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!

Love That Blogging

One of the obligations of a family historian or genealogist is to preserve and share their research. This can be a daunting expectation since in my experience the majority of those out there doing this type of work, are beginners. Source citations, creative writing, research skills, all come into creating a genealogical product that the experts will approve.

So, I am not going to appeal to the experts. I want all those family historians out there to consider sharing and preserving their family stories on a blog. Now, I know what you are thinking.....how will I know whether the information on their blog is accurate? You don't. But like so many records that we use, such as "Mug" books (aka County History Books), obits, tombstones, and others research, we have to use the information as a clue to find further documents and evidence that may support the information. And one thing that the experts will not have is our family tales and traditions. I have journals from family members of their memories, and in some cases some old letters. These are going to make my "stories" really become their story.

I have been inspired by Thomas MacEntee to blog. I use Google Blogger and find it so easy its almost painless. I separate my blogs by surname and geographical origination, cause that is how I separate my family trees for ease of researching within a given area. At present I have 8 blogs;  GeneaGunkie about All Things Genealogy but not my Trees, AbbottAncestry, ErvastiTree from Finland, JuhlinFromSweden, MyLarueLinks, PloegerPast from Germany, RiedellRoots from Prussia/Silesia/Posen, and StreseStories from Germany.

This is how I also have scanned and saved to files those photos, documents, etc. that will pertain to the blog. I named these Scanned Files the same as the blog. Makes it so easy to go back and find what I need for the blog.

Remember this. A blog is personal and expresses my personal opinions and experiences. You may want to disagree with my opinions, and that is your right. But, my experiences are uniquely mine, and you cannot disagree with them, as "they are what they are, and they are mine!"

I'mmmmm Baaaaack!

I know. I have been gone too long. Busy with family, society, job etc. And I thought I had nothing to talk about. But, after a Winter Recess from my Blue Hills Genealogical Society-Barron County, Inc. found a new burst of creative energy! Amazing what a break can do for you.

BHGS is getting things re-organized to better serve and spread the work around to more member-volunteers. A really great genealogical society, in today's world needs to be inclusive, relevant, and ACTIVE!!!! If you are not growing....you are dying.

So, we have worked on my mantra about committees. NO COMMITTEES OF ONE. Ask someone to work with you. Get volunteers to work on one simple aspect of your committee. If someone is a new chairperson, help them to develop a goal and agenda with procedures in place.

For Example, I have been serving as the Program chair for our society. This is not the way to do it, as I am as President an ex-officio member of all committees and that has me spread way to thin. A program chair basically only needs a computer and a phone to set up the programs. Therefore, they actually can be a member who lives out of area. Which is what we got. A member was transferred out of state but agreed to serve as our 2013 Program Chair. It did not hurt that of the 10 Monthly Programs for 2013 I had already planned 8 of them. [ I am a big fan of planning way out in front of an event, so that we can better advertise it.] All we needed on her committee then was a couple of people to announce the Program the night of, arrange any film, screen or projector needs for the night, and print out any handouts that a speaker may wish to provide. The new chair actually recruited her own committee members so that is all set. Wahoo!

Got a new arranged committee for the Newsletter, which made our Editor really happy. And all this reorganizing should lessen the load for our volunteers. Which left me with some time on my hands, so I have gone back to advocating for sharing and preserving ones family history/genealogy through blogging.In case you did not know, Thomas MacEntee is one of my heroes!

I had already created 2 blogs. This one, and MyLaRueLinks about my paternal line. I have now added 2 new blogs for my maternal line. My mom's paternal line is at http://RiedellRoots.blogspot.com and her maternal line is my newest blog, at http://PloegerPast.blogspot.com.  I am excited to share this new aspect of genealogy with my society members. I use Google Blogger. An easy template and free. Great way to share with others interested in any of my lines. Cheaper than printing a book. And a lead in to more complicated sharing and preserving formats such as Google Sites where I have put out 2 first websites on my Juhlin line and my husband's Ervasti line.

There are so many avenues to pursue in genealogy! Such fun and so rewarding.

Working Alone or in Groups?

I love genealogy. I love everything related to genealogy. I love traveling for research, attending conferences, old photos, you name it. But, maybe what it really comes down to is that I love associating with other people who also love genealogy. They simply have similar interests, experiences, and I always come away with some new piece of information that will improve my genealogy.

Just recently I read the book, the Journey Takers by Leslie Albrecht. It was recommended by a member of my local society. Lovely use of her genealogy to describe her ancestors in humanizing terms. Not just the data a genealogist collects, but the stories, descriptions, and "what ifs?" of her family. This all lead me to remember to include the stories, memories, newspaper articles, letters, and personal writings of my family into my PAF files on family. I can get so involved in finding the hard data, that I can forget to include those things that will make my ancestors more human. So "Note to self"...tell the story; do not only record the data.

