DearMYRTLE's Genealogy Blog

Ancestry.com: Questions from Ol' Myrt

2012-01-28T12:51:00.001-05:00

DearREADERS,
Like Randy Seaver of Genea-Musings, Ol' Myrt here has been working on questions to ask Ancestry.com during the upcoming RootsTech 2012 conference. I've already sent most of these questions to Ancestry with the hope these topics will be discussed during the Saturday AM panel discussion session with Tim Sullivan. Alternately, I expect to visit the Ancestry.com booth in the exhibit hall at the Salt Palace as many of the department heads should be on hand.

WORKING WITH OTHERS

How about contributing to the GeneaWebinars.com calendar, so that your web events aren't scheduled at the same time as other genealogy webinars?

FOCUS ON EDUCATION

Sometimes a single document doesn't answer the question "Who are the parents?"

What efforts are planned to bridge the gab between "casual visitors" to Ancestry.com and the more "thoughtful researchers" who understand principles of the Genealogical Proof Standard? Inferential genealogy is a buzz-word among genealogists of late, but beginning researchers just assume one document will suffice for proving each generation.
Alternately, is your focus simply to provide scanned images of old records leaving the analysis to others?
Doesn't an Ancestry.com "hit list" imply some analysis, albeit via computer, which may or may not be accurate?
Doesn't the weighted / analyzed "hit list" lead to a responsibility to educate Ancestry.com members about more than the mechanical use of the site?

MEMBERSHIP RETENTION

Historically, what percentage of Ancestry.com membership is retained year over year?
Is that trend improving?
What is being done to encourage renewals and avoid membership cancellations? (I think it would be educating your members.)

ADD A USER EVALUATION OPTION

When the "shaking leaf" suggests looking at trees submitted by other researchers, they are listed in order, higher to lower in relation to the number of attached sources and records.

Would you consider having a "user weighted" evaluation, with both stars and comments option, on Public Member Trees, so that users can rate the research conclusions expressed in those trees? We see this on Amazon.com and eBay about products and services.

USER DEMOGRAPHICS

What percentage of your members are researching US/Canada/England versus other countries of the world?
How does this compare to the localities represented in the Ancestry.com collection?

ANCESTRY'S SMALLER FOOTPRINT AT CONFERENCES,
AND THAT EDUCATION THING...

I've noticed Ancestry has pulled back from participating at regional multi-day seminars (Family History Expos for example) and has decreased it's "footprint" in the exhibit hall at US national conferences. Additionally, Ancestry.com purchased Genlines.com to add to to your Swedish collection, and subsequently released from employment the North American Genline rep who was adept at teaching in regional and national conferences.

How high a priority is educating Ancestry.com members in the use of your records?
Distinguishing "selling membership" from "education about analysis and use of indexes and scanned images", what percent of your annual budget is dedicated to teaching members how to use your records in compiling a family history?
What percent of Ancestry.com's annual budget is spent in transporting and staffing a display at genealogy conferences in the US and internationally?
Do you consider it more cost effective to advertise on radio and television, and to sponsor shows like Who Do You Think You Are? and leave the methodology discussion to others?

FAMILY TREE MAKER SYNC NOT WORKING

The FTM 2012 (win) was released last year, touting the ability to sync both ways with Ancestry member trees. The beta board has been removed documenting the frustrated users who see this as a unreliable option -- working once or not at all.

What is the time frame for getting that sync option to work seamlessly?
Note: Tech support advised me to create a new GEDCOM file to upload to my Ancestry Public Tree. By doing that I lose all the photo, document and collaboration links in my existing tree that I've worked so hard to develop over the past few years.

ANCESTRY TECH SUPPORT

Having toured the facilities in Provo, Utah I am aware that tech support is divided in categories of expertise. Is all tech support handled through that facility?

What percent of tech support staffers are full time employees? Part time?
What plans are in the works as you reach out a global audience of visitors and members who live in different time zones and who speak different languages?

So, DearREADERs, what additional questions would you like me to ask of Ancestry.com?

Happy family tree climbing!

Myrt :)

DearMYRTLE,

Your friend in genealogy.

FamilySearch: Questions from Myrt

2012-01-28T12:19:00.001-05:00

DearREADERS,
Like Randy Seaver on Genea-Musings, Ol' Myrt here has been formulating her questions for FamilySearch. I'll be interviewing several top employees in the video booth during RootsTech 2012 and would like to include some of my DearREADERS questions. Here's what I have so far:

1. On your home page, can you promote "browsing" over "searching" at http://www.familysearch.org/, There are a greater number of images that are not indexed than those indexed. A search for an ancestor by name won't return hits in those unindexed record groups and may lead people to believe you don't have relevant records.

2. Can you distinguish between "hard" source citations, and the link to citations in the FamilySearch Wiki? I simply don't like citations about the source of a record group being determined by those other than the FamilySearch team that pushed the record group through the pipeline. It is true that a link to the wiki is valuable so that users can provide additional information -- like "this set of scanned images is a lot clearer than those located at the " or "The two missing images from this collection are available at ..." There should be a difference between well-crafted citations from FamilySearch and ancillary info provided by end users.

Ancillary "Providing necessary support to the primary activities or operation of an organization, institution, industry, or system."

3. THANK-YOU for adding the "Batch Number" search. In English parish record research, it is imperative to sort for others in the same IGI batch. Why? In a given locality there may be more than one church parish record group. However, typically a batch is for a single church. This is helpful for finding others by a common surname in the region but only in that same church.

What questions would you have Ol' Myrt ask of FamilySearch?

Happy family tree climbing!
Myrt :)
DearMYRTLE,
Your friend in genealogy.

#RootsTeach 2012: Live broadcasts of 14 sessions

2012-01-27T16:19:00.000-05:00

NOTE from DearMYRTLE: Here's the official word from FamilySearch about the availbility of internet streaming of live RootsTech 2012 session. This announcement does not include specific directions for viewing, other than to direct internet viewers to RootsTech.org.

SALT LAKE CITY—RootsTech, a leading family history and technology conference held in Salt Lake City, Utah, February 2-4, 2012, announced today that fourteen of its popular sessions will be broadcasted live and complimentary over the Internet. The live broadcasts will give those unable to attend worldwide a sample of this year’s conference content. Interested viewers can watch the live presentations at RootsTech.org. The second-year conference has attracted over 3,000 registered attendees.

The free online sessions include the keynote speakers and a sampling of technology and family history presentations. Following are the fourteen broadcasted sessions and speakers. All times are in Mountain Standard Time (MST):

Thursday, February 2

8:30-10:00 am, Inventing the Future, as a Community (Keynote Address) by Jay L. Verkler

11:00 am-12:00 pm, Do I Trust the Cloud? by D. Joshua Taylor

1:45-2:45 pm, Effective Database Search Tactics by Kory Meyerink

3:00-4:00 pm, Twitter – It’s Not Just “What I Had for Breakfast” Anymore by Thomas MacEntee

4:15-5:15 pm, Eleven Layers of Online Searches by Barbara Renick

Friday, February 3

8:30-9:30 am, Exabyte Social Clouds and Other Monstrosities (Keynote Address) by Josh Coates

9:45-10:45 am, Publish Your Genealogy Online by Laura G. Prescott

11:00 am-12:00 pm, Optimize Your Site for Search Engines by Robert Gardner

1:45-2:45 pm, Genealogists “Go Mobile” by Sandra Crowly

3:00-4:00 pm, Google’s Toolbar and Genealogy by Dave Barney

Saturday, February 4

8:30-9:30 am, Making the Most of Technology to Further the Family History Industry (Keynote Address) by Tim Sullivan and Ancestry.com Panel

9:45-10:45 am Genealogy Podcasts and Blogs 101 by Lisa Louise Cooke

11:00 am-12:00 pm, Future of FamilySearch Family Tree by Ron Tanner

1:45-2:45 pm, Privacy in a Collaborative Environment by Noah Tatuk

NGS: Voices of Genealogy Video Series

2012-01-27T11:11:00.003-05:00

NOTE from DearMYRTLE: The following was received this morning from the National Genealogical Society. Please address all inquiries to arlenevj@earthlink.net.

The year 2012 marks the 100^th anniversary of publication of the National Genealogical Society Quarterly. To celebrate this anniversary and to honor the history of the Quarterly, NGS Video Productions has created a historical archive of some of the most appreciated genealogists of our time called Voices of Genealogy.

In the coming year, NGS members can look forward to exclusive interviews with leading scholars in the field of genealogy. These are somewhat more extended pieces than those in our earlier Paths to Your Past video series. They are reflective, inspiring, and informative. They describe the history of our discipline in the twentieth century as well as the stories of our subjects. Beautifully filmed and produced by award winning filmmakers Kate Geis and Allen Moore, these video portraits capture for posterity the irreplaceable legacy of genealogists who have greatly impacted scholarship in genealogy.

The first episodes with George Ely Russell, CG, FASG, FNGS, are currently available to all NGS members on the NGS website at http://www.ngsgenealogy.org. George was the editor of the NGSQ from 1971-1976. Interviewed at his home in Maryland by Melinde Lutz Byrne, CG, FASG, current co-editor of the NGSQ, George reflects on the value he finds in genealogical research, how he started as a researcher, his work as editor of the Quarterly, and his activities today.

To view the George Ely Russell video visit http://www.ngsgenealogy.org, select the Members Only tab, log into your account, and click the Videos link in the menu on the left of your screen.

More information about the interviews is available in the January-February-March issue of the NGS Magazine. As always, we welcome your comments on the videos. Please contact the executive producer, Arlene V. Jennings, at arlenevj@earthlink.net.

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

Facebook Timeline facilitated by ShoeBox from 1000memories

2012-01-26T11:27:00.000-05:00

NOTE from DearMYRTLE: This was just received from our friends at 1000memories.com. Please address all inquiries to support@1000memories.com.

ShoeBox App Now Fills Facebook Timeline’s Early Years With Scanned Photos Of The Past

Photo-sharing Platform 1000memories Makes First App To Add The Past To Facebook Timeline

SAN FRANCISCO, January 26, 2011 — Photo-sharing platform 1000memories is today announcing the Facebook Timeline integration of ShoeBox, the iPhone app that allows you to quickly scan and socially share old paper photos, making it the first app that lets people easily fill their Timeline gaps, as well as the Timelines of their family and friends, with pre-Internet photos from the past.

1000memories’ ShoeBox app now allows individuals to instantly scan paper photos directly onto their Facebook Timelines, as well as those of family and friends, filling the gaps with photos and stories from pre-Facebook (and even pre-Internet) times. Additionally, all photos on 1000memories (regardless of whether they were scanned with ShoeBox) can now be pushed to the appropriate dates on Facebook Timeline at any time from 1000memories.com.

“It's easy to forget that Facebook is only 7 years old, which means most of our photos and memories are not online yet. The introduction of Facebook Timeline has made clear the huge gaps in our life stories - most obviously from our birth dates to the invention of Facebook in 2004,” says 1000memories Co-Founder, Rudy Adler. “We built ShoeBox to finally get these photos from our past out of the closet and online where they can be enjoyed by everyone.”

ShoeBox’s scanning technology can auto-detect the edges of a photo and then quickly crop, automatically adjusting for parallax. Users can then add information typically written on the back of old photos - such as dates, names, and locations - before sharing with friends and family. With this update, ShoeBox users can now tag their Facebook friends in photos directly from the ShoeBox app - these tags will automatically transfer when ShoeBox photos are shared to Facebook Timeline. Additionally, you can now find and follow the ShoeBox scans your friends via your Facebook and iPhone contacts, as well as those who are already using ShoeBox and 1000memories.com.

Users can access, edit and organize their ShoeBox photos online at any time on 1000memories.com. All public content is preserved in partnership with the Internet Archive to ensure that photos will be saved for future generations.

Backed by Y-Combinator and Greylock Partners, 1000memories is a past-tense photo-sharing platform with a focus on bringing the albums, scrapbooks, and photo-filled shoeboxes out of the closet and into an online, shareable space where you can always enjoy them. Since its launch, the ShoeBox app by 1000memories has been both featured in the iTunes store and a top-3 free photography app since its October 2011 launch. For more information, visit 1000memories.com/shoebox.

About 1000memories

1000memories is the best way to organize, share and discover the old photos and memories of your family and friends. Founded in 2010 in San Francisco, California, 1000memories helps bring the albums, scrapbooks, and photo-filled shoeboxes of our lives out of the closet and into an online, shareable space where you can always enjoy them. For more information, visit 1000memories.com.

Historical Society of PA and Ancestry.com Partnership

2012-01-26T11:18:00.001-05:00

NOTE from DearMYRTLE: The following was received from Ancestry.com. Please address all inquiries to support@ancestry.com.

Ancestry.com Partners with Historical Society of Pennsylvania to Bring the State’s Rich History Online

Family History Leader Adds Millions of State Birth, Marriage and Death Records to its Pennsylvania Vital Record Collection

PROVO, UTAH – (January 26, 2012) – Ancestry.com, the world’s largest online family history resource, announced today that it has added over seven million records detailing more than 300 years of Pennsylvanians’ life history spanning from 1593-1908 to its already expansive collection of Pennsylvania state records. Presented in partnership with the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, these latest additions cover pivotal years, when the Keystone State was not only growing itself, but contributing to the overall development of the country. This comprehensive collection includes details about the lives of everyday Pennsylvanians as well as those who helped forge the state’s rich historical past, with records for the Hershey family, Benjamin Franklin, John Coltrane and many others.

“Ancestry.com is committed to the continued expansion of our existing collections and increasing the breadth of information for all Americans looking to learn more about their past,” said Josh Hanna, Executive Vice President and General Manager, Ancestry.com. “Pennsylvania was a crucial state during the formation of our country and these records detail the daily lives of its citizenry during these critical years. We look forward to continuing our work with the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, and allowing people to learn more about this state’s rich past.”

