National Archives "Know Your Records" -- Voice Your Opinion

I received the following announcement from the National Archives and am very excited that they are trying to make more of their "Know Your Records" programs available for free online. It will be of value to many researchers to learn about these records so please take time to share your opinion on which programs are of the most interest to you. There are over 60 topics to choose from, and many of the genealogy topics are listed on page two of the survey. 

Help us put the National Archives Know Your Records program Online!

The National Archives and Records Administration hosted more than 370 Know Your Records talks on topics including genealogy, ethnic heritage, declassified records, Civil War, social media, and more over the past two years. We want to make them available to a wider audience by posting the videos online, and need your help to figure out where to start: which talks are you most eager to see posted to YouTube and iTunes U? Out of the hundreds, we narrowed it down to the top 60 lectures.  Read through the list of program summaries, vote on your favorites, and let us know what you think. This is just the start of an ongoing project, so we’re looking forward to hearing what you have to say.

All are invited and encouraged to participate.  You will need to sign up for an account in order to vote or comment.  Only an email address is needed and then you are in.

Visit http://kyrprioritization.ideascale.com/

Note from Angela:

Below is just a sample of the program choices that may be of interest to genealogists. Please take a few minutes and share your opinion of which ones you would like to see put online.

Civil War Pension Files at Footnote.com

Laura Prescott from Footnote.com will discuss the Civil War pension files recently scanned and published online.

Documenting Death in the Civil War

John Deeben, genealogy archives specialist at the National Archives, explores death records created during and after the Civil War by the War.

Civil War Unit and Ship Records at the National Archives National Archives Records on Ancestry.com

Sabrina Petersen will discuss National Archives files recently scanned and published online.

Passport Applications, 1795–1925

Rebecca Sharp and Katherine Vollen will discuss how to locate passport applications and how these records can enhance your genealogical research.

Veterans Records at Ancestry.com

Sabrina Petersen discusses National Archives World War I and World War II veterans’ records available on Ancestry.com.

Access to Archival Databases (AAD) for Genealogists

Archives specialist Daniel Law will introduce electronic records and discuss how to access these records on our Access to Archival Databases.

Genealogy and New Deal Relief

The lecture examines the correspondence files of the WPA and predecessor agencies to discover information about the personal and family experiences.

The Freedman’s Savings and Trust Company: A Gold Mine for Black and White Genealogists

Susannah E. Brooks will present information on both African American and white depositors at the Freedman’s Savings and Trust.

Alien Files (A-Files) for Genealogy Research

Learn how the Alien Files are a rich source of biographical information for family research in a joint NARA and USCIS presentation.

Civil War Medicine

Archives specialist Rebecca Sharp and reference librarian Nancy Wing will discuss The Medical and Surgical History of the War of the Rebellion.

Civil War Records on Footnote.com

Footnote.com uses National Archives documents from recently added Civil War titles to create family histories.

Registration for the Institute of Genealogy and Historical Research (IGHR)

I received the following notices regarding registration for the Institute of Genealogy and Historical Research (IGHR) and thought I would share them with those who are not on their mailing list. This institute is very  popular, so if you are planning to attend please read the instructions carefully and be prepared to register on January 17th.

Registration for this summer's Institute of Genealogy and Historical Research (IGHR) will open on Tuesday, January 17, 2012.

To prevent an overload of the online registration system, the opening of course registration will be staggered with different courses being opening at different times. Please see the schedule of times below. Once open, registration for each course will remain open until the course is full. All times are Central Standard Time.

PLEASE NOTE: Before a course has opened for registration, it will show up on the registration website as FULL. Don't panic. Once the course opening time has passed, it will no longer appear full (until the course is actually full, of course).

PAYMENT NOTE: In order to be in compliance with federal laws, we will not be able to take any credit card numbers over the phone this year.  If you wish to use a credit card to register, you will need to register online.