If you read my blog, you will notice that I have a bias. It is that for the best results and rewards of this hobby, that you should find a local genealogy society to join. If they have a few meetings that are open to the public, attend a couple. See what the general atmosphere is going to be. While I love love love doing my own research. And generally speaking it is not a team sport. I have found some collaborators through the Internet over the years. But, it is through my local society, that I have made friends for weekly walks, travel, visiting museums, sharing gas, going out to lunch etc. and yes, talking about genealogy. If you feel that their programs are not relevant, then maybe you can help them develop or implement some programs that will be useful/entertaining to members.

Now I have to get back to seeing who else would like to share gas to this years Gene-A-Rama. And maybe share a room? Could save us both a bundle!

Great Programs.

Since I am the President of my local genealogical society, I have my hand in a number of our programs. Planning and implementing them is always an issue. But, the most important ingredient is having your antennae up and listening and looking for what your membership and the public WANT.  I am a firm believer that a large number of members and non-members who attend our regular monthly meetings, generally want tips to improve their research results. And, I have found that where ever we can actully lead them through a hands-on process they tend to obtain better results.Where ever you decide to hold your monthly meetings, make sure you have wireless capabilites. It will allow for so many more meeting program possibilities.

So, at our last meeting we invited everyone to bring their laptops. If they did not own one, we would sit them alongside someone who had one. Then, our program speaker, who is also a member of our Society and the Director of the Local FHC began. I have a projector, so was able to hook up to her computer, while she got FamilySearch.org up on the screen.Then we showed only one part of what FamilySearch can do for their research. Finding the catalog and looking at what films can be ordered was the focus. There simply are to many items available through the FHL loan to FHC's that any researcher who wants any kind of results, simply cannot ignore this resource. Then, since the ordering and paying for microfilm rental must now be done from the patrons home/computer, we helped the attendees to set up their FREE accounts and showed them how that worked.  Since our Local Barron FHC is only about 5 blocks from our society meeting and research room location and from our county courthouse, we can offer the best research repositories in very close proximity for the county. This is a wonderful advantage to researchers.

Our full meeting room, with at least half of those attending from the BHGS non-member population was an indicator that the subject matter was relevant. It also let us know that since we had so many attendees from the general public, that our use of Facebook, website, and publicity in local media was successful and is being viewed by the public. Great meetings and really good advertising creates interest, attendance, membership and these are all great things for a society.

Our April meeting is our 10th Anniversary and Society Elections. We plan to celebrate. Our May meeting will be planning a genealogical research trip with a session from Tronhiem in America President, Robert Fossum (who is also a member of our Society) on the related issue of planning for attending a Norwegian stevne. June will find members out in one of our county cemeteries, where we continue the project of photographing the tombstones while creating abstracts of those cemeteries as our dedication to preserving local records. Its going to be a GREAT year for our Society.

Whats New for 2012.

I have been elected to the post of the NW District Representative for the Wisconsin State Genealogical Society. This is a position I held for a very short time until health issues made me resign from that commitment. So, now I am back again, promoting what I love, genealogy and their societies. One of the best tools available to  a genealogist is membership in a good genealogical society. Whether it is local (which I highly recommend as at least one of your memberships) or through a subscription to one at a distance. These groups of people simply can offer so much more than one person could find on their own.  So, find your local. Join the State Society. Or if you do not have a local, ask WSGS for some simple steps in getting your own group up and running!

What's a Webinar?

A webinar, is a online seminar. The ones that I have watched have been narrated PowerPoint presentations on different genealogy related subjects or on how to use online tools in my genealogy or society business. Genealogy Gems,  Legacy Family.com, Roots Magic.com, Geneawebinars have schedules for some of these. I generally view those that are free, and I make sure to check the archived copies, if I am busy when they are shown live. I may miss out on the door prizes and the Q&A sessions, but can still listen to them as recorded material. Google Docs and Google Forms by Thomas MacEntee, along with his others on Create a Genealogy Toolbox and Backup for your Genealogy Data were excellent and eye opening to me. The pod casts and videos on Genealogy Gems are thrilling. I am working on absorbing all the information that Lisa Louise Cooke provides in her presentations, and especially with search tips and tricks and Google Earth to enhance genealogy. If you are only looking for databases, you may sometimes feel like a gerbil on a wheel. You need to enhance your skills to get more and better information. So use these tools. They save you gas, can be fit into your personal schedule and are providing the public with great tools.