SLIG is Having a Blogging Contest

The Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy is excited to announce our first ever blogging contest. We believe that SLIG is one of the best educational opportunities available for genealogists—and we want to hear why you think so to. For the next week we would like to encourage all the fantastic bloggers in the genealogy community to let us know why you would like to attend SLIG. The contest will run through Saturday, October 15, 2011 at midnight (Mountain Time). The prize will be a tuition waver to SLIG 2012 (note that only those classes which haven’t filled are eligible).

How do I enter?

Step 1: Write 500 words or more on the topic of why you want to attend SLIG. Include which course you would like to take, and whether you have attended before. Please include the link www.slig.ugagenealogy.org when referring to SLIG’s website.
Step 2: Post a link to your blog post on the UGA/SLIG Facebook Page (www.facebook.com/ugagenealogy) before midnight (Mountain Time) on Saturday, October 15, 2011. If you are not on Facebook please send an email to susanbankhead@msn.com and we will post the link on Facebook for you.
Step 3: The winner will be randomly chosen using www.randomizer.org, and announced via our Facebook page on Sunday, October 16, 2011.

What do I win?

The winning blogger will be awarded a tuition waiver for SLIG 2012. The waiver is only valid for SLIG 2012 (January 23-27, 2012). The waiver may be applied to registration for any SLIG track for 2012 which has not already filled. The waiver is for tuition only and does not include travel costs, hotel stay, or meals.

What if I’m already registered for SLIG?

If the winner is already registered for SLIG they will be refunded the amount already paid in tuition (note that this does not include any night classes or meals which may have been purchased).

What if I don’t have a blog?

Now is a great time to start one! You could write as a guest blogger on a friend’s blog.

Note: If you need to post on this blog send me a message.

Problem Solving track at SLIG offers a unique student experience

It's time for another installment in our series of blog posts about the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy (SLIG).  Today's guest blogger is Judith Hansen, the Problem Solving Course Coordinator.

The Problem Solving course at SLIG is a directed practicum: the student, with the assistance of interested consultants and peers (fellow students in the group) enhances and applies specific methodology, analysis, and evaluation skills to the student's personal research. 

The format of the problem solving course is designed so each student receives specific help on his/her own project, learns from studying the submissions of the other students. and from discussing research and methodology with the other students and professionals. 

Each problem solving student chooses his own curriculum--focused on one ancestor, ancestral couple, or particular genealogical question. Choose a problem that is of personal interest and is not under constraints imposed by others. Research being done for hire or for possible submission to BCG or ICAPGen should not be used.

The Problem Solving course takes place in 3 parts.

1. After registering and before Oct 30, each student submits a Problem Solving Project, with the following elements: a short 1 page summary of the Problem, pertinent research logs, family groups, pedigree, maps, time line, and five page report about the research problem being submitted.
2. During SLIG daily meetings are held with the assigned group to discuss the problem, offer suggestions, and debrief on the previous day's research activities.
3. After SLIG each student completes a new written summary of their research project, discussing sources used, new findings or lack of findings, conclusions and what to consider next in future research. IF at the end of SLIG week, the group consensus is that research possibilities have been exhausted for the problem, leaving no further avenues to pursue, the student is encouraged to put the project on the shelf--writing a final evaluation report which states final conclusions with supporting evidence, and details research steps, sources and analysis. The summary should be shared with those interested, including fellow PS Group members and consultants.

As a Problem Solving student one is 1) a researcher, evaluator and reporter for their own research, 2) a peer within the group, providing encouragement and suggestions, 3) a student of the comments of consultants and peers, 4) a teacher sharing their own expertise with others when needed, and above all 5) a genealogy friend.

Often the encouragement a genealogist needs is validation: someone else to look at their research, evaluation, and analysis – am I on the right track? Do conclusions make sense? What data or pertinent records are missing? What are the flaws or misconceptions in evaluating data and sources? What is needed to resolve conflicts or discrepancies? For some it may be “a safe place” where others will listen to their genealogy stories and concerns.

~Judith Hansen, MLS, AG

This article reprinted with permission of the Utah Genealogical Association. To learn more about the Utah Genealogical Association (UGA) or the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy (SLIG), please visit their website at: ugagenealogy.org.

Virtual Genealogy Education lecture links

Here are the links I mention in my "Virtual Genealogy Education" lecture to the Fairfax Genealogical Society.

