Procedures for Solving Family History Mysteries - Lisa Louise Cooke.

SA014: Tho' They Were Poor, They May Have Been Rich in Records - Paula Stuart-Warren, CG, FMGS, FUGA.  

SA021: No Easy Button: Using Immersion Genealogy to Understand Your Ancestors - Lisa A. Alzo, MFA.

SA033: Plotting, Scheming and Mapping Online - Cyndi Ingle.

SA035: Midwestern and Plains States Level Census Records - Paula Stuart-Warren, CG, FMGS, FUGA.

SA047: Update: Google! Everything New that You Need to Know for Genealogy - Lisa Louise Cooke.

 

Sunday, June 7

SU005: Family History Adhesive: Science and Simple Tech 4 Binding Families - Janet Hovorka, MLIS.

SU015: The Hidden Web: Digging Deeper - Cyndi Ingle.

SU022: Who, What, When, Where? Using Journalism Techniques to Write Your Story - Anita Paul.

SU030: Get to Know Your Geezers - Matthew Hovorka.

NGS Conference Blog Compendium

If you are like me and missed attending the National Genealogical Society (NGS) Conference this week, then I would recommend visiting the NGS 2015 Conference Blog Compendium compiled by Randy Seaver on his Geneamusings blog.

Every year, and for almost every major genealogy conference, Randy compiles a list of blog posts written about the conference. I enjoy reading about others' perspectives on the conference, and pick up tidbits of advice from the presenters via the bloggers. I appreciate Randy's compendium as he catches articles on blogs that I may not already follow. 

Join Me at the Northwest Genealogy Conference in August

There are some excellent regional genealogy conferences in the United States. Genealogists gathered in Ohio last week, and many are in New England this week, but in August we will be in Washington state. Registration opens TODAY for the Northwest Genealogy Conference held August 13-15, 2015 in Arlington, Washington. I am excited to be a part of this three day conference!

This conference will feature three days of genealogy education covering a wide variety of topics including everything from creating a research plan to analyzing DNA results. The full program can be found here. There is a great lineup of speakers ready to share their knowledge and experience, including:

Angie Bush

Janet Camarata

Lisa Louise Cooke

Luana Darby

Michelle Goodrum

Jean Wilcox Hibben

Cyndi Ingle

Janice C Lovelace

Angela Packer McGhie

CeCe Moore

Jill Morelli

Steven W Morrison

Linda Harms Okazaki

Elissa Scalise Powell

Reed Powell

Judy G Russell

Sara A Scribner

Janice M Sellers

Cari Taplin

I hope you will consider joining us at the Northwest Genealogy Conference.

NGS Conference Mobile App Released

I was excited to receive the following announcement from the National Genealogical Association! The mobile apps are now such a convenience to reference the conference schedule, map and syllabus.

Mobile Conference App released–ready for download

Get the most from your NGS 2015 Family History Conference experience by downloading the mobile app. Use the app to help you make the most of your trip to St. Charles before, during and after the conference.

The NGS Conference App is available for iOS, Android, Blackberry, Windows Phone, and web-enabled devices. Search your app store for NGS Family History Conferences.

New this year, we have introduced a multi-event NGS app. This allows attendees to download a single app and access all current and future NGS conferences by adding new events to this app.

The NGS Conference App is completely free! To download, go to http://conference.ngsgenealogy.org/attend/mobile-app/.

 Features include: 

• The Dashboard to keep you organized with up-to-the-minute information

• About the NGS 2015 Family History Conference to keep all conference information in one place

• Alerts of important real-time communications from NGS

• Twitter feed to follow and join in on the conference chatter. The Twitter hashtag is #NGS2015GEN.

You can also

• Sync your schedule across multiple devices

• Locate exhibitors you plan to visit

• Access a list of Local Places based on Category

• Connect, message, and share schedules with your colleagues through the Friends feature

• Link to syllabus material for each lecture, which will be available about 29 April 2015

We encourage you to begin using the app now so you can plan and improve your conference experience in St. Charles.

NGS Conference Early Bird Discount Ends March 30th

Are you thinking of attending the National Genealogical Society conference in May? If you you may want to make your decision before the early bird discount ends on March 30th. It looks like an excellent program. See the press release below for details.

I will be unable to attend the conference in person this year, but will be participating in the live streaming events. See my post on NGS Conference to Live Stream Two Tracks.

Arlington, VA, 23 March 2015—If you are planning to register for the NGS Family History Conference in St. Charles, be sure to take advantage of its early bird discount. The discount, as well as the opportunity to order a printed syllabus, ends 30 March 2015. 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 the syllabus will only be available as a flash drive.