Opening at 10:00 a.m. CST:
Course 1: Techniques and Technology
Course 4: Advanced Methodology and Evidence Analysis

Opening at 10:30 a.m. CST:
Course 3: Research in the South, Part I
Course 5: Writing and Publishing for Genealogists

Opening at 11:00 a.m. CST:
Course 2: Intermediate Genealogy and Historical Studies
Course 7: Virginia's Land & Military Conflicts
Course 9: Military Records Research III: 1821-1919

Opening at 11:30 a.m. CST:
Course 6: Advanced Library Research: Law Libraries & Government Documents
Course 8: Researching African-American Ancestors
Course 10: Tracing Your English Ancestors

The Institute itself will take place on June 10-15, 2012.

For more information, including more information on the courses being offered and how to register on the Jan. 17, visit the IGHR website at http://www4.samford.edu/schools/ighr/.

I've received an e-mail from a previous attendee who expressed concern that we may be "asking too much" at the time of registration due to the rate at which courses have been filling up the past few years.  Returning attendees, she reasoned, might have an unfair advantage over first-timers as they might be able to submit their registrations more quickly.

To make the online registration process easier/smoother we introduced the downloadable registration guide to the IGHR website:  http://www4.samford.edu/schools/ighr/IGHR_101.html.

This guide is a step-by-step walkthrough of the entire process, from the moment you click on the link to the confirmation e-mail you get afterwards.  We've even made efforts to keep the file size relatively small to make downloading easier and designed it so that you wouldn't use up quite as much ink when printing.

If you're planning on registering for this year's IGHR,  we strongly recommend you download and read through this guide beforehand.  Print it out and scribble some notes on it if you want.  That way you can avoid spending precious time reading over information at the time of registration.  Even IGHR veterans should gain some benefit from it as we have introduced some new options for those staying on campus or purchasing a meal ticket.

RootsTech Conference Schedule Posted

I know many of you are looking forward to the RootsTech Conference hosted by FamilySearch in Salt Lake City on February 2-4, 2012. The daily schedule has now been posted at http://rootstech.org/schedule/users

New APG Webinar Series - Tax Considerations for Your Genealogy Business

I have known that a webinar series has been in the planning stages at APG for some time, but am excited to see that the first webinar will be next week. It is open to the public, so if you are interested in creating your own genealogy business you will want to attend. Here is the announcement from the Association of Professional Genealogists:

Professional Development for APG Members and the Genealogy Community

6 January 2012 – Westminster, Colo., With the increased demand for professional development options for genealogists, the Association of Professional Genealogists (APG) announces a new webinar series for 2012. APG webinars will cover topics of interest to professional genealogists with a focus on tools and best practices for running a genealogy business.

Tax Considerations for Your Genealogy Business (U.S.)
Wednesday, 11 January 2012 - 8:30 PM - 9:30 PM EST

The first offering in the APG webinar series, Tax Considerations for Your Genealogy Business, will be presented by nationally-known genealogist, educator, and writer, James M. Beidler, on Wednesday evening, 11 January 2012, at 8:30 P.M. Eastern time.

Whether you earn your income from research, teaching, writing, or another form of genealogical activity, there are many tax decisions which affect your genealogy business. Should you form a sole proprietorship or an LLC? Take a deduction for your home office? File a 1099 for subcontractors? Jim Beidler, a Senior Tax Advisor for H&R Block and owner of his own genealogy business, will share his strategies for maximizing the deductions on your 2011 tax bill while planning ahead for 2012.

To kick off our webinar series, this first APG webinar is FREE to the public as well as to members of APG. Those wanting to attend are encouraged to register at https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/385781994 since space is limited. After registering you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the Webinar.

APG Professional Development

APG will be offering future professional development webinars to its members, and occasionally to the genealogy community, on a variety of topics related to genealogy as a profession. In addition, APG members will have on-demand access to webinar recordings as well as to syllabus materials via the Members Only Section of the APG website.

About the Association of Professional Genealogists
APG (www.apgen.org), established in 1979, represents more than 2,400 genealogists, librarians, writers, editors, historians, instructors, booksellers, publishers, and others involved in genealogy-related businesses. APG encourages genealogical excellence, ethical practice, mentoring, and education. The organization also supports the preservation and accessibility of records useful to the fields of genealogy and history. Its members represent all fifty states, Canada, and thirty other countries. APG is active on LinkedIn, Twitter (www.twitter.com/apggenealogy), and Facebook (www.facebook.com/AssociationofProfessionalGenealogists).