Research conducted by Harris Interactive within the United States revealed that four in five Americans have an interest in learning about their family history and three out of four Americans claim that knowing their family history is important to them.Working with the Historical Society of Pennsylvania, Ancestry.com is easing the burden of those with Pennsylvania roots who want to learn more about their family history by bringing records that were traditionally created and maintained locally, online. Research that previously required countless hours of time, finances and travel to make discoveries can now be done with the click of a mouse.

As the foundation of family history research, civil vital records – recordings of births, deaths and marriages – serve as an essential tool for the millions of Americans who are beginning or continuing their family history research. The newest vital record additions, containing information from each county in the state of Pennsylvania, include:

Pennsylvania, Births, Church and Town Records, 1593-1708: The documents in this database contain records from churches, funeral homes, cemeteries, newspapers, historical societies, as well as personal records and other various sources.
Pennsylvania, Naturalizations, 1794-1908: This database contains records created as immigrants applied for U.S. citizenship through Pennsylvania courts. They include petitions for citizenship, certificates of citizenship, court naturalization lists, country of origination and more.

“The Historical Society of Pennsylvania decided to partner with Ancestry.com to make more than seven million of our vital records more accessible to family historians,” said Kim Sajet, president and CEO of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania. “Through this partnership, our records will reach millions of people who are searching for their ancestors. The vital records we have posted to Ancestry.com are just a small portion of the genealogical records here at the Historical Society of Pennsylvania. We welcome anyone interested in family history to visit our library in Center City Philadelphia.”

These new vital record databases are available to current Ancestry.com subscribers and can be found at www.ancestry.com/vitals. As always, Ancestry.com is free of charge for 14 days to all new users.

About Ancestry.com (www.Ancestry.com)

Ancestry.com Inc. (Nasdaq:ACOM) is the world's largest online family history resource, with more than 1.7 million paying subscribers. More than 8 billion records have been added to the site in the past 15 years. Ancestry users have created more than 30 million family trees containing over 3 billion profiles. In addition to its flagship site www.ancestry.com, Ancestry.com offers localized Web sites designed to empower people to discover, preserve and share their family history.

About the Historical Society of Pennsylvania

Founded in 1824 in Philadelphia, the Historical Society of Pennsylvania (HSP) is one of the oldest historical societies in the United States. It is home to some 600,000 printed items and more than 21 million manuscript and graphic items. Its unparalleled collections encompass more than 350 years of America’s history—from its 17th-century origins to the contributions of its most recent immigrants. The Historical Society is one of the largest family history libraries in the nation, has preeminent printed collections on Pennsylvania and regional history, and offers superb manuscript collections renowned for their strength in 17th-, 18th-, and 19th-century history. The Historical Society’s remarkable holdings together with its educational programming make it one of the nation’s most important special collections libraries: a center of historical documentation and study, education, and engagement.

FHL: African American Research Series 11 Feb 2012

2012-01-25T19:50:00.003-05:00

NOTE from DearMYRTLE: The following was received from our friends at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah. Please address all inquiries to FHLClassReg@familysearch.org .

25 January 2012

Free Research Series on African-AmericanResearch

The Family History Library HostsEvents in February.

SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH Genealogistsand family history enthusiasts looking for help with African-American researchwill be interested in African-American classes held at the Family History Libraryin February. A free African-American Research Series will be held on Saturday, February11 at the Family History Library. The classes will include:

9:00 a.m. “Four Key Resources for Research”

10:15 a.m. “Genealogical Proof Standard for SolvingResearch”

11:30 a.m. “Southern Plantation Records”

To view the class schedule online, go to www.familysearch.org. Classes will be held in the Main Floor classroom of the Family HistoryLibrary. The library is located west ofTemple Square on West Temple between North Temple and South Temple Streets indowntown Salt Lake City. On Saturdays, parking is free to library patronsand is located behind the Church History Museum. To register for thesefree classes, send an email to FHLClassReg@familysearch.orgor call 1-801-240-4950.

ABOUT FAMILYSEARCH

FamilySearch International is thelargest genealogy organization in the world. Millions of people useFamilySearch records, resources, and services to learn more about their familyhistory. To help in this great pursuit, FamilySearch has been actively gathering,preserving, and sharing genealogical records worldwide for over 100 years.FamilySearch is a nonprofit organization sponsored by the Church of JesusChrist of Latter-day Saints. Patrons may access FamilySearch services andresources free online at FamilySearch.org or through over 4,600 familyhistory centers in 132 countries, including the renowned Family History Libraryin Salt Lake City.

FHL: Swedish Research Series 25 Feb 2012

2012-01-25T19:48:00.002-05:00

NOTE from DearMYRTLE: Can hardly wait for Mr. Myrt to see this accouncement from our friends at the Family History Library. You may recall he is stuying up on Swedish research, so this is right up his alley. Please address all inquiries to FHLClassReg@familysearch.org.

25 January 2012

Free Research Series on Swedish Research

The Family History Library HostsEvents in February.

SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH Genealogistsand family history enthusiasts looking for help with Swedish research will be interestedin Swedish classes held at the Family History Library in February. A free SwedishResearch Series will be held on Saturday, February 25 at the Family History Library.The classes will include:

9:00 a.m. “Swedish Military Records and Strategies -Army”

10:15 a.m. “Swedish Military Records and Strategies -Navy”

11:30 a.m. “Reconnecting with Living Relatives in Sweden”

ABOUT FAMILYSEARCH

FamilySearch International is thelargest genealogy organization in the world. Millions of people useFamilySearch records, resources, and services to learn more about their familyhistory. To help in this great pursuit, FamilySearch has been activelygathering, preserving, and sharing genealogical records worldwide for over 100years. FamilySearch is a nonprofit organization sponsored by the Church ofJesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Patrons may access FamilySearch services andresources free online at FamilySearch.org or through over 4,600 familyhistory centers in 132 countries, including the renowned Family History Libraryin Salt Lake City.

NARA: 1297 Magna Carta press opportunity

2012-01-25T11:35:00.002-05:00

NOTE from DearMYRTLE: The following was received from our friends at the National Archives (US). Please address inquiries to public.affairs@nara.gov.

Exclusive Press Preview of Newly Re-encased 1297 Magna Carta at the National Archives

WHAT: Special behind-the-scenes press opportunity. Learn about the 1297 Magna Carta conservation and re-encasement project and photograph/videotape Magna Carta in its new state-of-the-art encasement before it returns to public display in the National Archives Rotunda Gallery. This will be the ONLY opportunity to see Magna Carta before it is placed on exhibit in its new display case and to hear about the conservation and encasement process from the experts.

Following the preview in the Conservation Lab, the media will be given a special tour of the new interactive display. Using exciting multi-touch technology and high resolution images, visitors can explore the document in minute detail, learn how it was made, and read an annotated translation of the document (Magna Carta is written in Latin). The interactive display highlights elements that influenced the United States’ founding charters: the Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Constitution, and the Bill of Rights.

WHO: Archivist of the United States David S. Ferriero

Carlyle Group Co-Founder and owner of Magna Carta David M. Rubenstein

National Archives Conservation Lab Deputy Director Kitty Nicholson

National Institute of Standards and Technology Project Engineer Jay Brandenburg

WHEN: Thursday, February 2, 2012, 10 A.M.

Electronic media pre-set begins at 9:45 A.M.

WHERE: Conservation Lab, National Archives Building, Washington, DC

Enter through 700 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, between 7^th and 9^th Streets

PLEASE NOTE THAT THE USE OF ADDITIONAL LIGHTS WILL NOT BE PERMITTED

RSVPs to public.affairs@nara.gov requested

BACKGROUND:

The only original Magna Carta permanently in the United States was taken off display in 2011 to undergo conservation treatment and to be re-encased. National Archives conservators examined and stabilized the parchment before placing it in a new state-of-the-art encasement. This new enclosure, designed and fabricated by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), is based on an original design used to protect the Charters of Freedom, which were re-encased in 2003. The new exhibition will open to the public on February 17, 2012.

Only four originals of the 1297 Magna Carta remain. By the 17th century, the one displayed at the National Archives was in the possession of the Brudenell family, the earls of Cardigan. It was acquired by the Perot Foundation in 1984 and purchased by David M. Rubenstein in 2007. Mr. Rubenstein loaned Magna Carta to the National Archives as a gift to the American people.

In 1215 on the plains of Runnymede an assembly of barons confronted the despotic King John of England and demanded that traditional rights be recognized, written down, confirmed with the royal seal, and sent to each of the counties to be read to all freemen. King John agreed, binding himself and his heirs to grant "to all freemen of our kingdom" the rights and liberties described in the great charter, or Magna Carta.

Between 1215 and 1297, Magna Carta was reissued by each of King John’s successors. To meet his debts from foreign wars, King Edward I imposed new and harsher taxes in 1297. This provoked another confrontation between the king and the barons, resulting not only in the reissue of Magna Carta, but for the first time its entry into the official Statute Rolls of England. The 1297 document represents the transition of Magna Carta from a brokered agreement to the foundation of English law.

BRIGHTSOLID: A Main Partner of RootsTech 2012

2012-01-24T19:08:00.000-05:00

CEO Chris van der Kuyl will be announcing the launch of a new product into the US market

brightsolid, a leading online provider of historical and genealogical content, today announces that it will be sponsoring RootsTech, the major family history and technology conference, taking place in Salt Lake City, Utah from 2-4 February 2012.

With over 3,000 attendees in 2011, when brightsolid first sponsored the event, Rootstech again promises to be the genealogy and technology event of the year. It will assemble everyone from family historians and product developers to content providers and users in a unique forum of innovation, learning and networking.

“We are proud to be a main partner of such an important event”, says Chris van der Kuyl, brightsolid CEO, who will himself be speaking at RootsTech, as part of a 19-strong team there representing brightsolid.

brightsolid has been at the forefront of technological innovations in family history for over three decades. It hosts over a billion genealogical records across its family of brands and was this month voted Best Genealogy Organisation in the online Gene Awards.

As well as sponsoring the conference itself, brightsolid will also be using RootsTech to announce the launch of a new product into the US market and sponsoring key elements within the conference.

Van der Kuyl will address a brightsolid-sponsored lunch on Thursday, 2 February with a talk on, “Why Everyone Deserves Their Own Episode of ‘Who Do You Think You Are?’ and How brightsolid Will Help You Get There.”

RootsTech overall will include no less than 11 different talks by members of the brightsolid team, who will also join a range of discussions and workshops between leading family history content developers and users.

brightsolid will also have a large stand at RootsTech, showcasing not just brightsolid’s global network of findmypast sites (including http://www.findmypast.co.uk/; http://www.findmypast.ie/ and http://www.findmypast.com.au/) but also the Scottish Government site, ScotlandsPeople (http://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/) and the British Newspaper Archive (http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/). The latter is a unique treasure trove for the family historian, containing millions of pages from the British Library’s newspaper collection, featuring more than 200 newspaper titles from every part of the UK and Ireland published in the 18th and 19th centuries.

RootsTech will assemble all these resources in one place for the first time. The brightsolid stand there will also boast a presentation area for 15 to 20 people, where visitors will be able to see demonstrations of brightsolid sites and meet production developers. “If English is your mother tongue, the brightsolid stand will be where you’ll find your roots”, says van der Kuyl.

brightsolid is also sponsoring Exercise Your Funny Bone, an evening of comedy on Thursday 2 February, presented by comic Ryan Hamilton, recently named by Rolling Stone as one of Five Comics To Watch.

• About RootsTech 2012

RootsTech 2012 will be held in the Salt Palace Convention Center of Salt Lake City, Utah, from 2-4 February, 2012. It will be a gathering of technology users and technology creators who will be working together to find solutions to difficult family history and genealogy problems. http://rootstech.org/about

• About brightsolid

Since 1994, brightsolid group has been delivering online innovation and pioneering the expansion of the genealogy market with leading family history

websites including the global network of findmypast sites, plus ScotlandsPeople, GenesReunited, and britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk, together servicing over 18 million registered customers worldwide.

The sites connect people via their innovative family tree software and deliver access to over a billion records dating as far back as 1200. Family historians can search for their ancestors among global collections, relating primarily to people with UK and Irish ancestry, of military records, census, migration, occupation directories, newspapers, as well as birth, marriage and death records.

• About brightsolid and the 1940 U.S. Census
On 2 April 2012, digital images of the 1940 United States Federal Census will be made available by the National Archives and Records Administration for the first time.

brightsolid is proud to be part of the 1940 US Census Community Project, a joint initiative with Archives.com, FamilySearch and other leading genealogy organisations, which aims to make the census searchable as quickly as possible after its release. The completion of the project will allow anyone to search for their ancestors in the 1940 census for free online. Learn about this exciting new project at

RootsTech 2012 App Info

2012-01-24T19:01:00.003-05:00

DearREADERS,
Tweets and Facebook postings have alerted RootsTech attendees to the availbility of a free and very essential RootsTech2012 app for iPad, iPhone and Android.

RootsTech mobile app is available in the Apple App Store
RootsTech mobile app for Android

I've downloaded it to both my iPhone and my iPad 1, and have worked on "staring" those events on the schedule that interest me. It does permit multiple items per hour to be "star"ed. Once you have done this, the items appear on "My Schedule" within the app. I have also been able to manually add non-scheduled events like meet-ups with friends. The list on the iPhone app RootsTech '12 "Dashboard" includes:

My Schedule
Maps
Events (the official schedule)
Speakers
Conference Documents
Photo Gallery
Videos
Twitter
Friends (be sure to make your own profile there)
News

I haven't checked the "syncing" between two devices so I am not sure if it works to make entries on one device that show up later on my other device.

If you are coming to Salt Lake for RootsTech 2012, then get this app!

Happy family tree climbing!
Myrt :)
DearMYRTLE,
Your friend in genealogy.