Webinars

Master Calendar:

            GeneaWebinars (scroll to bottom of the blog to see the calendar)

                        http://blog.geneawebinars.com/

Genealogy Software Companies:

            Legacy Family Tree             

http://www.legacyfamilytree.com/Webinars.asp

            RootsMagic     

                                    http://www.rootsmagic.com/webinars/

Genealogy Societies:

Southern California Genealogy Society – Jamboree Extension Series

http://www.scgsgenealogy.com/JamboreeExtensionSeries2011.htm

            Friends of the National Archives-Southeast Region

                        http://friendsnas.org/webinarSch.htm

            Utah Genealogical Association -- Virtual Chapter Meetings

                        http://www.ugagenealogy.com/cpage.php?pt=11

Commercial Companies:

Ancestry – archived Webinars

                        http://learn.ancestry.com/LearnMore/Webinars.aspx

            FamilyTree University – Webinars for $39.95

http://www.familytreeuniversity.com/webinars/upcoming-live-webinars

Professional Genealogists:

High Definition Genealogy – Thomas MacEntee gives “Explorinars”

http://hidefgen.com/page/2/

            Michael Hait – recorded lectures for download

                        http://haitfamilyresearch.com/lectures.aspx

Online Presentations

FamilySearch Research Courses and Recorded Lectures – over 200 available!

Favorites: “Inferential Genealogy” by Thomas W. Jones, “U.S. Courthouse Research” by Christine Rose, handwriting series, and research principles

                        https://familysearch.org/learn/researchcourses

                New England Historic Genealogical Society – recorded presentations

                                http://americanancestors.org/online-seminars/

Online Tutorials

            Census                                    http://census.byu.edu/

            Scottish Handwriting            http://www.scottishhandwriting.com/

            English Handwriting             http://www.english.cam.ac.uk/ceres/ehoc/

            Immigrant Ancestors Project Script Tutorial         http://script.byu.edu

Study Groups

These types of study groups can be organized to study any genealogy topic like SIGs.

            ProGen Study Group – for professional genealogists       www.progenstudy.org

            NGSQ Study Group – studying articles from the NGS Quarterly

            Writer’s Group – reviewing the writing of group members

Formal Classes and Courses

            National Genealogical Society Online Courses – Seven online courses available

                        http://www.ngsgenealogy.org/cs/online_courses

            FamilyTree University – Online courses and virtual conference

                        http://www.familytreeuniversity.com/courses/view-all-courses

Heritage Genealogical College – Online courses and degree program

            http://genealogycollege.com/

Pharos Tutors (Based in the UK) – Online courses and certificate program

             www.pharostutors.com                  

National Institute for Genealogical Studies – Courses and certificate program

                        www.genealogicalstudies.com

Boston University -- Online Certificate in Genealogical Research or Genealogy

            Essentials Course      http://genealogyonline.bu.edu/

Principles of Effective Genealogy Librarianship

It's time for another installment in our series of blog posts about the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy (SLIG).  Today's guest blogger is Course 7 Coordinator, Drew Smith.

One of the biggest difficulties in being a genealogy librarian is that relevant education is hard to come by. Very few library schools offer a course in genealogical librarianship, and continuing education for genealogy librarians usually consists of a single hour or at best a one-day series of workshops covering a very limited number of topics. But what if you could experience a full five days of classes designed to carry you through the entire spectrum of issues faced by genealogy librarians? Now you can have that opportunity.

You already know the basics of librarianship, and you likely have a grounding in the basics of genealogical research. This course will take you further by addressing twenty different skills and knowledge bases that any modern genealogy librarian will need to develop as part of their profession. While many librarians engage in reference interviews, collection development, library instruction for their patrons, and professional development for themselves, this course will take each of those topics and look at them from the special viewpoint of a genealogy librarian.

We’ll cover in detail the kinds of resources most used by genealogists in the typical library, such as newspapers, published materials, and manuscripts, but we’ll also bring to light the other useful resources found in a typical library but not usually thought of as a part of the genealogy collection. We’ll discuss the new online tools that have become critical only in the 21st century, such as Ancestry Library Edition, HeritageQuest Online, Footnote.com, and social networking services. And we’ll address the importance of the genealogy library in leading the way in digitization projects for local materials.

Genealogy librarians, perhaps more than any other kind of librarian, need to understand how to work with volunteers and local societies, and we’ll learn about the best practices in these areas. What happens when patrons want to donate their own materials? How do you market your library’s genealogy resources and services so that they are used to the fullest? What kinds of ethical and legal issues are you likely to encounter as a genealogy librarian? We’ll address those questions, too. Finally, we’ll explore as a group the hot-topic issues of genealogical librarianship, drawing upon the interests and experiences of the students.

This course will also provide you with the unique opportunity to network with your fellow students, each of whom is very likely to bring to the course a wealth of knowledge and experience that they can share with us all. Of course, there will also be plenty of time during the week to enjoy the resources of the Family History Library. As a genealogy librarian, what more could you ask for?

