Sharing and Preserving our Memories

We all have memories. They are personal. They tell the story of who we are, and consequently of our family. The 2013 Rootstech Conference which I have viewed online has enhanced the evolution of my participation in genealogy. The preservation and sharing aspect is critical for taking our histories to the next generationMy  and the future. Rootstech this year had a great section of the conference dedicated to sharing and preserving with story telling and other tools. It was amazing.

About a year ago, I began the very gentle tip toe into sharing and preserving. It began with my first attempts at blogging. I have since then modified and enhanced it. And then with influence from Thomas MacEntee have found the path I think is best for me....for now. One of my blogs is about all things genealogy EXCEPT my family trees.My feelings, opinions, activities, goals, you name it. I am the president of my local genealogy society, so that always has its own perspective that I can share. The other 7 blogs are on family lines for both my husband and myself. Genealogy, photos, documents and hopefully stories that I can remember or discover for these family trees.

Just recently before I had even investigated the line-up for Rootstech, I had a  moment with my 3 year old granddaughter. I love listening to what she is thinking and she asked me to tell her a story. I think she meant from one of her Disney Princess books. But, I went "off script" with my first attempt at story telling her about two children, named Andrew and Jessica (her daddy and aunt - my children) and how they learned to ride their bicycles. She loved it, and this activity will continue as she grows. Hopefully, I can get her grandpa, and others to have their own "story times" with her. We also take out the scrapbook I created for the first year of her life...and use this as a prompt for story telling for her life. The book was given to her  as her baby present at the birth of her younger sister. She loves it and we use it to tell "her" story. Each of us has that need for validation. Our definition of self first comes from others. Later we learn how to define ourselves based on these earlier experiences.

Years ago, before I even thought of all this, when my mom and dad were still with us, I gave them each an assignment; a journal to write some of their memories while down south for the winter. It was their first extended trip away from family, and knowing them like I did, could not imagine that they would know what to do with their time. [They seemed to have trouble anticipating all the free hours that they would have upon retirement and how to fill them.] So, I bought them the journals and I have their writings from that time. Only wish that I had followed up with them, using the journals as a prompt for more questions. But, I have their photos from teen years and at least the little that they wrote. After their passing, I asked my Mother's 2 sisters to do the same, providing them with journals too. I have had one returned and will need to transcribe it from the hand written for easier reading and try to get time with her to ask further questions from her. Nothing I really can do to enhance my Dad's except through my mom's sisters, my brother, sister-in-law, our children and myself. But again, better than nothing. Since Dad's two remaining siblings were both younger than he, not sure what they could add, but will try to gather some information from them. Mom had numerous journals, but shortly before she died, she asked that they all be destroyed. I have the last one, saved by my dad and given to me. The last time she wrote in it was the day she was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. Personally, I am horrible at staying with a journal about myself. So, the blogs will have to be "my story".

So my newest goal is this. Each time I meet with  my family I want to take the time to get them to add one new memory/story to our family history. Short, long, sad, happy whatever. Just one story. Will need to remember something to record it...wonder if my smart phone has anything? Then will have to best determine how to best preserve them and share them....need to think that one through.

The Front Line For Genealogy

I am just back from Rootstech 2013. No I did not attend in person, but rather am taking advantage of their marvelous commitment to sharing some of the presentations in live streams and then archived videos at their web site at www.rootstech.org for no charge. Love them for their updates, education and entertainment. This is the conference that has gone onto my bucket list and is now in only its third year the largest genealogy conference in the USA. It is where genealogy meets technology or in other words where traditional genealogy conference meets trade show. With teenagers invited for a special session on Saturday, the 3 day conference had almost 9000 people go through the gates and more watching online. At last report representatives of 49 US states attended, and 17 foreign countries! Wow.

Learning experiences and not just database searches make you a better researcher which in turn improves the data you can obtain about your family tree. This is why I believe that family historians need to improve their skills. Better questions lead to better answers. There is one aspect of genealogy that I have not, as yet, seen advocated at the conference. They have a call out for encouraging more people to be working on their family trees, and more people telling their stories. The conference advocates for search skills, organization skills and preservation activities. Great. But, who is on the Front Line in these efforts? Who is the Entry Point for new/beginning genealogists ? Who holds their hand through brick walls, use of technology both old and new? Who identifies local records, and then can seek to preserve them?

It is my belief that the local genealogical societies, those that people can attend regularly are that Front Line. And, to date, I have seen little dedicated effort to supporting or promoting their missions from anyone on the large stage, except for FGS. As a president for our local society, I have given introductions to our society, to a local Kiwanis, Rotary, Fortnightly, public libraries, museum events, and Leadership groups in the county in the past 11 years. We begin each spring with a Brochure Blast, getting our brochures out in the libraries, Senior Citizen Centers, Museums, local FHC and County offices. This year we will have a booth at the 50+ Challenge to Live Well, The 2013 Farm Technology Days, and our Pioneer Village Heritage Days. Our research room is open and free to the general pubic, for about 27 hours each month and our Monthly Programs (with speakers or other events) are also free and open to the public. (Our Annual Banquet and General Membership Business Meetings are for members only.) Our Free coaching classes for Beginners, or those applying for Society Ancestor Certificates, or use of genealogy software, and beginning bloggers, are all open to the general public. We advertise our events and programs in our society bi-monthly newsletter, on our society web site, Facebook pages, and monthly in local print media and radio stations. So, it seems to me that our small society is doing pretty much all that it can to get our "face" out to the public. What we need in the genealogical community is a re-dedication to an old concept. We need to encourage membership in genealogical societies. Rather than a relationship with ones computer, we need to advocate for recreating genealogical communities through the small local societies and then supporting their missions.

So what is it I would like to see? Actually something very small. I want everyone who is active in doing their family history or who is involved in preserving local records to belong to their local society. Historical Societies are great, and ours maintains our local museum. But they collect, preserve, and present artifacts. They do not do family history research nor are they open as many months of the year as we are. But if your Historical Society has a Genealogy committee, get involved with them. I would like to see each of my members (now numbering just under 100) to invite guests to our programs and to membership. Generally, family historians know others who share their passion. And, whenever someone is asked, how do I begin? Direct them to their local society.

And what can those societies do? Meet your members needs. No one wants to belong to a group that is not inviting or knowledgeable and excited about their subject! Attracting new members is an obligation of the society. You know...."if you aren't growing...your dying." I certainly would not want to attend an event, where I felt left out of it, and not welcomed....and it was simply a "kaffee klatch" for a clique of friends. Activity is a critical ingredient to attracting, keeping, and involving your members. You gotta be DOING something!

Are you a member of your local society? Get involved!