WEBINAR Muskogee County GenSoc 23 Feb 2012

2012-01-23T07:30:00.000-05:00

DearREADERS,
Those in the Muskogee, Oklahoma area are invited to attend the Muskogee County Genealogical Society's monthly meeting where I am honored to appear "virtually" as the evening's presenter.

DearMYRTLE's 7 Habits of Highly Effective Genealogists - This is a fun presentation designed to encourage participants to commit to improving their research and organization skills. Now if I would just follow my own advice!

DATE: Thursday, 23 February 2012
TIME: 6pm Central US
PLACE: Grant Foreman Room, Muskogee Public Library

801 W Okmulgee Ave, Muskogee, OK 74401

This scheduled webinar is available exclusively to those in the meeting room at the Muskogee Public Library.

ABOUT THE SOCIETY
The Muskogee County Genealogical Society was established in 1983 to provide education and support to those interested in family history research. The society contributes to the Local History and Genealogy collection at the Muskogee Public Library and other genealogy and history related projects and is a member of the Federation of Genealogical Societies. See: http://www.okgenweb.org/~mcgs

See also Muskogee Public Library - Genealogy.

Happy family tree climbing!
Myrt :)
DearMYRTLE,
Your friend in genealogy.

Attending SLIG this week

2012-01-22T13:58:00.002-05:00

DearREADERS,

The distinction between a genealogy "institute" and say an annual "conference" is the opportunity to learn from experts through intensive week-long studies on a specific topic. Mr. Myrt and I are attending the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy (SLIG) sponsored by the Utah Genealogical Association with registration beginning tonight, and course tracks running through Friday. Gordon's focus will be the Swedish Research track, and I'll be taking Advanced Research Tools: Land Records. Sessions are typically held at the Downtown Raddisson in Salt Lake City, Utah. Because of the proximity to the Family History Library, some sessions are held there under the direction of the instructors.

In addition to our daytime SLIG courses, available only to registered participants, we will attend several of the evening sessions which are also open to the general public. Often SLIG attendees have so much homework, they are unable to attend the evening sessions, so don't discount the opportunity to take advantage of evening classes thinking the evening sessions would be too crowded.

EVENING CLASS SCHEDULE
23-26 Jan 2012

MONDAY

7pm - PLENARY SESSION: The Genealogical Proof Standard: What It Is and What It Is Not with Thomas W. Jones, Ph.D., CG, CGL Learn why genealogists need a proof standard, how to apply it to their own research, and how to use it to evaluate others’ genealogical work. Simple and complex examples will demystify the standard’s elements. This presentation provides a balance of review of the GPS for experienced researchers and new ways to look at how to use and apply it.
8:15pm - Beyond Keyword Searching: Finding Materials in Online Library Catalogs with D. Joshua Taylor, MA, MLS
8:15pm - Virtual Genealogy Education with Angela McGhie

TUESDAY

7pm - Printed, Online, and Onsite: Fantastic Resources for Colonial New England Research with D. Joshua Taylor, MA, MLS
7pm - Family Narrative Part 1: Assembling and Writing a Narrative Family History with John Philip Colletta, Ph.D., FUGA
8:15pm - Accessing Records of the National Archives with Angela McGhie
8:15pm - Family Narrative Part 2: Turning Biographical Facts into Real-Life Events: How to Build Historical Context with John Philip Colletta, Ph.D., FUGA

WEDNESDAY

7pm - Land on the Frontier--Hidden Treasures in Federal Land Case Files with F. Warren Bittner, CG
7pm - US Consular Records with Claire Mire Bettag, CG, CGL
8:15pm - Mapping Your Success: Employing Maps in Your Research with D. Joshua Taylor, MA, MLS
8:15pm - Understanding and Researching Illegitimacy: A Case Study with F. Warren Bittner, CG

THURSDAY

7pm - The Snares and Pitfalls of Writing Narrative Family History with John Philip Colletta, Ph.D., FUGA
7pm - Write as You Go! with Elissa Scalise Powell, CG, CGL
8:15pm - Beyond the Pension Application with Craig R. Scott, CG
8:15pm - Twenty Years of Stuff -- Now What? with Elissa Scalise Powell, CG, CGL

FOR FURTHER READING

SLIG FAQ - http://infouga.org/cpage.php?pt=42

FUTURE SLIG lineup - http://infouga.org/cpage.php?pt=43

When you get to SLIG, be sure to say hello to my daughter Carrie who is the administrative assistant for the Utah Genealogical Association. She is my best hope that genealogy research will continue beyond my generation.

Happy family tree climbing!

Myrt :)

DearMYRTLE,

Your friend in genealogy.

New Kid on the Blog: Barry Ewell

2012-01-19T12:26:00.001-05:00

NOTE from DearMYRTLE: The following was received earlier this week from our friend Barry. A number of people have wondered about MyGenShare.com, a new place for Barry to share his genealogy and technology expertise. He is active in Utah genealogy circles including his work as an Utah Genealogical Association Board Member. Ol' Myrt here recommends his work to my DearREADERS. Find out more about Barry reading his short bio located on his blog. Please address all inquiries to barry@mygenshare.com

16 Jan 2012

Barry J. Ewell, founder of MyGenShare.com and nationally known writer, presenter, researcher and mentor of genealogists launches a daily blog. The content will include articles, podcasts, slideshows, and videos. Barry's Blog on Genealogy will help new and experienced genealogists to:

Find, access, and explore genealogical resources quickly
Develop, expand, and sharpen your genealogy research skills
Discover clues to trace and explore your family ties
Quickly identify which record collections to search first
Resolve genealogical brick walls
Learn to find and use specific country, state, and county records

Come join Barry at Barry's Blog on Genealogy.

2013 FGS National Conference Request for lecture Proposals

2012-01-19T12:12:00.004-05:00

NOTE from DearMYRTLE: Our friends at the Federation of Genealogical Societies just released this announcement.

Deadline for Submissions is May 15, 2012

January 19, 2012 – Austin, TX. The Federation of Genealogical Societies (FGS) announces a Request for Lecture Proposals for the FGS 2013 Conference, “Journey Through Generations,” to be held August 21 – 24, 2013, in Fort Wayne, Indiana. The conference will be held in conjunction with the Allen County Genealogical Society of Indiana and the Allen County Public Library as local hosts. Outstanding nearby research facilities and attractions will enhance the conference experience. The deadline for submission of lecture proposals is Tuesday, May 15, 2012.

The 2013 FGS Conference theme, Journey Through Generations, has dual meaning. It symbolizes the literal journey our ancestors took through America's heartland, on rivers, railroads, Indian trails, wagon roads, canals and the Underground Railroad. The theme also infers the virtual journey that genealogists take through bygone times and distant places as they explore the lives of their ancestors generation by generation.

Topics relating to the Midwest, migration patterns, technology, regional repositories, and religious and ethnic groups are encouraged. Wednesday, 21 August 2013, is an all-day "Focus on Societies" program for genealogical society officers, board members, volunteers, and other interested parties.

The program committee specifically seeks new and dynamic proposals that will provide exceptional and unique educational experiences for conference attendees. Proposals for workshops and sponsored talks are also encouraged.

Categories for submissions include:

· Focus on Society Management

· Methodologies and Strategies

· Transportation (e.g. canals, Great Lakes, railroads)

· Midwestern Records (e.g. land records, early forts and settlements)

· Military Records

· Repositories

· Record Types

· Technology

· Religious Groups (e.g. Quakers, Amish, United Brethren)

· Ethnic Groups (e.g. German, African American, Native American, Polish, Irish)

· Genetics and DNA

· Migration/Immigration

Speakers are strongly encouraged to submit multiple proposals (more than four), as most speakers will be invited to present a minimum of three lectures at the conference. There is no limit to the number of proposals a speaker may submit.

Submission Requirements

Send proposals in PDF, Microsoft Word, or RTF format. File names should include your last name, first initial, and proposal topic. (Example: SmithR - TechStrategies). Each proposal should include:

· Speaker(s) name.

· Speaker(s) contact information, including mailing address, phone, email, fax, and website, if applicable.

· Prior speaking experience. Speakers who have not spoken at a national conference are encouraged to submit a video, audiotape, or CD recording of a recent lecture by mail.

· Speaker(s) biography.

· Speaker(s) brief brochure biography (50 word maximum).

· Lecture title (not to exceed 10 words).

· Lecture brochure description (40 word maximum).

· Lecture outline/summary.

· Lecture audio-visual requirements. FGS does NOT provide projectors, computers, or internet access for speakers.

· Intended audience level: beginner, intermediate, advanced, any level.

Send proposals, as an email attachment, with “FGS 2013 Lecture Proposals” in the subject line, to program2013@fgs.org no later than May 15, 2012. If submitting lecture recordings by mail, please email program2013@fgs.org for the appropriate postal address.

Compensation

Selected speakers receive an honorarium, travel compensation, and conference registration as well as per diem and hotel nights based on the number of lectures presented. (Sponsored speakers only receive conference registration and syllabus materials. See more about sponsorships below.) Non-sponsored speakers receive compensation according to the FGS Conference Speaker Policy at www.fgs.org/conferences/speakerpolicy.php.

Sponsored Lectures

Societies and businesses are encouraged to submit proposals for sponsored talks. The sponsoring organization will cover its speaker's costs to present the lecture. Sponsored speakers will abide by all speaker deadlines and syllabus requirements. Sponsored speakers will receive complimentary FGS conference registration and electronic syllabus materials.

Additional Information

Camera-ready handouts are required for each lecture or workshop presentation and will be compiled in a syllabus distributed to conference participants. The deadline for submissions of syllabus materials is April 15, 2013.

Invitations to speak will be issued in October 2012. Syllabus format guidelines will be sent to speakers at that time. The deadline for acceptance and submission of signed speaker contracts is November 1, 2012.

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 pertaining to society management and genealogical news), 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.

Webinar: RootsTech2012 Review with DearMYRTLE

2012-01-17T18:10:00.002-05:00

DearREADERS,

Ol' Myrt here will host two DearMYRTLE RootsTech 2012 Review workshop webinars following the big conference in Salt Lake City, Utah. Join Myrt and share thoughts about technology trends in the genealogy community. My contributions to the discussion will develop as I attend the conference, review webcasts and attend unconferencing sessions. There's no telling what news will come out of RootsTech this year.

REGISTRATION INFO

DATE: Monday, 6 February 2012

AM SESSION: 9am Pacific US Time - click to register for this session here.PM SESSION: 7pm Paficic US Time - click to register for this session here.

If you need a time zone converter, there is a great one located here: http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/converter.html

After registering you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the Webinar.

System Requirements
PC-based attendees
Required: Windows® 7, Vista, XP or 2003 Server

Macintosh®-based attendees
Required: Mac OS® X 10.5 or newer

Happy family tree climbing!

Myrt :)

DearMYRTLE,

Your friend in genealogy.

Google Reader UPDATE with DearMYRTLE Evening Session

2012-01-17T17:45:00.000-05:00

DearREADERS,

Its about time you used GOOGLE READER to pull in posts from your favorite genealogy bloggers. Since our last webinar on this topic, the good folks at Google changed their interface. This "workshop" webinar will demo in real time how to set up Google Reader with five basic blog feeds and create folders among other options of this free service.

You've been meaning to get your blog reading better organized, so SIGN UP NOW

Space is limited.
REGISTER by visiting
https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/961142449

Title:	Google Reader UPDATE with DearMYRTLE
Date:	Monday, January 30, 2012
Time:	7:00 PM - 8:30 PM Pacific US

Time Zone Converter: http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/converter.html

After registering you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the Webinar.

System Requirements
PC-based attendees
Required: Windows® 7, Vista, XP or 2003 Server

Macintosh®-based attendees
Required: Mac OS® X 10.5 or newer

Happy family tree climbing!
Myrt :)
DearMYRTLE,
Your friend in genealogy.

DM supports SOPA and PIPA protest

2012-01-17T16:44:00.000-05:00

DearREADERS,

Why US congressmen and senators think they can and should control the Internet is beyond me.

Freedom of speech is one of our basic benefits of life in the US.

For Congress to consider internet censorship is a clear abuse of power.

You may have heard that WikiPedia and other web entities are blacking out for 24 hours tomorrow to protest SOPA (Congress' proposal) and PIPA (the Senate's proposal).

My visit to Wikipedia.com brought the following to view (above), with the official word from Sue Gardner, Executive Director, Wikimedia Foundation:

"Today, the Wikipedia community announced its decision to black out the English-language Wikipedia for 24 hours, worldwide, beginning at 05:00 UTC on Wednesday, January 18 (you can read the statement from the Wikimedia Foundation here). The blackout is a protest against proposed legislation in the United States — the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) in the U.S. House of Representatives, and the PROTECT IP Act (PIPA) in the U.S. Senate — that, if passed, would seriously damage the free and open Internet, including Wikipedia.

This will be the first time the English Wikipedia has ever staged a public protest of this nature, and it’s a decision that wasn’t lightly made." Source: English Wikipedia anti-SOPA blackout posted 16 Jan 2012.

Sue recommends a "very good list of reasons to oppose SOPA and PIPA here, from the Electronic Frontier Foundation."

WHAT DOES OL' MYRT THINK?

While I oppose online piracy and spend 8-24 hours a month dealing with sploggers (other blogs that steal my blog posts and claim them as their own), I do not support the SOPA or PIPA bills because they give government broad powers and interfere with freedom of speech.

DearMYRTLE will go dark effective midnight tonight for 24 hours sending a clear message that I oppose the SOPA and PIPA bills. I've also written emails to my senators and congressman.

GeneaWebinars and Genea-Quilters were established by me, but involve other authors, so those sites will not go dark, but will have a clear STOP SOPA banner posted.