Thanks, Drew!  If you are a genealogy librarian register for the course or check out more details here.

This article reprinted with permission of the Utah Genealogical Association. To learn more about the Utah Genealogical Association (UGA) or the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy (SLIG), please visit their website at: ugagenealogy.org.

A Tech Savvy Genealogist

I guess I am a tech savvy genealogist. I scored 39 out of 50 on this genealogy and technology meme that I saw posted by Thomas McEntee and originated with Jill Ball of Geniaus.

 

The Tech Savvy Genealogists' Meme

The list should be annotated in the following manner:

• Things you have already done or found: bold face type
• Things you would like to do or find: italicize (color optional)
• Things you haven’t done or found and don’t care to: plain type

Feel free to add extra comments in brackets after each item!

Which of these apply to you?

1. Own an Android or Windows tablet or an iPad
2. Use a tablet or iPad for genealogy related purposes
3. Have used Skype for genealogy purposes
4. Have used a camera to capture images in a library/archives/ancestor's home
5. Use a genealogy software program on your computer to manage your family tree
6. Have a Twitter account
7. Tweet daily
8. Have a genealogy blog
9. Have more then one genealogy blog
10. Have lectured/presented to a genealogy group on a technology topic
11. Currently an active member of Genealogy Wise (Note: I am a member but not active)
12. Have a Facebook Account
13. Have connected with genealogists via Facebook
14. Maintain a genealogy related Facebook Page (ProGen Study Group)
15. Maintain a blog or website for a genealogy society
16. Have submitted text corrections online to Ancestry, Trove or a similar site
17. Have registered a domain name
18. Post regularly to Google+ (I have joined but do not post regularly)
19. Have a blog listed on Geneabloggers
20. Have transcribed/indexed records for FamilySearch or a similar project
21. Own a Flip-Pal or hand-held scanner
22. Can code a webpage in .html
23. Own a smartphone
24. Have a personal subscription to one or more paid genealogy databases
25. Use a digital voice recorder to record genealogy lectures (use one to record family interviews)
26. Have contributed to a genealogy blog carnival
27. Use Chrome as a Web browser
28. Have participated in a genealogy webinar
29. Have taken a DNA test for genealogy purposes
30. Have a personal genealogy website
31. Have found mention of an ancestor in an online newspaper archive
32. Have tweeted during a genealogy lecture
33. Have scanned your hardcopy genealogy files
34. Use an RSS Reader to follow genealogy news and blogs
35. Have uploaded a gedcom file to a site like Geni, MyHeritage or Ancestry
36. Own a netbook
37. Use a computer/tablet/smartphone to take genealogy lecture notes
38. Have a profile on LinkedIn that mentions your genealogy habit
39. Have developed a genealogy software program, app or widget 
40. Have listened to a genealogy podcast online
41. Have downloaded genealogy podcasts for later listening
42. Backup your files to a portable hard drive
43. Have a copy of your genealogy files stored offsite
44. Know about Rootstech (attending in 2012)
45. Have listened to a Blogtalk radio session about genealogy (have been a guest on the show)
46. Use Dropbox, SugarSync or other service to save documents in the cloud 
47. Schedule regular email backups
48. Have contriibuted to the FamilySearch Research Wiki
49. Have scanned and tagged your genealogy photographs
50. Have published a genealogy book in an online/digital format

Midwest U.S. Research at SLIG with Kory Meyerink

Our SLIG guest blogger this week is Kory Meyerink, coordinator for Course 5:  Research in the Midwestern United States.

Researching in the Midwest states is one of the most important areas to learn about when doing U.S. genealogy for several reasons. That’s why the Midwest course has been one of the most popular courses in the history of the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy. In fact, Midwest research is important even if you don’t have research in the eight states included in this course!

That’s a strong statement; can I back it up? Certainly. But first, let’s identify the eight states covered in the 2012 Institute course: Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa and Missouri. Well, what’s so special about those states? That list includes two of the most populous states in the nation (Ohio and Illinois) as well as an ethnic diversity that can’t be found elsewhere in America. More immigrants settled in the Midwest than any other region in the country and, since all Americans are descended from immigrants, the discussion of immigration sources and strategies will pertain to all American research. 

In addition the Midwest (especially Ohio and Missouri) is the gateway to the west. The vast majority of families who settled west of the Mississippi and Missouri rivers came through the Midwest and often lived there for several years. But, beyond that, the record collections and research strategies for Midwestern research pertain to almost all of the “western” states. Consider the following: Land records in the Midwest are all public domain lands, just as they are in the western states. Vital records in the Midwest set a pattern followed by most of the western states. The same is true of newspapers and other published records, including local histories and biographical sources. Their commercial success in the Midwest encouraged their development in the west, and even in the southern and eastern states. 