 

This year’s conference features more than 25 tracks and 150 lectures, as well as social events, luncheons, and the NGS banquet. It is a great opportunity to network with other genealogists and enhance your knowledge. The conference will be held at the St. Charles Convention Center and will run from 13-16 May.  For conference information and to register, go to the 2015 NGS Family History Conference.

 

Social Events, Luncheons, and the NGS Banquet

Participating organizations sponsor several luncheons at which guest speakers address many fascinating topics such as

 

·       “Have You Tested Your DNA? Is there a Non-Paternity Event in Your Family?”

·       “Germans in the American Civil War”

·       “Intuition and Genealogy Success: A Sixth Sense, Chance, Coincidence, or Serendipity?”

·       “Then and Now: Changes in Methodologies and Sources”

 

The NGS Banquet is another event not to be missed!  Registration for all meals and social events closes on 29 April 2015. Tickets for social events will not be sold on-site. Be sure to sign up as quickly as possible. The StLGS Host Event BBQ is $39; luncheons are $21; and the banquet is $38. Menus are in the registration brochure.

 

Society Showcase

On Tuesday afternoon 12 May 2015, many Missouri genealogical and historical societies will be available in the St. CharlesConvention Center from 1:00 p.m. until 5:00 p.m. to answer questions about local repositories and resources, discuss their group’s activities, and sell their publications.

 

St. Charles Area Tours

There’s still time to sign up for several exciting tours on Tuesday, 12 May 2015, prior to the NGS Family History Conference. For more information, please see St. Charles Area Tours. Registration for the tours closes on 29 April 2015.

 

Add Items to an Existing Registration

To add meals, tours, and pre-conference events to your current registration, log on to the NGS website, click on My Account, select My Events, and then click to Add Sessions.

 

We hope to see you in St. Charles in May!

 

Founded in 1903, the National Genealogical Society is dedicated to genealogical education, exemplary standards of research, and the preservation of genealogical records.  The Arlington, Virginia, based nonprofit is the premier national society for everyone, from the beginner to the most advanced family historian, seeking excellence in publications, educational offerings, and guidance in research. It also offers many opportunities to interact with other genealogists.

APG Professional Management Conference Syllabus for Sale

Are you interested in a career in professional genealogy? One of the best resources available in the field is the Professional Management Conference (PMC) hosted by the Association of Professional Genealogists (APG). If you missed the conference in January, then you can still benefit by purchasing the conference syllabus. APG is making the syllabus available as an electronic download for only $18. I have purchased the APG PMC syllabus every year for the last five years to enhance my own professional genealogy education.

The 120 page syllabus contains the speakers' handouts from all 16 sessions detailed below. You do not need to be a member of APG to purchase the syllabus, which is available on the APG website at https://www.apgen.org/catalog/products.html. 

Speakers and topics included in the 2015 APG PMC syllabus are:

Thomas Jones, Ph.D., CG, CGL, FASG, FUGA, FNGS—Three-part Workshop: You’ve Got Options: Many Ways to Cite Right

Angie Bush, MS—DNA and Genealogical Proof

CeCe Moore—Workshop: Genealogy Professionals Needed: How Adoptees Discover their Genealogical Roots

Judy G. Russell, JD, CG, CGL—Finding the Law

Elissa Scalise Powell, CG, CGL—(1) Workshop: Measuring Yourself against Standards: A Practical Guide for Improving Your Skills and (2) Get Paid for Your Passion: Setting Fees

Angela Packer McGhie—Time Management: Successfully Balancing the Demands of Our Many "Clients"

Kimberly Powell—Organizing Your Research and Writing with Scrivener

James M. Beidler—(1) Finding Your Niche: Matching Passion, Professionalism, and Pecuniary Interest and (2) Taxes and the Professional Genealogist

Anastasia Harman—Workshop: Professional Writing Foundations: 5 Ways to Improve Your Writing Today

Ron Arons, MBA—Mind Maps for Genealogy

Thomas MacEntee—Self-Publishing for Genealogists

Billie Stone Fogarty, MEd—So You Want to Be a Genealogical Speaker

Christina Grover—How to Have Difficult Conversations with Clients and Colleagues

NGS Conference to Live Stream Two Tracks

I was excited to receive an email from the National Genealogical Society today announcing their live streaming program for the NGS Conference in May. I love to attend the NGS conference in person, but will be unable to do so this year so I am excited to participate in some of the sessions from the comfort of my home. NGS will provide live streaming of two tracks of the conference:

May 14th -- The Immigration & Naturalization Process
May 15th -- Methodology Techniques

These tracks include some of my favorite presenters, including Elizabeth Shown Mills, Thomas W. Jones, Warren Bittner, John Colletta, David Rencher, Julie Miller, Alison Hare, Angie Bush, Michael Ramage, and Jeanne Bloom. These two tracks can be viewed in real time, or later at your convenience over the next three months. You can register for the live streaming sessions on the NGS website.