From the venerable Forbes website we read:

"Yesterday Forbes blogger Paul Tassi urged Google and Facebook and other opponents of SOPA to bring their servers down in opposition to the SOPA. I agreed – a blackout of major search engines and social media sites would get a big point across and at the very least force the conversation over SOPA/PIPA.

Today, Paul is admitting that this scenario is very unlikely, and urging SOPA opponents to take matters into their own hands." Source: Can Facebook Users Stop SOPA Without A Blackout? posted 12 Jan 2012.

Yesterday, Andrew Couts of Digital Trends posted:

"A vote on the controversial Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) has been delayed indefinitely, but the fight against Internet censorship continues: Reddit.com will go forward with its site-wide blackout on Wednesday, January 18, to protest the Senate’s Protect IP Act (PIPA), Digital Trends has confirmed. (PIPA), Digital Trends has confirmed. PIPA, a similar bill to SOPA, is scheduled to go up for a vote before the Senate on January 24." Source: SOPA 'shelved indefnitely, but blackout is still on, as PIPA fight continues posted 16 Jan 2012.

Google and Facebook Weigh in as Mashable reported 8 hours ago:

"A public letter to Congress, signed by tech heavyweights such as Google and Facebook, called the bill dangerous to American innovation and cybersecurity, but also acknowledged that digital piracy is a real problem. The White House has also joined in with the anti-SOPA crowd in a blog post." Source: Where Do SOPA & PIPA Stand Now? posted 17 January 2012.

WHAT CAN YOU DO?
Bloggers can post anti-SOPA banners on their blogs:

Bloggers using Blogger - Blogger Blackout Template
Bloggers using WordPress, see WordPress › Stop SOPA Ribbon « WordPress Plugins

Twitter users

Twitter - Tweet about the #SOPASTRIKE and ask your followers to get ready.
Go to Blackout SOPA to add ‘STOP SOPA’ to your Twitter image. That's how I got the Stop SOPA image at the right.
Though Twitter isn't planning to black out like WikiPedia, you can register your complaint by simply NOT tweeting from 12:01am through midnight your time Jan 18th. A marked downturn in activity will be noted and reported on internet and TV/radio broadcast news.

Facebook users

Go to Blackout SOPA to add ‘STOP SOPA’ to your Facebook profile picture.
Stay off FB on the 18th

Google+ Users

Go to Blackout SOPA to add ‘STOP SOPA’ to your G+ profile picture.
Stay off G+ on the 18th

Everyone

Email - Likewise a sharp decline in email volume internationally signals support for the anti-SOPA/PIPA camp.
Visit the Electronic Frontier Foundations site, as recommended by WikiPedia's executive director. That site has a method for typing in your zip code to receive an return of your congressman and senators' contact info. Please take action now and tell your Congressional representatives you oppose these bills.
If you are not a US resident, the Stop American Censorship website has a form to petition the US State Department. Find this here: http://americancensorship.org about 1/4 of the way down the page, you'll see the option "Not in the us? Petition the state department - The US state department constantly speaks out against internet censorship in other countries. Pressure them to speak out against America’s new domestic censorship system."

Happy family tree climbing!

Myrt :)

DearMYRTLE,

Your friend in genealogy.

Leclerk joins Mocavo as Chief Genealogist

2012-01-16T20:01:00.000-05:00

DearREADERS,
Facebook is a-buzz with congrats for our friend Michael Leclerc.

"Michael has officially joined Mocavo as Chief Genealogist and will be working with us to help bring you the richest experience that the genealogical world has to offer. We’re ecstatic to be working with such an industry guru, and our entire team is very excited with what Mocavo will bring to the field of genealogy in 2012." Source: Mocavo Company Blog 1/16/2012.

Macavo is an online tool where you can sign up for a free account and use a simple search interface to search a variety of genealogy websites for an ancestor by name. One may opt for a premium account that permits wild card searches, first name alternatives, intelligent date searching, US GeoSearching, and exclusions to the search equation.

To more effectively use the site, Mocavo suggests:

"Upload your Family Tree to Mocavo and take part in the future of genealogy research. Mocavo will send out fully-automated search results to your email and will make new connections from all over the web! Also, each Family Tree will be rolled in to our search index to help out the community like never before."

Mocavo's home page also boasts this quote from Dick Eastman:

"All my future genealogy searches will start on Mocavo.com. I've been using the site for a while during its testing and have been very impressed. I suspect you will always have better luck searching for your own surnames of interest on Mocavo.com than on any other search engine."

Congrats to both Mocavo and Michael. Ol' Myrt here thinks this is a win-win that will benefit the genealogy community at large, and my research personally. Mocavo knows how to design a search engine that works, and Michael understands how researchers think when tackling a genealogical brick wall.

Happy family tree climbing!
Myrt :)
DearMYRTLE,
Your friend in genealogy.

Will Pinterest replace blogs?

2012-01-16T19:37:00.004-05:00

DearREADERS,

From the "believe it or not" department, last week I heard the mid-day talk show hosts on KLS radio (Salt Lake) suggest the possibility that Pinterest will replace blogs. Clearly this stance demonstrates a decided lack of understanding when comparing the two free web tools.

Pinterest is used to 'pin an interesting" visual reminder of a web page to one of your personal online bulletin board for ease in finding that interesting page later. It's a graphic 'bookmark' option, decidedly more interesting than a mere list of sites in text format as we find in typical web browser bookmarks.

By contrast, a blog is a method of 'getting the word out' via the internet about your topic of interest, in my case, it's genealogy.

The KSL talk show hosts are completely missing the point that Pinterest cannot replace blogs, UNLESS there is never to be new content added.

One may adds add previously-created content to his Pinterest board, but you cannot create new things to pin to the board using Pinterest without first publishing a web page, blogging, adding clips to our YouTube channel, etc. - each requiring the use of tools other than Pinterest.

By going back to your Pinterest page, you can revisit a web site when you are ready to use the information it contained. For instance, in anticipation of my daughter's baby shower last August, my daughters and I "pinned" all sorts of things to our Pinterest baby board. You can view it here: http://pinterest.com/warnickfam/baby

This Pinterest board was actually created by my daughter Stacey, but she "shared" it by inviting Carrie, Tam and me to the board. Among the things pinned to the board is this cool owl cookie graphic:

At "a" there is a row of buttons to permit one to repin, like and comment.

At "b" we see the abbreviated URL of the original picture, hopefully with more details.

At "c" one may read a comment I posted.

At "d" one may add an additional comment if he is logged in to Pinterest.

If you click on the owl picture on Stacey's Pinterest board above, you are eventually taken to the original post titled How to Make Decorated Owl Cookies by Sweetopia.com. It was from this recipe that Ol' Myrt here made these owl cookies as "take homes" for the baby shower attendees.

Ol' Myrt here almost went cross-eyed making those tiny little green "V" marks, but it sure was fun.

FOR FURTHER READING

Pinterest provides a graphical reminder of websites one wishes to revist. Blogging shall continue to be an easy way to publish one's thoughts on the web.

Happy family tree climbing!

Myrt :)

DearMYRTLE,

Your friend in genealogy.

Quebec Family History Society launches new website

2012-01-16T16:01:00.003-05:00

MONTREAL, January 15, 2012 — The Quebec Family History Society (QFHS) is proud to announce the launch of its new website at www.qfhs.ca. Located at the same address as the genealogical society’s original site, the website features several new sections, such as Gary’s Genealogical Picks, research tips, surname interests, and a bulletin board.

QFHS members researching their ancestors in Quebec will benefit from the new Jacques Gagné Church Compilations in the members’ section. Long-time member Jacques Gagné has compiled historical information and the location of records for more than 1,000 English and French Protestant churches across the province, from 1759 to 1899.

ABOUT QFHS

The Quebec Family History Society is the largest English-language genealogical society in Quebec, Canada. Founded in 1977, it is a registered Canadian charity that helps people of all backgrounds research their family history. Its members, in addition to researching their Quebec roots, research historical records in all Canadian provinces and territories, the United States, the British Isles, and Western Europe. At the QFHS Heritage Centre and Library, members have free access to a collection of 6,000 books, manuscripts, and family histories, plus thousands of microfilms, microfiche, historical maps, and periodicals, and access to billions of online genealogical records, including the world deluxe edition of Ancestry.ca.

The Quebec Family History Society / La Société de l’histoire des familles du Québec

www.qfhs.ca

qfhs@bellnet.ca

514-695-1502

Susan Gingras Calcagni

Director of Public Relations

The Quebec Family History Society is a federally registered non-profitable charitable organization

What I learned from listening to GeneaBloggers radio last night

2012-01-14T14:16:00.001-05:00

DearREADERS,

Friday nights here in the US find genealogists tuning in to a wacky, fun, informative internet radio show broadcasting live. Those who miss a GeneaBloggers episode may download the recorded version, just search for it at iTunes.

Ol' Myrt here prefers to listen live and interact with others in the chat room that opens during each broadcast. The only catch is that host Thomas MacEntee broadcasts at 8pm Central US, and you'll need to calculate the time zone difference for where you live. I noticed Audrey Collins tuned in again this week from her home in greater London. Because the show is on the internet, anyone with an internet connection can tune in.

Last night's broadcast Information Overload: Finding the Genealogy Data You Need was episode #50 and this coming week's broadcast will mark the 1 year anniversary of the show. By contrast television shows typically run 8-12 weeks for a "season" and then everyone goes on hiatus. Ever supportive of diverse elements in our genealogy community, our intrepid reporter/host Thomas has effectively brought together some of genealogy's brightest innovators and best speakers to talk about our favorite topic - family history. The result is an impressive library of archived shows designed to get listeners up to speed about surviving record groups and research methodologies eschewing a hint of "presentism" in this digital age.

Thinking back over last night's show, the following points come to mind.

Co-host Sharon Sergeant, noted genealogist who specializes in investigative genealogy and research, was an effective counterpoint to Thomas during the opening segment. Last week the co-hosting was handled by the equally capable Lisa Alzo. It will be interesting to see if Thomas settles on a permanent co-host or continues to mix it up well by choosing a different 2nd chair each week or so.
Guest Dan Lynch, author of Google Your Family Tree focused on setting Google Alerts. While I've used them for years, it didn't dawn on me to set an alert for the locality and church in the language of the country in question rather than just the English equivalent.
Thomas spotlighted Harold Henderson's Climbing The Spiral Staircase: Learning Genealogy, where he suggests four ideals as we develop our research expertise and summarizes his thoughtful tome with "Genealogy learning does differ from an actual spiral staircase in one interesting way: I see no reason to think that it has a top."
Drew Smith of The Genealogy Guys Podcast and an active member of the American Library Association talked about underutilized library resources including vertical files and items not found in the genealogy section of a library. Drew's ideas always get me thinking. When he mentioned resources peculiar to his local public library in Tampa, I realized we each ought to blog about unusual resources at our local libraries, to get the word out to other researchers. An even better idea would be to make a notation of the appropriate FamilySearch Research Wiki page for the locality. We get by with a little help from our friends.
Thomas spotlighted two website to assist with marking changes on websites, cautioning that items behind the membership wall won't show up. I think watching an "announcement" page may be an effective turn around.

Wouldn't you agree that listening to last night's show was time well spent?

NOTE: My readers will recall several times this past year it has been my honor to sit in and play host while Thomas traveled to genealogy conferences to speak. GeneaBloggers radio show is just plain fun!

Happy family tree climbing!
Myrt :)
DearMYRTLE,
Your friend in genealogy.

Finding a Record Copy II or The Quick Brown Fox

2012-01-11T18:33:00.000-05:00

DearREADERS,
Earlier this week, Ol' Myrt here responded to a query from Jackie Riggs in Finding a Record Copy or a FamilySearch folly. Here I described the long, slow process of finding the Family History Library's secret code for the parish of Carluke in Lanark, Scotland to locate Jackie's ancestor's November 1864 marriage record.

My Facebook friend Roger Moffat reported "I was able to find the record on ScotlandsPeople.gov.uk in probably less time than it took to read the article. I didn't view it, but could have for £1.20 (about $US1.85) - 20p to see the single search result and £1 to view the image."

I had stated that ScotlandsPeople.gov.uk was the quick answer, but the goal of that blog post was to deal with the problem FamilySearch is creating for researchers by mislabeling their source information. At the very least their page should point people to the alternative ScotlandsPeople.

Today I'll demonstrate how to access the same Scotland marriage record at ScotlandsPeople.

1. Go to www.ScotlandsPeople.gov.uk

2. Log in at "A". This area is also where you buy credits to spend on viewing indexed entries and actual documents as Roger mentioned above. You may do an all-inclusive search at point "C" on the main screen.

3. I chose to click "Marriages" at "B" above to find the following search criteria screen.

I typed the "Surname" and "forename" of the male, and the "surname" of the female and the year range 1864-1864 in the search form at box "A" above. If I had additional questions about statutory marriages in Scotland, I could have clicked for search help at box "B" above. When I clicked to invoke the search, my results were posted above the search form at box "C" above. Notice I was quick and didn't specify the county or district, nor the female's "forename". If I had received too many hits I could modify my original search to narrow down the number of hits.

4. To view the "First page of matches" would require "1 credit" as shown below. However, I had none, so I clicked in the upper right portion of the ScotlandsPeople website to purchase credits.

5. I was able to quickly work through the screens to purchase 30 credits for £7 using my VISA card. Currency exchanges are handled by the credit card company.

6. I next clicked "view" in the screen above and was taken to the indexed entry list below, where indeed, we find the indexed entry for the couple in question.

To view the item for 5 credits, I clicked the grey box in the "image" column above, verified I was willing to spend "5 credits" and was taken to the following screen which was provided via Flash to my web browser.

7. Notice that across the top "menu bar" there is the option to save the view as a .tiff file of about 71.9 KB. One trick: You are prompted to type .tiff after the name you specify for the file -- a bit archaic, but easy to accomplish. One may also print, zoom and rotate the image, view the previous page and next page (the latter two options for a fee).