But, it’s not just about the west. Many of our ancestors lived in large cities all over the country, but the Midwest has the most. Once you’ve learned about research in Chicago, Detroit, St. Louis, Cincinnati, Cleveland, etc., then you’ll be prepared for any other city, from New York to Atlanta to New Orleans. You see, it’s not about specific localities, but rather research principles that pertain to the Midwest that apply elsewhere. Ports of arrival may not be in the Midwest, but we certainly will be discussing passenger lists because of the flood of immigrants to the Midwest. The same principles for research ethnic and religious records in the Midwest pertain to other U.S. research areas. 

Paula Warren’s discussions of research repositories and manuscript collections will open everyone’s eyes and make you think about similar collections elsewhere in America. Yes, it’s true. Midwestern research is a foundation for your successful research in the rest of the U.S. and even elsewhere (consider Canada, Ireland, Germany, England, etc.). It’s also a favorite area for people taking the Accredited Genealogist exams, because so many potential clients have Midwest ancestry. 

So, review the course listing for the Midwest course and sign up. We’ll see you in January!

Visit the  UGA website for more information about how to register for Course 5 (or any of our other offerings at the 2012 Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy).

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This article reprinted with permission of the Utah Genealogical Association. To learn more about the Utah Genealogical Association (UGA) or the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy (SLIG), please visit their website at: ugagenealogy.org.

FGS 2011 Conference Review

I invited Darcie M. Hind Posz, a friend from my APG chapter and the ProGen Study Group, to write a review of the FGS conference as a guest author on my blog. I wish I could have attended the conference, and appreciate her sharing her perspective.

Darcie writes:

It was reported that approximately 2100 people were attending by Saturday.  Five countries and 48 states were represented, including Alaska and Hawaii.  This is a great success for FGS and ISGS whom have been working diligently for over 18 months! Bravo to the FGS President, Co-Chairs, ISGS, FGS Board and all for putting together one of the best conferences I have attended! 

There were so many wonderful lectures that are now accessible to those who could not make it to Illinois: individual lectures can be purchased from Fleetwood On-Site in CD-ROM format or MP3 for $10 - $15, or you can own the whole conference for $379!

One presentation of interest for me was the “Plenary Session: How Will Our Society Survive? Do We Alter, Mutate, Modify, Shift or Switch?” presented by David Rencher.  FGS is 35 years old now but by 2011, 1/3 of the charter societies that belonged to FGS in 1975 are out of business.  I found this statistic startling.  But examples were given of how these societies can become sustainable; one was that, because these societies possess knowledge and the desire to share it, they must look at various formats of sharing, be it FaceBook, websites, or e-newsletters.  Also, these societies should have a board that reflects their members: both distance members and local members could enhance their society. 

A new award, the Genealogy Tourism award, was presented to the first recipient, Curt B. Witcher.  This award recognizes those whom serve “the interest of the genealogical community by their efforts in promoting genealogical tourism.”  The entire presentation can be read at: http://www.fgs.org/rpac/2011/09/09/fgs-announces-genealogical-tourism-award/

The ProGen study group dinner was held at Bennigans on Tuesday evening and most attended the APG Round Table after.  The President of APG reported that UK membership has gone up 24%!  The APG booth at the IAJGS Conference in August was also mentioned.  The night’s lively roundtable discussion was led by Mark Lowe on “Those Difficult Situations. . .how do I come out smelling like a rose.”

I attended An Old Fashioned Prairie Social on Wednesday evening.  The period music was lovely, Lincoln and wife looked a little too real and I enjoyed Geneopardy so much! 

Some of my favorite lectures included:

• Scott Simkins’ Saturday discussion on conservation.  He had mentioned some Japanese preservation techniques that I will be looking into. 
• Paula Stuart-Warren’s Native American discussion had some wonderful methodology. 
• Lisa Alzo’s “Writing a Family History Step by Step,” encouraged me to add 15 minutes a day to write my family history.  Just the push I needed!
• Melinde Lutz Byrne’s mentoring presentation was fantastic and was just the motivation I needed to hunker down and focus on a specific genealogical plan for my future. 
• Tom Jones did a new presentation on correlation: Solid Gold!  If you can get the MP3 for this presentation, do so!
• Linda Geiger’s presentation on Territorial Papers and Kris Rzepczynski’s 1890 gap presentations were great also! 

The level of skill for the presentations (Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced) were on the conference guide, which was helpful in choosing which to attend.  In the future, more advanced options and workshops would be of interest. 

I am sure I am leaving out something, but if you are on Twitter, there should be a timeline for hashtag #FGS2011.  Those official bloggers kept us all up to speed on events!