APG is a registered trademark of the Association of Professional Genealogists. All other trade and service marks are property of their respective owners.

ICAPGEN Mentoring Classes

I received the following announcement from the International Commission for the Accreditation of Professional Genealogists (ICAPGEN). Please see my comments below the announcement.

January 3, 2011 - Salt Lake City, Utah

ICAPGen is pleased to announce that another series of mentoring classes will begin on January 20, 2012. These are free classes to help individuals prepare for ICAPGen accreditation. They are held at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah. For our friends who are not able to come to Salt Lake City, these classes have been filmed and can be watched on our website: http://www.icapgen.org/icapgen/resources

For more information about the mentoring classes, click the link above.

Comments from Angela:
For those who will be in Salt Lake City these classes are free and would be helpful in learning about the accreditation program. For those who are not in Salt Lake City, these classes have been recorded and can be viewed online for free. Even if you are not interested in the ICAPGEN accreditation program many of the classes can be helpful in learning about genealogy research and methodology. I have watched several of the classes and found them to be helpful on topic such as evidence analysis and writing research reports. There is also a mentoring class syllabus available for purchase on the ICAPGEN website. This 51-page PDF file sells for $4.00 and contains details on the application process as well as handouts and homework assignments for each course. Here are links to a few of the general courses available online:



Mentoring Class: Research Binder
Mentoring Class: Working with Documents
Mentoring Class: Citing Sources
Mentoring Class: History, Geography, and Timelines
Mentoring Class: Evidence Analysis, Part 1
Mentoring Class: Evidence Analysis, Part 2
Mentoring Class: Writing a Quality Research Report
Mentoring Class: Pedigree Analysis

Happy New Year!

I want to wish everyone a very successful year for genealogy in 2012. I took some time off from blogging this fall as I am pregnant with my third child. My family is very excited to welcome a new baby girl in April.

Genealogy education is still very important to me and so I will resume blogging and posting important announcements in this area in 2012. I look forward to sharing ideas and opportunities with you.

Angela

Early-Bird Deadline for APG Professional Management Conference

I received the following press release from the Association of Professional Genealogists and think this is an excellent educational opportunity. There are seven presentations included in the program, and the conference is conveniently scheduled between the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy and the RootsTech conference.


APG Professional Management Conference

WESTMINSTER, Colo., December 12, 2011− The early-bird registration deadline is rapidly approaching for the upcoming APG Professional Management Conference (PMC). The one-day conference will be held February 1, 2011 at the Radisson Hotel, Salt Lake City. Members who sign up before December 31, 2011 will receive $25 off of the registration fee. The conference is also open to non-members. PMC is being held one day before the RootsTech Family History & Technology Conference (http://rootstech.org/).

The conference, themed “Techniques, Tools, and Technology,” will feature lectures from top genealogists, including J. Mark Lowe, CG, FUGA; Paula Stuart-Warren, CG; Thomas MacEntee; Teresa Koch-Bostic; Melissa A. Johnson; Laura G. Prescott; Kory L. Meyerink, AG; and Diane L. Giannini, CG. Lectures will provide strategic and practical advice for genealogists, from research planning to earning a living.

The conference is open to professionals, aspiring professionals, and anyone interested in networking with professional genealogists. Lecture topics and registration details at http://www.apgen.org/conferences.

About APG
The Association of Professional Genealogists (www.apgen.org), established in 1979, represents more than 2,400 genealogists, librarians, writers, editors, historians, instructors, booksellers, publishers and others involved in genealogy-related businesses. APG encourages genealogical excellence, ethical practice, mentoring and education. The organization also supports the preservation and accessibility of records useful to the fields of genealogy and history. Its members represent all fifty states, Canada and thirty other countries. APG is active on LinkedIn, Twitter (www.twitter.com/apggenealogy) and FaceBook (www.facebook.com/AssociationofProfessionalGenealogists).

Media Contacts:
Kathleen W. Hinckley, CG, Executive Director,
Association of Professional Genealogists
P.O. Box 350998, Westminster, CO 80035-0998
Phone 303-422-9371, fax 303-456-8825, email admin@apgen.org

Corey Oiesen, Communications Officer
Association of Professional Genealogists
Email: corey@genealogyheroes.com