At point "A" above we are cautioned that "this is a copy of the official record for personal use only. It is not legally admissible."

As to the two dates at "B" (actual marriage date) and "C" (General Register Office recording date) above, Myrt's official "London correspondent", National Archives (UK) genealogy guru Audrey Collinscomments:"I've had a look at the marriage on Scotland's People, and in their defence, FamilySearch actually has the right date, 9 November, for the marriage. This is because in Scotland the marriage and the the official registration are two separate events, and the registration is often a day or two later than the wedding (too busy partying to go straight to the Registry Office, I expect). The marriage date is in the first column, and here it is written in words, not numbers, for some reason, while the registration is in the more usual number format. I have no idea why."

8. If you need an "official" copy of the marriage record for legal purposes, then you must order a copy, easily facilitated through ScotlandsPeople.gov.uk. At item 6 above, instead of clicking to view the document online, click the green box labeled "order" to add the item to your shopping cart. Once you click on the cart (upper right portion of any SP screen) you'll see this screen.

Here we are advised that once the £12 fee is paid, the "order will be forwarded to the General Register Office for Scotland for fulfillment". I've ordered things from London that took a mere 2 weeks to receive via snail mail to my home at the time in Florida. Do any of my DearREADERS have experience with the turn-around time for GRO-Scotland to respond to such a request?

SUMMARY
Roger hit the nail on the head when he noted it takes just a few minutes and very little cost to view the scanned image of the original 1864 marriage record at ScotlandsPeople.gov.uk. The total cost to locate, view, save and print the marriage record was 5 minutes time and a little less than $4US. Contrast this with the process described in Finding a Record Copy or a FamilySearch folly estimated as follows:

5 minutes at FamilySearch to find the index entry
Visit local Family History Center (FHC)
Order microfiche "6035516" $4 plus state sales tax.
30-60 minutes time
Wait 2-4 weeks for the microfiche to arrive at the FHC
Drive to the FHC, read microfiche to get the code for the Carluke parish in Lanark.
Order "323630 ". $5US plus state sales tax.
30-60 minutes time
Wait 2-4 weeks for the microfilm to arrive at the FHC
Drive to the FHC, read microfilm, move to reader/printer/scanner to make a copy of the marriage record
30-60 minutes time

YUP! Scotland's People makes getting to the marriage record a whole lot quicker and cheaper. Thank heavens for the Internet.

Happy family tree climbing!
Myrt :)
DearMYRTLE,
Your friend in genealogy.

NARA: Feb 2012 genealogy programs

2012-01-11T17:01:00.001-05:00

NOTE from DearMYRTLE: The following was received from our friends at the National Archives (US). Please address all inquires to public.program@nara.gov.

National Archives Holds Genealogy-related Programs in February

Washington, DC. . . In February, the National Archives presents genealogy-related programs highlighting records from its holdings ranging from Revolutionary War pension files to African American history and census records. All programs are free and open to the public, and will be held in the National Archives Building in Washington, DC. Please note that two of the programs will be repeated at the National Archives at College Park, Maryland. Two additional programs will be held first at the National Archives at College Park, and then repeated at the National Archives Building downtown.

Visitors to all programs in the National Archives Building Research Center (Room G-24) should use the Pennsylvania Avenue entrance, between 7th and 9th Streets, NW. The National Archives at College Park, MD, is located at 8601 Adelphi Road. For directions to both locations, see: http://www.archives.gov/dc-metro.

Wednesday, February 1, at 11 a.m., Room G-24, Research Center

Introduction to Genealogy

Archives staff present a lecture on basic genealogical research in Federal records on the first Wednesday of the month. February focuses on civil records.

Tuesday, February 7, at 11 a.m., Room G-24, Research Center
The Rejection of Elizabeth Mason: The Case of a “Free Colored” Revolutionary Widow

Damani Davis, archivist, discusses the rejection and appeals in a pension file and illuminates African American participation in the Revolutionary War. (This lecture will be repeated on Wednesday, February 8, at 11 a.m., in Lecture Room B of the National Archives at College Park, MD).

Saturday, February 11, at 10 a.m., Room G-24, Research Center

Beyond the Basics: Census, 1790–1840

Archives staff teach “beyond the basics” archival research skills on the third Wednesday of the month. Genealogy archivist Claire Kluskens discusses censuses from 1790 to 1840.

Saturday, February 11, at noon–4 p.m., Room G-24, Research Center

“Help! I’m Stuck”

Not sure where to begin? Has a genealogical problem stumped you? An archivist is available from noon to 4 p.m. to answer your questions. Sign up for a 20-minute appointment at the Microfilm Research desk in room G-26 on Saturday.

Thursday, February 16, at 10:45 a.m., Room G-24, Research Center

Fighting a “White Man’s War”: African Americans and the Civil War

Lopez Matthew, archives technician, discusses post–Civil War life for African American soldiers from Maryland. Presented in partnership with the Afro-American History Society. (This lecture will also be presented on Tuesday, February 14, at 10:45 a.m., in Lecture Room B of the National Archives at College Park.)

Thursday, February 23, at 10:45 a.m., Room G-24, Research Center

African Americans Dedicated to Gettysburg

Yolanda Bean, procurement technician, will address how black Americans participated in the Gettysburg campaign. Presented in partnership with the Afro-American History Society. (This lecture will also be presented on Tuesday, February 21, at 10:45 a.m., in Lecture Room B of the National Archives at College Park.)

Tuesday, February 28, at 11 a.m., Room G-24, Research Center
On the Road to Freedom: Pre–Freedmen’s Bureau Records, 1862–1864

Genealogy archives specialist Rebecca Sharp examines records created by wartime superintendents of freedmen that illuminate the experiences of African Americans during the Civil War. (The lecture will be repeated in Lecture Room B of the National Archives at College Park, MD, Wednesday, at the National Archives at College Park, MD in Lecture Room B, Thursday, March 1, at 11 a.m.)

The National Archives Building and the National Archives at College Park are fully accessible. To request an accommodation (e.g., sign language interpreter) for a public program, please email public.program@nara.gov or call 202-357-5000 prior to the event. To verify the date and times of the programs, the public should call 202-357-5000 or view the Calendar of Events on the web at: http://www.archives.gov/calendar.

RootsTech: MacEntee, Coffin, Eastman and Hansen

2012-01-11T16:18:00.002-05:00

DearREADERS,

Official RootsTech Bloggers promo spotlights are beginning to show up over at FamilySearch. If you'd like to learn more about some of your favorite bloggers, click to view the first batch of profiles HERE. Ol' Myrt here thought she knew these folks well, but just learned:

Thomas MacEntee - "was handed a copy of a book printed in 1916 tracing his Putman line back to 1661 in New York."
Amy Coffin - "her hidden talent is that she can sing like Barry Gibb circa 1977."
Dick Eastman - "Dick enjoys living in a motor home, ham radio, flying, travel, recumbent bicycles, and many other interests."
Holly Hansen - "likes to ride her bike, go fishing with her family and play with her grandchildren."

So follow these bloggers and the Twitter feed (#RootsTech) during the upcoming 2012 RootsTech Conference 2-4 February at the Salt Palace in Salt Lake City, Utah to keep on top of the news in the world of genealogy.

NEW! 2012 RootsTech Daily Schedule Posted
Every class and session, now with dates and times!

They also have pages for each session, with complete session information and speaker bios and photos.

Happy family tree climbing!

Myrt :)

DearMYRTLE,

Your friend in genealogy.

Family Tree Builder 6.0 released

2012-01-10T05:52:00.000-05:00

NOTE from DearMYRTLE: Our friends at MyHeritage.com were busy during the holiday season. In addition to their recent purchase of World Vital Records, they announced the release of the new Family Tree Builder 6.0. Feel free to download it from http://www.myheritage.com/family-tree-builder

21 December 2011
MyHeritage Releases New Feature-Packed Family Tree Builder 6.0

Updated version of world’s most popular free family history software adds new blend of historical content and technological innovation to highlight the depth and diversity in every family’s heritage

PROVO, Utah & LONDON & TEL AVIV, Israel--(BUSINESS WIRE)--MyHeritage.com, the largest family network on the web, today announced the release of Family Tree Builder 6.0, the most comprehensive free software for family history fans around the world. With the addition of automatic research in historical records and new features for presenting family memories, Family Tree Builder 6.0 makes researching family history more engaging and rewarding than ever.

“Combining cutting edge technology with ease-of-use, Family Tree Builder is the ideal companion for taking an exciting journey to the past, sharing memories in the present and documenting them for future generations”

Millions of family history enthusiasts and genealogists worldwide use MyHeritage’s Family Tree Builder software to explore, document and showcase their roots. The newly improved Family Tree Builder 6.0 will enable them to access historical content for the first time, view their family history in several innovative and stylish new ways and help celebrate family events - past and present.

“Combining cutting edge technology with ease-of-use, Family Tree Builder is the ideal companion for taking an exciting journey to the past, sharing memories in the present and documenting them for future generations”, said MyHeritage Founder and CEO Gilad Japhet. “Packed with exciting new features, Family Tree Builder adds color and depth to family history research for professionals and beginners alike. We’re proud to have developed the industry’s most comprehensive and feature-rich software, and, true to our mission of bringing family history to the masses, we’ll continue to keep it free for all to use.”

Automatic search for historical content

Following the recent acquisition of World Vital Records by MyHeritage, Family Tree Builder 6.0 adds historical content to its suite of features for the first time. The software automatically searches for relevant historical records amongst billions of birth, marriage, death and census records, plus newspapers and yearbooks - whenever information in the family tree is added or edited. Relevant historical records for any person in the tree can then be viewed in just one click.

New ways to view and present your family history

Family Tree Builder users can synchronize their data with a private online family site on MyHeritage.com, an ideal platform for sharing their heritage and staying in touch with their family. This also enables family members to view their family tree and share photos on-the-go using MyHeritage's recently released free mobile apps for iPad, iPhone and Android. Improved integration with family sites seamlessly merges some of the most popular web-based features on MyHeritage with the software, such as:

• Family Statistics: MyHeritage analyzes the family tree and produces 45 beautiful, enlightening statistics like average lifespan and most commonly used first names. Many unique stats not available anywhere else are displayed. For example, the geographical distribution of countries of birth and residence, the top families where the gap between the age of husband and wife is highest, the average age difference between youngest and oldest child in all families, and much more.

• Profile pages: Profile Pages present the depth and diversity of family history person by person. Profiles beautifully display information about individuals in the tree and include photos, close family relatives, events, citations and much more.

• Family Timeline: Family events and photos are arranged in an attractive, fun-to-use timeline. Zoom in from a century to a single day and compare any family member’s timeline with relevant historical events.

• Family Timebook: The Timebook is a beautiful digital book of family photos and biographies of close relatives. Timebooks are generated using clever algorithms that resemble the way people create scrapbooks with tender loving care, but do so automatically.

• Family Memory Game: This unique online game automatically generates personalized picture cards of close relatives and ancestors - based on a user’s family tree. It can be played in competition mode or against the clock. The game is ideal for educating younger generations about their ancestors and introducing them to the fascinating hobby of genealogy.

Celebrate family events

• Family Events: Important family events are listed and displayed on convenient monthly or yearly calendars – making it easy to remember special family occasions and send greetings.

The above new features complement the vast range of existing features in Family Tree Builder 6.0, which include Smart Matches™, stunning family tree charts, facial recognition technology, interactive maps, photo albums and slideshows, book reports, family tree consistency checker, to-do lists and much more.

The new Family Tree Builder 6.0 is available in 37 languages and can be downloaded for free from www.myheritage.com/family-tree-builder.

About MyHeritage

MyHeritage is the most popular family network on the web. Millions of families around the world enjoy having a private and free place for their families to keep in touch and to showcase their roots. MyHeritage’s Smart Matching™ technology empowers users with an exciting and innovative way to find relatives and explore their family history. With all family information stored in a secure site, MyHeritage is the ideal place to share family photos and preserve special family moments. Available in 38 languages, MyHeritage has more than 60 million registered users and is home to more than 900 million profiles and 21 million family trees. The company is backed by Accel Partners and Index Ventures, the investors of Facebook and Skype. For more information visit www.myheritage.com.

TMG V8 released in late December

2012-01-10T05:42:00.000-05:00

NOTE from DearMYRTLE: The following was just received in late December from from Bob Velke of WhollyGenes. Please address all inquiries to him at support@whollygenes.com.

http://whollygenes.com

PRESS RELEASE

Family History Software Takes Another Leap Forward

Columbia, Maryland – 21 December 2011 – Wholly Genes Software announces
a major new release of its popular family history project manager, The
Master Genealogist. The software, known by its users as “TMG,” is
favored by novice and expert researchers alike because of its extreme
flexibility, extensive documentation features, and the ability to
transform dry family data into impressive charts, forms, and narrative
reports.

This new release, TMG v8, includes a completely new report writer to
accommodate 64-bit operating systems, but that is just the beginning of
an impressive list of new and expanded features.

“For 18 years, TMG has consistently introduced innovative features that
have slowly developed into industry standards,” said the company
president, Bob Velke. “Version 8 is no exception, with ground-breaking
features like color-coded narrative reports and the ability to import
groups of people or entire families from a spreadsheet.”

For those who prefer, its new “Add Multiple People” and “Add Family”
screens, which resemble a spreadsheet environment. are among the many
new features in TMG v8 which were designed to make data entry easier and
faster. Like many of the program’s most useful features, they were
suggested by TMG’s very active user community. Other examples include a
greatly expanded list of default roles (to link witnesses to the events
of other people), an option to design new roles “on the fly,” new
features to share your customizations with other researchers, and the
ability to output Pedigree charts to Word or RTF with an index.