In the past when I have missed and NGS conference I have ordered copies of some of the lectures on CD. While this option is still available, and I may order CDs of some of the lectures not available on the live streaming, I am excited to be able to see the video of the presenter and his/her slides, rather than just hear the audio. For NGS members you can purchase both of the live streaming tracks for $115. This is a great deal as it is about the same price as ordering the ten lectures on CD. 

Here are the track descriptions from the NGS website:

Day One: The Immigration & Naturalization Process

Day one offers information on immigration and naturalization records, uncovering the immigrants story, and useful hints on how to discover their home town.

Thursday, 14 May 2015

8:00 a.m. T205 — The Journey to America: Federal Passenger Ship Records, Jeanne Larzalere Bloom, CG
As immigration legislation in the United States became more restrictive, the information on passenger-ship records became more robust.

9:30 a.m. T215 — Becoming an American: Naturalization Records, Julie Miller, CG
This lecture will examine naturalizations in the United States. It will discuss the naturalization process, records that were generated, and how to locate them.

11:00 a.m. T225 — Discovering the REAL Stories of Your Immigrant Ancestors, John P. Colletta, PhD, FUGA
Three 19th-century case studies demonstrate the original records and published materials available to discover the particular facts of each immigrant ancestor’s story.

2:30 p.m. T245 — Bads, Bergs, Burgs, and Bachs: Finding Locations in Germany, Warren Bittner, CG
German localities are tricky as many towns share similar names, or the name has changed, or the place no longer exists. Learn to find localities.

4:00 p.m. T255 — A Methodology for Irish Emigration to North America, David Rencher, AG, CG, FIGRS, FUGA
Lacking a location in Ireland to begin research may necessitate learning to use the sources and methodologies for solving the problem with Irish resources.

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Day Two: Methodology Techniques

Join us for day two, which includes learning methodology techniques for use with historical context, forensic genealogy, DNA, and problem solving using a combination of resources.

Friday, 15 May 2015

8:00 a.m. F302 – The Time of Cholera: A Case Study about Historical Context, Alison Hare, CG
A cholera epidemic in London, England, in 1854 is the backdrop for a memorable lesson in how to develop historical context.

9:30 a.m. F311 — The Problem-Solver’s Great Trifecta: GPS+FAN+DNA, Elizabeth Shown Mills, CG, CGL, FASG, FUGA, FNGS
Can you really “prove” a maternal line when, for four straight generations, absolutely no document identifies a parent or sibling? This session shows you how.

11:00 a.m. F321 — When Does Newfound Evidence Overturn a Proved Conclusion? Thomas W. Jones, CG, CGL, FASG, FUGA, FNGS
Even thorough research can miss relevant sources. What are the options when useful information or DNA test results appear after a researcher establishes a conclusion?

2:30 p.m. F342 — Forensic Genealogy Meets the Genealogical Proof Standard, Michael Ramage, JD, CG
Learn how a $22 million estate case involving same name/age/place ancestors was solved using the Genealogical Proof Standard.

4:00 p.m. F352 — Using DNA as a Genealogical Record, Angie Bush
Using DNA testing as part of an exhaustive search in conjunction with traditional records can provide new evidence to answer genealogical questions.

You can register for the live streaming sessions on the NGS website. 

Washington DC Family History Conference on May 2

I am excited to be speaking at the Washington D.C. Family History Conference on Saturday, May 2nd. I will be addressing the Genealogical Proof Standard in a two-hour interactive class. This session will be a discussion of the five elements of the Genealogical Proof Standard, including thorough research, source citations, evidence analysis, conflict resolution, and a written conclusion. We will cover what each of these elements looks like in practice, and demonstrate the concepts with real genealogical cases.

I recommend that participants read Mastering Genealogical Proof by Thomas W. Jones and come prepared to ask questions and discuss the topics together. The book is available from http://www.ngsgenealogy.org/cs/mastering_genealogical_proof

The conference will be held from 9:00am - 3:00pm at the Washington D.C. Stake Center (home of the Washington D.C. Family History Center), at 10000 Stoneybrook Drive, Kensington, MD 20895. Registration is now open at http://www.wdcfhc.org/Conference/ There are five classes to choose from for each class session, and while the conference is FREE, it is limited to 320 participants. You can see the complete schedule here: http://www.wdcfhc.org/Conference/schedule.html


The keynote speaker, James Bartlett, will address the topic: DNA - Genealogy Will Never Be the Same! Classes, presenter bios, and registration information can be accessed on the conference website:  http://www.wdcfhc.org/Conference/

If you have questions, please email: conf2015@wdcfhc.org