The expanded web-searching tool in TMG v8 now supports 15 sites,
including Ancestry.com, FamilySearch.org, One Great Family,
Footnote/Fold3, World Vital Records, and FindAGrave.com. (Some sites
provide search results but require a subscription for full access to the
records.) The feature supports the specific search options of each site
and can even be configured to search them all at once. “After searching
Google Books for a name like ‘Lucinda Rodgers,’” said Velke, “how often
do we get distracted by the results and forget to go back and search for
‘Rodgers, Lucinda’, its spelling variations, or her married name(s)?”
TMG’s new web-searching tool won’t forget to try all of the permutations
of your search that are supported by each site and could lead to great
new discoveries.

The Master Genealogist v8 Gold Edition is available for $59 as a
download from www.WhollyGenes.com and from its international dealers.
The upgrade for users of v7 is $29.95. An optional CD is available by
mail for a nominal extra charge.

About the company:
Wholly Genes Software is a privately held corporation founded in 1993
with the goal of providing professional-caliber software tools to family
historians. Its flagship product, The Master Genealogis

UGA makes virtual meetings public not private YES!

2012-01-09T15:40:00.000-05:00

DearREADERS,

While working through the backlog of email, I ran across this welcome policy change from the Utah Genealogical Association. It appears they've decided to take their "virtual chapter" presentations out from behind their membership wall. This should encourage greater participation. Remember that UGA sponsors presentations from a variety of experts from within the Utah genealogy community (Family History Library, FamilySearch, etc), but the scope isn't limited to Utah or LDS-specific research challenges.

www.infouga.org

"The Utah Genealogical Association is pleased to present a monthly "Virtual Chapter" meeting in which invited guests make presentations on topics of current interest in the field of family history and genealogy. Based upon demand to participate in these monthly presentations, the UGA Board of Directors recently voted to make the live presentations available to the public without the need of logging into the Member's Area. As in the past, however, Archived Presentations are only available in the Member's Area." Source: http://infouga.org/cpage.php?pt=11

January's presentation Information:

Title: The FamilySearch Wiki: Exploring Its Treasures

Presenter: Wilma Adkins, UGA Treasurer

Date and Tiime: Jan19, 2012 at 7:00PM US Mountain Time (UTC-7)
The presentation flyer (in Google Doc .PDF format) explains that the session will begin with a PowerPoint presentation, and then questions will be taken from participants as the presenter tackles the wiki live during the meeting.

HOW TO ATTEND
Unlike other genealogy webinar meetings of late, attendees mustclick http://ugagenealogy.adobeconnect.com/vc01192012/ and log in as a guest.

A COUPLE OF SUGGESTIONS FOR UGA

1. UGA might reach a broader audience by using the GeneaWebinars calendar and blog to advertize upcoming events. The UGA has been given access to log in to both resources provided freely for the genealogy community. The calendar and blog is award winning because of the work of each webinar presenting organization.

2. Using the GeneaWebinars Calendar ensures there will be no overlapping of UGA meetings with other scheduled genealogy webinar presentations.

2. Allow attendees to log in by name. Interaction with attendees is fine, but folks like to be called by their real or avatar names, not "Guest237".

Just saying...

Happy family tree climbing!

Myrt :)

DearMYRTLE,

Your friend in genealogy.

Finding a Record Copy or a FamilySearch folly

2012-01-09T11:34:00.000-05:00

FROM: Jackie Riggs,
DearMYRTLE,
I would like to get a copy of the following record. How would I go about this?

Groom's Name:James Colvin Groom's Birth Date: Groom's Birthplace: Groom's Age: Bride's Name: Catherine Freeman Bride's Birth Date: Bride's Birthplace: Bride's Age: Marriage Date: 09 Nov 1864 Marriage Place: Carluke, Lanark, Scotland Groom's Father's Name: Groom's Mother's Name: Bride's Father's Name: Bride's Mother's Name: Groom's Race: Groom's Marital Status: Groom's Previous Wife's Name: Bride's Race: Bride's Marital Status: Bride's Previous Husband's Name: Indexing Project (Batch) Number: M11629-1 System Origin: Scotland-ODM Source Film Number:6035516 Reference Number: ___________.

DearJACKIE,
Ol' Myrt here commends you for wanting to move beyond an index to the original document. It looks like you've copied and pasted info from an indexed entry for your ancestors at FamilySearch.org. I searched FamilySearch.org and found the entry in question.

1864 Colvin-Freeman Scottish marriage record index from FamilySearch.

The quick answer is to advise you to order the marriage record online from the ScotlandsPeople.gov.uk website, since you have the bride and groom's name and the date. Scotland was the first country to partner with a commercial organization to provide access to public records online for a small fee.

But your query points out a flaw in the FamilySearch page you viewed. It should push you toward finding the original marriage record, but the microform number 6035516 does not contain the image of the marriage record, nor does it contain any references to individuals.

To prove my point, I took a field trip to the Family History Library and consulted with several employees there. I also brought a printout of your query paragraph. (It is the green paper in photos below). This is my report.

THE RESEARCH TRIP
Ol' Myrt turned to the Family History Library Catalog, and changed the search criteria from the default "place-name" to "film number" then copied and pasted the "6035516". This returned:

Register of births, marriages and deaths of Scotland

author:	Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Family History Library (Salt Lake City, Utah)
availability:	Family History Centers

Now you and I both know the LDS Church didn't create parish registers in Scotland from 1855-1955 and provide copies to Family History Centers, so a little more background on this might be in order. Delving further, we discover that the British Reference Desk consultants at the Family History Library created this register that is an aide to accessing Scottish church records "index, 1855-1955, and certificates 1855-1875, 1881, and 1891."

The catalog entry explains "Use the register by turning to the county. These are listed alphabetically. Find the parish number in the listing at the beginning of the county. Turn to the event year and find the parish number in that year. The microfilm number for the certificates is identified across from the parish number."

1. I went to B-2, the British Isles floor, and located the "6035516"microfiche in a bank of drawers.

2. To my surprise there were 2 complete and 1 partial set of "6035516" microfiche. A five minute review of each determined they are duplicates.

I spent some time reviewing the introductory pages on the fiche to get a quick study about this index on fiche.

The fiche do not contain 100 years of marriage records for many Scottish parishes as one would think from the "Source" reference on your original query. Instead, the fiche include the staff's index to the location of Scottish parish records on a series of microfilm elsewhere in the FHL collection. Why the FamilySearch.org entry for your ancestor listed "6035516" as the source for your specific ancestors' index entry is beyond me. There was nothing on the fiche about individuals, but instead contained information about Scottish counties and parishes.

3. Looking up "Lanark" (the county in Scotland) was a snap. From there, I made note of the code next to the parish of "Carluke", your ancestor's marriage place.

4. Using that code "629", I then moved to a different portion of the microfiche, where I took the year of the marriage "1864" and that "629" code to determine I needed to pull the "323630" microfilm to hopefully view the marriage record itself.

5. Next, I pulled the "323630" microfilm from the drawer. Fortunately British Isles microfilm are found on the British Isles floor at the Family History Library, so it was just a few rows away from my initial workspace at the microfiche reader.

6. I scrolled through the microfilm to get to the "Carluke" entries. There were multiple parishes on this film.

7. I located the specific entry for your ancestor, and per my custom, took a picture of the image with the microfilm box indicating the film number to make creating a citation easier. I also made a scanned copy of the image.

Note the "zoomed in view" above lists many more details about this couple than are listed in the indexed entry. There is information about occupations, about the parents, whether the parents are deceased, etc. Also the marriage date is listed as 10 Nov 1864. How that could have been incorrectly keyed during the indexing process I'll never know. This completely shoots down the recommendation of two Family History Library staffers who stated it wasn't necessary to get a copy of the original record, as there would be nothing more to add than was shown in the index. [sigh]

WHAT HAVE WE LEARNED?

Don't rely solely on indexes.
Always obtain a copy of the original record.
Unless someone lives in the greater Salt Lake City area, working through the microfiche to then find the appropriate microfilm to order through a local Family History Center will add weeks of delays to the process.
FamilySearch should revise their screen so that the true "source" of an indexed entry is indicated on this large collection of Scottish marriage records. Failing that, a description of this process for getting to the microfilm of the original should be linked on that page.
It may be quicker and perhaps less expensive to merely order the document through ScotlandsPeople. (I have yet to report on that process.)

FOR FURTHER READING

And so, DearJACKIE, I'll now send you a copy of the marriage record for your ancestors via email.

Happy family tree climbing!
Myrt :)
DearMYRTLE,
Your friend in genealogy.

Second Life: Tuesday's EVIDENCE chat

2012-01-08T20:05:00.000-05:00

DearREADERS,
For Tuesday night's 6pm "Evidence" chat at the fire pit in Second Life's JUST GENEALOGY we will discuss Elizabeth Shown Mills' article titled “Deliberate Fraud and Mangled Evidence: The Search for the Fictional Family of Anne Marie Philippe of Natchitoches, Louisiana.” The American Genealogist 72 (July–October 1997): 353–68. Digital image. Elizabeth Shown Mills, Historic Pathways. http://www.HistoricPathways.com/.

Today's direct link to the article is: http://www.historicpathways.com/download/delibphil.pdf

Elizabeth's experience is what we will likely encounter with an undocumented family history. She and her late husband spent years comparing surviving records with the suspect compiled genealogy, and overcame challenges when learning about:

-- women's naming patterns in colonial Louisiana
-- church records recently indexed in alpha, not chronological order
-- surname spelling "standardized" (Dupre, Depres, Dupres, Duprez)
-- common use of the given name "Marie" (a + or -?)
-- proving place of origin in the old world
-- German town names and origins
-- political and religious factors encouraging emigration
-- consulting experts on German ancestral research (Burgert and Jones)
-- nicknames versus given names

This article summarizes the Mills' multi-decade effort to verify the work of that so-called "professional" genealogist they had hired. This article also serves to teach us that the road to a reasonably exhaustive search may be long and winding, and demonstrates how to explain dependencies found in info provided by compiled genealogies and extant records.

IF YOU ARE NEW TO SECOND LIFE
1. Download the free software, create an avatar and select a name for that avatar by visiting http://secondlife.com and clicking JOIN.

2. Once you "log in" to Second Life, click the small magnifying glass and "Search" for JUST GENEALOGY.

3. From the list click "teleport" so your avatar will be taken to our meeting area.

4. Stop by Monday night at 5pm Second Life Time (same as Pacific US) for our weekly Meet & Greet held at the Just Genealogy Fire Pit, hosted by Genie Weezles. It is time for practicing getting your avatar sitting, adjusting your headset or speakers. Very informal chat, Q and A or general help with Second Life. Everyone is welcome.

My name in-world is Clarise Beaumont.

Happy family tree climbing!
Myrt :)
DearMYRTLE,
Your friend in genealogy

APG PMC registration deadline 10 Jan 2012

2012-01-07T12:57:00.000-05:00

DearREADERS,
One of the highlights of the year is attending an Association of Professional Genealogists Professional Management Conference. We have such an opportunity purposefully scheduled between Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy and RootsTech 2012.

From APG President Laura G. Prescott:

The early registration deadline for the Professional Management Conference has been extended to January 10.

Learn how to develop an advanced research plan from Mark Lowe, let Kory Meyerink help you figure out if you're really earning a living in this business or simply treating it as a hobby, get virtual presentation tips from Thomas MacEntee, or check out any of the other four presentations that just may make a difference in how you successfully run your business and handle your research challenges. And remember, it's a great opportunity to spend a day networking with your peers! The PMC takes place in Salt Lake City on Wednesday, February 1, conveniently scheduled between the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy and RootsTech.

Full details about the 2012 PMC are on the APG website at http://www.apgen.org/conferences. Tweet your comments to @APGgenealogy (#APGPMC), or join in the discussions on Facebook and LinkedIn.

1 February 2012
Radisson Hotel Downtown
Salt Lake City, Utah

Happy family tree climbing!
Myrt :)
DearMYRTLE,
Your friend in genealogy.

NARA: Genealogy workshop videos now online

2012-01-06T16:17:00.002-05:00

NOTE from DearMYRTLE: Thanks to Marie Varrelman Melchiori, CG, CGL for forwarding this notice from David McMillen. We applaud the efforts of the National Archives (US) to educate researchers about effectively accessing NARA record groups. Awesome use of technology as well, since NARA has established a YouTube channel.

From: David McMillen, External Affairs Liaison,
The National Archives

January 4, 2012

National Archives Puts Popular Records WorkshopsOnline for First Time!

“Know Your Records” videos now available onNational Archives YouTube Channel

Washington, DC… For the first time, the National Archives haslaunched online videos of its most popular genealogy “how to” workshops. These videos cover “hot topics” ingenealogical research such as census, immigration and military records. Now, these popular workshops led by NationalArchives experts are available on the National Archives YouTube channel http://www.youtube.com/user/usnationalarchives.

The NationalArchives-produced Know Your Recordsvideo shorts cover the creation, scope, content, and use of National Archivesrecords for genealogical research. "The National Archives is proud to makeour most popular genealogy lectures available online and ready forviewing by anyone, anywhere, at any time," said Diane Dimkoff, Director ofCustomer Services.

GenealogyIntroduction: Military Research at the National Archives: Volunteer Service (8:22) www.youtube.com/watch?v=2zgKBrsVpxY Archivesspecialist John Deeben discusses compiled military service records at theNational Archives.

Genealogy Introduction—Military Research at the NationalArchives: Regular Service (6:11) www.youtube.com/watch?v=1OMO-PbmMEw Archives Specialist John Deeben explains howto use Army and Navy registers of enlistment and rendezvous reports forresearch.

Genealogy Introduction—Military Researchat the National Archives: Pension Records (9:04)

www.youtube.com/watch?v=oT-AgYFhX1k ArchivesSpecialist John Deeben discusses how to research military service using pensionrecords dating from 1775 to 1916. Deebenshows samples of both Revolutionary War and Civil War pensions.

Genealogy Introduction—ImmigrationRecords at the National Archives (11:57)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OCZTSrSvxyc Archives Specialists Katherine Vollen andRebecca Crawford provide an overview of immigration records from 1800 to 1957,including Customs Service and Immigration and Naturalization records, as wellas records of ports and border crossings.

GenealogyIntroduction: Census Records at the National Archives (11:57)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yl54NX_H1ko

Genealogy expertConstance Potter shares tips and strategies for researching U.S. Federal CensusRecords 1790 to 1930, and explains how they can be used for genealogicalresearch.

Background on “Know YourRecords” programs

The National Archives holds the permanently valuable records ofthe Federal government. These include records of interest to genealogists, suchas pension files, ship passenger lists, census and Freedmen’s Bureau materials.The Know Your Records Program offersopportunities for staff, volunteers, and researchers to learn about theserecords through lectures, ongoing genealogy programs, workshops, symposia, the annual genealogyfair, an online genealogy tutorial,reference reportsfor genealogical research, and editions of Researcher News forWashington DC area researchers.

NARA: Awards $2.5 Million for Historical Records Projects

2012-01-06T15:57:00.002-05:00

NOTE from DearMYRTLE: The following was received yesterday afternoon from our friends at the National Archives (US). Please address all inquiries to Public.Affairs@nara.gov.

NATIONAL ARCHIVES AWARDS $2.5 MILLION IN GRANTS

FOR HISTORICAL RECORDS PROJECTS

Washington, D.C. . . Archivist of the United States David S. Ferriero today awarded 40 grants totaling $2.5 million for historical records projects in 27 states and the District of Columbia. The National Archives grants program is carried out through the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC).

Nearly $700,000 in funding went for State and National Archives Partnership (SNAP) grants to enable 23 state historical records advisory boards to carry out their mission to support archival education and strengthen the nation’s archival network. One of the most important parts of the SNAP program is to enable states to “regrant” funds, providing opportunities for small historical records repositories to carry out local projects. In addition, the Oregon State Archives received an Electronic Records grant to support a two-year project to manage and preserve the records of the Governor’s office and to work with the Washington State Digital Archives to create a regional system of managing state government electronic records from creation to final disposition.

Publishing Grants totaling $1.27 million were recommended for 10 publishing projects from the U.S. Colonial and Early National Period, including the papers of Benjamin Franklin, George Washington, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, and John Jay. Two projects that exist solely as digital editions—The Dolley Madison Digital Edition and the Papers of the War Department—also received support, and the Commission endorsed the Jonathan Edwards Collaborative Online Publication Project as a way of encouraging private sector support for its efforts.

Digitizing Historical Records grants, totaling $400,000, went to six projects, including a partnership among the Atlanta Historical Society, the Digital Library of Georgia, the Hargrett Rare Book & Manuscript Library at the University of Georgia, and the Georgia Historical Society to digitize 81,319 documents pertaining to the American Civil War. The University of Washington will digitize its J. Willis Sayre Photograph Collection, documenting American vaudeville, theater, and other performing arts; the Minnesota Historical Society will digitize 32,000 pages of annotated speeches and 200 audio recordings by U.S. Senator and Vice President Hubert H. Humphrey (1911-1978); and Texas Tech University will digitize approximately 250,000 pages of Orderly Departure Program Application Files of the Families of Vietnamese Political Prisoners Association Collection.

Kathleen Williams, Executive Director of the NHPRC, presented the grant applications and policy issues to the full Commission, including an update on the cooperative agreement with the University of Virginia Press to create a new website featuring the papers of the Founders of the United States of America. The Commission also welcomed its newest member, Judge Jeremy D. Fogel, appointed by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, to represent the Federal judiciary.

The Archivist of the United States is the Chairman of the 15-member Commission, which includes representatives from all three branches of the Federal government as well as the leading archival and historical professional associations. Established in 1934 with the National Archives, it awards grants for preserving, publishing, and providing access to the nation’s historical documents.

A complete list of grants follows.

PUBLISHING HISTORICAL RECORDS –Colonial and Early National Period

Massachusetts Historical Society

Boston, MA $148,246

To support a project to edit The Papers of John Adams.

Yale University

New Haven, CT $172,104

To support a project to edit The Papers of Benjamin Franklin.

University of Wisconsin

Madison, WI $151,238

To support a project to edit The Documentary History of the Ratification of the Constitution.

Trustees of Columbia University

New York, NY $121,707

To support a project to edit The Papers of John Jay.

University of Virginia

Charlottesville, VA $135,540

To support a project to edit The Papers of George Washington.

George Washington University

Washington, DC $169,536

To support a project to edit The Documentary History of the First Federal Congress.

Princeton University

Princeton, NJ $135,098

To support a project to edit The Papers of Thomas Jefferson.

University of Virginia

Charlottesville, VA $116,923

To support a project to edit The Papers of James Madison.

University of Virginia

Charlottesville, VA $50,203

To support a project to edit the Dolley Madison Digital Edition.

George Mason University

Fairfax, VA $67,712

To support a project to prepare an electronic image edition of The Papers of the War Department, 1784-1800.

Yale University

New Haven, CT Endorsement

For the Jonathan Edwards Collaborative Online Publication Project.

ELECTRONIC RECORDS

Oregon Secretary of State, Archives Division

Salem, OR $225,076

To support a two-year project to integrate the Governor’s office into the Oregon Records Management Solution and to work with the Washington State Digital Archives to create a regional system of managing electronic records from creation to final disposition.

STATE AND NATIONAL ARCHIVAL PARTNERSHIP GRANTS

Friends of California Archives

Sacramento, CA $29,400

To support the efforts of the California State Historical Records Advisory Board to create curricula for workshops and webinars on the topics of electronic records and the digitization of records.

South Dakota Department of Tourism

Pierre, SD $5,431

To support the South Dakota State Historical Records Advisory Board and its educational and statewide regrant programs.

Minnesota Historical Society

St. Paul, MN $36,500

To support the Minnesota State Historical Records Advisory Board and a statewide regrant program.

Colorado State Historical Records

Advisory Board

Denver, CO $35,000

To support the Colorado State Historical Records Advisory Board and a statewide regrant program.

Alaska Department of Education

and Early Development

Juneau, AK $61,055

To support the Alaska State Historical Records Advisory Board. Archival workshops will be offered to 30 rural archivists across the state, and a records processing manual will be developed to meet the needs of remote, culturally diverse archival repositories.

Vermont State Archives

and Records Administration

Montpelier, VT $15,000

To support the Vermont State Historical Records Advisory Board and its efforts to design an effective regrant program.

Florida Department of State

Tallahassee, FL $8,300

To support the Florida State Historical Records Advisory Board’s work to create a new strategic plan to guide the board over the next five years.

North Carolina Department

of Cultural Resources

Raleigh, NC $14,730

To support the North Carolina State Historical Records Advisory Board’s “Getting Ready to Go” Program, which will train and educate individuals working in archives, museums, and other repositories about creating the infrastructure critical to institutional success and longevity.

Ohio Historical Society

Columbus, OH $31,577

To support the Ohio State Historical Records Advisory Board and a statewide regrant program.

State Historical Society of Wisconsin

Madison, WI $29,345

To support the Wisconsin State Historical Records Advisory Board’s efforts to promote training related to electronic records best practices, provide training in archival management, and improve collaboration among archivists.

Secretary of the Commonwealth

of Massachusetts

Boston, MA $15,000

To support the Massachusetts State Historical Records Advisory Board and its Roving Archivist Program. An archivist will work with as many as 17 institutions to assess their collections and provide advice on records processing, access, preservation, and institutional management.

Washington Office of the

Secretary of State

Olympia, WA $50,000

To support the Washington State Historical Records Advisory Board and its efforts to provide 20 technical assistance workshops and regrants for digitizing local government records.

Indiana Commission on Public Records

Indianapolis, IN $35,000

To support the Indiana State Historical Records Advisory Board’s workshop series, outreach program, and statewide regrant program.

Library of Virginia Foundation

Richmond, VA $12,688

To support the Virginia State Historical Records Advisory Board and its “Where History Begins” conference for the promotion of collaboration among historical societies.

Utah State Archives and Records Services

Salt Lake City, UT $34,760

To support the Utah State Historical Records Advisory Board and a statewide regrant program.

Missouri Office of the

Secretary of State

Jefferson City, MO $70,000

To support the Missouri State Historical Records Advisory Board and a statewide regrant program.

State Historical Society of North Dakota

Bismarck, ND $6,988

To support the North Dakota State Historical Records Advisory Board’s efforts to enhance the state’s National history Day program.

Kentucky State Historical Records

Advisory Board

Frankfort, KY $30,000

To support the Kentucky State Historical Records Advisory Board and continuing education workshop and webinars.

Georgia Office of

Secretary of State

Morrow, GA $24,696

To support the Georgia State Historical Records Advisory Board’s strategic planning process and outreach programs.

Connecticut State Library

Hartford, CT $55,000

To support the Connecticut State Historical Records Advisory Board, an archival management symposium, a series of workshops, and a traveling archivist program that will provide training and advice to repositories across the state.

Montana Historical Society

Helena, MT $13,140

To support the Montana State Historical Records Advisory Board and its traveling student archivist program.

Maine State Archives

Augusta, ME $70,000

To support the Maine State Historical Records Advisory Board’s training program, Civil War Sesquicentennial project, and statewide regrant program.

State Historical Society of Iowa

Des Moines, IA $11,615

To support the Iowa State Historical Records Advisory Board and its technical assistance program.

DIGITIZING HISTORICAL RECORDS

University of Washington

Seattle, WA $34,926

To support a project to digitize and make available the J. Willis Sayre Photograph Collection of over 24,500 late 19^th and early 20^th century photographs depicting images from American vaudeville, theater, and other performing arts.

Regents of the University of

California, San Diego

San Diego, CA $56,571

To support a two-year project to digitize the Herman Baca Papers (1964-2006), and related oral interviews, documenting the Chicano movement and organizations in San Diego and the American Southwest.

Minnesota Historical Society

St. Paul, MN $46,063

To support a project to digitize and make available 32,000 pages of annotated speeches and 50 audio recordings by U.S. Senator and Vice President Hubert H. Humphrey (1911-1978).

Texas Tech University

Lubbock, TX $144,120

To support a three-year project to digitize approximately 250,000 pages of Orderly Departure Program Application Files of the Families of Vietnamese Political Prisoners Association Collection documenting the immigration experience of thousands of Vietnamese who migrated to the United States following the end of the Vietnam War.

University of Massachusetts, Amherst

Amherst, MA $42,950

To support a one-year project to digitize the records of Horace Mann Bond (1904-1972), African American historian, college president, writer, and social science researcher.

Atlanta Historical Society, Inc.

Atlanta, GA $74,831

To support a project, in partnership with the Digital Library of Georgia, the Hargrett Rare Book & Manuscript Library of the University of Georgia, and the Georgia Historical Society to digitize 81,319 documents pertaining to the American Civil War.

Myrt on GeneaBloggers Radio TONIGHT

2012-01-06T14:34:00.002-05:00

DearREADERS,
Ol' Myrt here is getting ready for tonight's broadcast of GeneaBloggers Radio hosted by Thomas MacEntee. I'll be appearing to provide tips and handy information on how to keep your genealogy data and materials organized. Thomas will also visit with Amy Coffin, of the We Tree genealogy blog will discuss setting genealogy goals and resolutions for 2012. Later in the show, Thomas will welcome Jan Meisels Allen, Vice President of the International Association of Jewish Genealogical Societies (IAJGS) and a member of the Records Preservation and Access Committee (RPAC) with important information on how you can get involved with the preservation and access of vital records, especially the Social Security Death Index.

HOW TO TUNE IN
The radio show broadcasts over the internet live at 8pm Central US Time TODAY, 6 Jan 2012.

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/geneabloggers/2012/01/07/genealogy-new-years-resolutions-for-2012
If you need to adjust for your time zone, use the time zone converter.

FIRST TIME LISTENERS
While you can listen by going to the URL above, you'll also want to participate in the chat room, which appears ONLY during the live broadcast. To do this you must "sign in". Don't worry, it's a free account, so there are no credit cards involved. So why not set up your free account right now, so you won't miss a minute of the show tonight? Here's how:

1. Go now to http://www.blogtalkradio.com/geneabloggers/2012/01/07/genealogy-new-years-resolutions-for-2012

2. Click Sign-in, located in the upper right corner of your screen.

3. Create your free BlogTalk Radio account.

4. When you return to http://www.blogtalkradio.com/geneabloggers/2012/01/07/genealogy-new-years-resolutions-for-2012 you are given the option to share (Facebook & Twitter) and to set up an email reminder for upcoming GeneaBloggers shows.

LISTING TO PREVIOUS SHOWS
One of the options provided by BlogTalk radio service is "on demand" review of previously broadcast recorded shows. When I went to BlogTalkRadio.com and searched for "geneabloggers" I found that:

Tab A = On air
Tab B = Upcoming
Tab C = On Demand

Ol' Myrt here hopes to have many of her DearLISTENERS tune in tonight during the LIVE show. Talk (type) things up in the chat room. You'll notice that Thomas and I love to weave comments from the chat room into our conversation. If you'd like to call in during the show with your questions, the number is (213) 286-6709. So turn on those computer speakers, and join us tonight at 8pm Central US at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/geneabloggers/2012/01/07/genealogy-new-years-resolutions-for-2012.

Happy family tree climbing!
Myrt :)
DearMYRTLE,
Your friend in genealogy.

Want the scoop on RootsTech 2012?

2012-01-06T13:25:00.001-05:00

DearREADERS,
This morning brings news of the posting of the daily schedule of RootsTech 2012 events. Finally! We've been chomping at the bit to work through the offerings. New topics of interest to Ol' Myrt here include:

Genealogical Uses for QR Codes Thomas MacEntee
A New GEDCOM: Project Scope, Goals, and Governance Ryan Heaton
Using Advanced Photographic Techniques to Recover Content from Damaged Documents Jack Reese
E-Learning Software and Authoring Tools for Genealogical Education J. Mark Lowe
The Galaxy Girls –three genealogists’ and their Android tablets Jill Ball
The Powers of Evernote: photos, URL's, censuses, geo-location, and stories Tevya Washburn
Kurt Francom
How the England and Wales 1911 Census Was Digitized Ian Tester

... and these are just from day ONE!

How about registering, booking your flight, and getting over here? While Utah cannot guarantee that this 55+ degree weather will hold out, I DO know you'll learn a TON and have a BLAST at RootsTech 2012.

Find out more:
RootsTech 2012
February 2-4
Salt Lake City, Utah
www.rootstech.org

Happy family tree climbing!
Myrt :)
DearMYRTLE,
Your friend in genealogy.

WEBINAR Muskogee County Genealogical Society

2011-12-23T07:00:00.000-05:00

DearREADERS,
Those of you in the Muskogee, Oklahoma area are invited to attend the Muskogee County Genealogical Society's meeting on Thursday, February 23, 2012 at 6pm in the Grant Foreman Room, Muskogee Public Library, 801 W Okmulgee Ave, Muskogee, OK 74401.

Ol' Myrt here will be appearing "virtually" and presenting 7 Habits of Highly Effective Genealogists. This is a fun presentation, one that is sure to get attendees committed to upgrading their research and organization skills. (Now if I could just practice what I preach!)

The Muskogee County Genealogical Society was established in 1983 to provide education and support to those interested in family history research. The society contributes to the Local History and Genealogy collection at the Muskogee Public Library and other genealogy and history related projects and is a member of the Federation of Genealogical Societies.

FOR MORE INFO
Muskogee County Genealogical Society's website:
http://www.okgenweb.org/~mcgs/

Muskogee Public Library - Genealogy

View Larger Map

Happy family tree climbing!
Myrt :)
DearMYRTLE,
Your friend in genealogy.

Lazy blogger wins 2011 GeneaBlog Award

2011-12-16T19:13:00.000-05:00

DearREADERS,
After the excitement of RootsTech 2011 last winter, we saw a sharp increase in genealogy webinars, and Ol' Myrt here experienced a similar spike in email requests about where to find these webinars - hers or just about anyone else's. So out of laziness, I created GeneaWebinars as the central place for genealogy webinar hosts to post in calendar and blog format. Thankfully, as GeneaWebinars gained popularity, my email box requests for information gradually declined.

Today's email brings news of an award from the not-too-easily impressed Tamura Jones.

He likes the GeneaWebinars blog enough to give it one of his four 2011 GeneaBlog Awards . He writes "One fun thing about the Genealogy Blog Awards is that it does not have fixed categories. Every year I look for blogs to highlight, and then create a fitting category just for them. There is no fixed number of awards either. This year, the Genealogy Blog Awards highlights just four genealogy blogs, but they sure are four worthy ones."

So the GeneaWebinars blog located at www.GeneaWebinars.com is one of Tamura's four to honor this year! Thank-you. In Ol' Myrt's opinion the award belongs to all of the contributors. I may have set up the blog and calendar, but it is those webinar organizers who contribute to the calendar and create the posts. Their content drives the popularity of the blog. They use webinar technology to provide software support, research methodology advice, and analysis of a variety of surviving record groups, in addition to how to organize and preserve this information for future generations.

So you could say that the GeneaWebinars Blog is a win-win for both the webinar organizers and the online genealogists who wish to learn more about their craft.

WHAT DID TAMURA ACTUALLY SAY?

Best New Community Blog: GeneaWebinars
There are so many genealogy webinars nowadays, that it's hard to keep track of them.
In February, Pat Richley-Erickson, better known as DearMYRTLE, introduced GeneaWebinars to address that issue, and it's been an immediate hit. The trick to its runaway success is that GeneaWebinars is a community blog; DearMYRTLE gave webinar organisers permission to post their announcements directly to the blog.
The result is that practically every genealogy webinar is listed on GeneaWebinars.

To find out about the other three amazing 2011 GeneaBlog Award winners see Tamura's original blog award post: http://www.tamurajones.net/GeneaBlogAwards2011.xhtml. Congrats to Kerry Scott, Nathan Maling, and Judy Webster for their amazing and now award-winning work!

FOR FURTHER READING

Happy family tree climbing!
Myrt :)
DearMYRTLE,
Your friend in genealogy.

Elizabeth has gone .com

2011-12-16T13:21:00.000-05:00

DearREADERS,

It is a great day in the world of genealogy when Elizabeth Shown Mills debuts a website generously sharing a sizable number of her research methodology articles, complete with "how to cite" directions. Today's that day!

Right away I could see a practical application for this site among my friends. Our genealogy study group over in Second Life will thrive with new content to discuss around the Just Genealogy fire pit. We plan to use an article each month.

How about doing the same with your local genealogy society? Meet via a Google+ Huddle and discuss the specifics of an article, how your current research compares, and what steps you'd take to follow Elizabeth's example.

Visit http://www.historicpathways.com and check out the offerings.

iPad users will overlook the flash media issue on the home page in favor of the rich content of such articles as:

"Applying the Preponderance-of-the-Evidence Principle to a Southern Frontier Problem"

"In Search of ‘Mr. Ball’: An Exercise in Finding Fathers"

"Roundabout Research: Pursuing Collateral Lines"

We understand a busy person like Elizabeth doesn't have time to answer every email inquiry. This website goes a long way toward getting her work out of old published journals on dusty library shelves and into the hands of modern-day genealogists who wish to hone their historical research skills.

Thank-you, Elizabeth for sharing your experience with us.

Happy family tree climbing!

Myrt :)

DearMYRTLE,

Your friend in genealogy.

RootsTech admits mistake

2011-12-15T17:07:00.003-05:00

DearREADERS,
By now you've read accounts of RootsTech 2012 reversing it's position on book vendors in the exhibit hall. (That's the power of blogging!) The announcement below was posted on the RootsTech Facebook page:

RootsTech 2012 Update: Book Vendors in the Exhibit Hall

We greatly appreciate all the recent comments and concerns related to book vendors being present at RootsTech. We’ve been listening. One of our top goals has been to help introduce a very different kind of family history conference, which certainly requires a balancing act—bringing technologists together with genealogists to inspire important technology solutions for the industry.

It has become clear that there is indeed demand from the community to have book vendors at RootsTech, and we are pleased to extend book vendors an invitation to exhibit at the conference.

Thanks again to the community for all the great feedback. We look forward to seeing you in February!

Alls well that ends well.

Happy family tree climbing!
Myrt :)
DearMYRTLE,
Your friend in genealogy.

MyHeritage has an App

2011-12-15T16:25:00.001-05:00

NOTE from DearMYRTLE: The following was received across the news wires from our friends at My Heritage.

World’s largest family network introduces new mobile experience for connecting families to their past and sharing special moments in the present

PROVO, Utah & LONDON & TEL AVIV, Israel--(BUSINESS WIRE)--MyHeritage, the most popular family network on the web, announced today the release of version 1.0 of its new mobile app that enables families to access their family tree and share special moments on-the-go. Available for free on iPhone, iPad and Android, the MyHeritage family tree app combines advanced touch-screen features and unique social aspects to help bring memories to life for the entire family.

Take your family tree with you
As the trusted home on the web for families wishing to explore their family history and keep in touch, so far more than 21 million family trees containing 900 million profiles have been created on MyHeritage. The new MyHeritage app enables family members to access their family tree on-the-go, offering the most advanced smart phone and tablet capabilities for an intuitive user experience. For example, the Pinch Zoom feature enables easy viewing of detailed information about ancestors and relatives, and touch-screen panning can be used to visit any area of interest on the tree. The app shows up to seven generations with photos in stunning graphics, and displays a rich profile for each individual as well. One year in the making, the app was built from the ground up using the most cutting edge HTML5 technologies.

A tool for family communication
The MyHeritage app transforms the family tree into a useful tool for family communication: users can call or email relatives in just one tap and upcoming birthdays and anniversaries are highlighted within the tree. The app also enables users to capture and share family photos instantly – ensuring special moments will never be missed regardless of how far apart family members live. Using sophisticated face recognition technology, the app automatically identifies family members taken in the photo and suggests sharing the photo with them in one easy tap.

Ideal for family get-togethers
With beautiful graphics and all the latest touch-screen features, the MyHeritage mobile app is ideal for people to impress their relatives with their family tree and photos at family gatherings. The MyHeritage app automatically syncs all data, including photos taken at family reunions, weddings and other family events, to users' family sites on MyHeritage - ensuring that all special memories can be shared and preserved for the future. Families can also enjoy the app's fun celebrity look-alike feature based on MyHeritage's face recognition abilities.

“We recognize the growing importance that families place on tablets and smart phones for entertainment and keeping in touch. Our new MyHeritage app shows our commitment to creating the best possible experience for families on mobile devices”, says MyHeritage Founder and CEO Gilad Japhet. “The app is a natural extension of our consumer offering and supports our mission of enabling families to connect to their past and to each other. Version 1.0 is just the tip of the iceberg – we look forward to adding significant new features in the near future.”

The MyHeritage mobile app is available for free on the App Store and the Android Market. To get started, download the app and log in to your MyHeritage account. New users can sign up for free on MyHeritage.com, build their family tree and begin an exciting journey into their family history. Version 1.0 supports 14 languages and additional languages will be added in subsequent releases. Further development on a more advanced version, including the ability to edit the tree and sign up to MyHeritage from within the app, has already begun.

About MyHeritage
MyHeritage is the most popular family network on the web. Millions of families around the world enjoy having a private and free place for their families to keep in touch and to showcase their roots. MyHeritage’s Smart Matching™ technology empowers users with an exciting and innovative way to find relatives and explore their family history. With all family information stored in a secure site, MyHeritage is the ideal place to share family photos and preserve special family moments. The site is available in 38 languages. So far more than 60 million people have signed up to MyHeritage. The company is backed by Accel Partners and Index Ventures, the investors of Facebook and Skype. For more information visit www.myheritage.com.

DearMYRTLE's Genealogy Blog

Ancestry.com: Questions from Ol' Myrt

FamilySearch: Questions from Myrt

#RootsTeach 2012: Live broadcasts of 14 sessions

NGS: Voices of Genealogy Video Series

Facebook Timeline facilitated by ShoeBox from 1000memories

Historical Society of PA and Ancestry.com Partnership

FHL: African American Research Series 11 Feb 2012

FHL: Swedish Research Series 25 Feb 2012

NARA: 1297 Magna Carta press opportunity

BRIGHTSOLID: A Main Partner of RootsTech 2012

RootsTech 2012 App Info

WEBINAR Muskogee County GenSoc 23 Feb 2012

Attending SLIG this week

New Kid on the Blog: Barry Ewell

2013 FGS National Conference Request for lecture Proposals

Webinar: RootsTech2012 Review with DearMYRTLE

Google Reader UPDATE with DearMYRTLE Evening Session

DM supports SOPA and PIPA protest

Leclerk joins Mocavo as Chief Genealogist

Will Pinterest replace blogs?

What is Pinterest?

What is a pin?

How do I install the "Pin It"" button?

What is a board?

What is following?

Quebec Family History Society launches new website

What I learned from listening to GeneaBloggers radio last night

Finding a Record Copy II or The Quick Brown Fox

NARA: Feb 2012 genealogy programs

RootsTech: MacEntee, Coffin, Eastman and Hansen

NEW! 2012 RootsTech Daily Schedule PostedEvery class and session, now with dates and times!

Family Tree Builder 6.0 released

21 December 2011MyHeritage Releases New Feature-Packed Family Tree Builder 6.0

TMG V8 released in late December

UGA makes virtual meetings public not private YES!

Finding a Record Copy or a FamilySearch folly

Second Life: Tuesday's EVIDENCE chat

IF YOU ARE NEW TO SECOND LIFE1. Download the free software, create an avatar and select a name for that avatar by visiting http://secondlife.com and clicking JOIN.

2. Once you "log in" to Second Life, click the small magnifying glass and "Search" for JUST GENEALOGY.

3. From the list click "teleport" so your avatar will be taken to our meeting area.

My name in-world is Clarise Beaumont.

Happy family tree climbing!Myrt :)DearMYRTLE,Your friend in genealogy

APG PMC registration deadline 10 Jan 2012

1 February 2012Radisson Hotel DowntownSalt Lake City, Utah

NARA: Genealogy workshop videos now online

NARA: Awards $2.5 Million for Historical Records Projects

NATIONAL ARCHIVES AWARDS $2.5 MILLION IN GRANTS

FOR HISTORICAL RECORDS PROJECTS

Myrt on GeneaBloggers Radio TONIGHT

Want the scoop on RootsTech 2012?

WEBINAR Muskogee County Genealogical Society

Lazy blogger wins 2011 GeneaBlog Award

Elizabeth has gone .com

"Applying the Preponderance-of-the-Evidence Principle to a Southern Frontier Problem"

"In Search of ‘Mr. Ball’: An Exercise in Finding Fathers"

"Roundabout Research: Pursuing Collateral Lines"

RootsTech admits mistake

MyHeritage has an App

NEW! 2012 RootsTech Daily Schedule Posted
Every class and session, now with dates and times!

21 December 2011
MyHeritage Releases New Feature-Packed Family Tree Builder 6.0

IF YOU ARE NEW TO SECOND LIFE
1. Download the free software, create an avatar and select a name for that avatar by visiting http://secondlife.com and clicking JOIN.

Happy family tree climbing!
Myrt :)
DearMYRTLE,
Your friend in genealogy

1 February 2012
Radisson Hotel Downtown
Salt Lake City, Utah