Getting ready for #NGS2015GEN via #genchat

This past Friday, #genchat was all about St. Louis research. I was delighted to have the St. Louis Genealogical Society join me in a "everything you need to know" style question & answer chat. 


As the excitement builds for the National Genealgoical Society 2015 Family History Conference, I wanted to do something special. So I was very happy when the St. Louis Genealogical Society reached out to me on Twitter, and agreed to work together on a collaborative #genchat session. This was, in my opinion, a great way to put us all into the mindset for St. Louis research and a great way to introduce us to the true experts in that area. 

A few highlights for me from the chat included the timeline they provided for ethnic migation through the area. 

You get the idea, the content they were able to contribute was amazing! 

To read the entire chat, please visit the Storify page, where you can actually find several chats preserved. Everyone is welcome to join in on #genchat, every other Friday on Twitter. You can find all the details on our website: genealogygenchat.com. Follow the chats at @_genchat. 

I would encourage all of you to add the St. Louis Genealogical Society to your Twitter feed, @StLGS, as well as the National Genealogical Society @NGSgenealogy. Follow me during the conference for updates and activities! @ancestryjourney 

If your society would like to work together with me on a future #genchat, please contact me! I think this is a fantastic way to get the message out about all of the wonderful organizations around the world. 

#FGS2015 Registration Deadline: ACT NOW!

I received this press release today from the Federation of Genealogical Societies (FGS) regarding their upcoming 2015 Conference in Salt Lake City. I hope that you will join FGS, and me!, for what is sure to be a not-to-miss, once-in-a-lifetime event. And hey! Maybe you could come to one of my lectures? 

For Immediate Release
January 9, 2015

2015 FGS Conference Early registration discount Ends January 23

January 9, 2015 – Austin, TX. The early registration discount for the 2015 Federation of Genealogical Societies Conference ends January 23. Early registrants pay $159 for the full four days. The online registration price increases to $189 after January 23. The cost to add-on RootsTech remains $39. Register now to pay the lowest registration price.

The FGS 2015 conference will be held February 11–14, 2015 in Salt Lake City, Utah in conjunction with RootsTech. Visit www.FGSconference.org to learn how those two conferences will operate while sharing the Salt Palace Convention Center and to find out about sessions, speakers, luncheons, and special events. If you have already registered, log in to your account at FGSconference.org to purchase luncheon tickets.

Subscribe to the FGS Voice blog at www.voice.fgs.org and FGS social media channels (links available at www.FGSconference.org) to keep up with the latest news and announcements about the 2015 conference.

See you in Salt Lake City in February.

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.

Follow us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/FGSgenealogy), Twitter (http://www.twitter.com/FGSgenealogy) and on our blog at (http://voice.fgs.org).

#####

Contact:       

Federation of Genealogical Societies
PO Box 200940
Austin, TX 78720-0940
phone: +1 (888) 347-1500
fax: +1 (866) 347-1350
office@fgs.org

Looking Forward to #FGS2015; an energetic experience

It's been a while. Yes, I know. It was a very long summer pulling me in numerous directions, and while most of it was absolutely incredible, some if it was quite stressful. But now? I'm back, and I'm happy to be blogging for myself again. 


The last six months have been a bit of a whirlwind for me, and one of the reasons for that is the upcoming Federation of Genealogical Societies (FGS) 2015 conference. I was absolutely thrilled - and admittedly, more than a little surprised - to be invited to speak four times at this event. Not only is this an amazing conference to attend, it is also being held in conjunction with RootsTech this year, for a truly "once in a lifetime" event. 

FGS provided us with this nifty graphics to help spread the word! 

The conference itself is going to be quite an experience for all of us who are lucky enough to attend. Between the two events, the educational offerings will be quite extensive. 


The exhibit hall and society showcase should be quite something to see, both in size and scope; and of course, let's not overlook the fact that the whole thing takes place just down the road from the Family History Library. Whew. That's a lot to do in one week. 

I'm planning on arriving a day or two in advance this year. I'll have much to do in preparation for the conference, as a speaker, FGS Ambassador, and as part of the Findmypast team. I also plan on staying on a couple days afterwards, to visit with family and spend some time doing research at the library. 

I think sometimes it is hard to write down what you experience at a conference. If you have never attended an event like this, understand that through the crowds, the rush to see a favorite speaker, the nearly frantic pace to "get as much as I can" into your schedule for a week; the energy consumes you. There is no other feeling like it, the "conference high," when you arrive home and just cannot wait to dig into your research once again. Even those who have been working on a frustrating project for decades can find renewed energy and passion for a mystery still to be solved. 

As an FGS Ambassador, I will likely put most of my time into my social media channels, sharing the news, and getting the word out from the conference committee. You can easily find updates by following the hashtag, #FGS2015, or directly from the website. 

The event takes place February 11 - 14, 2015, and I certainly hope to see you there! 

Making a Plan: #FGS2014

#FGS2014 will be upon us before we know it! I'm starting to prep by creating my conference plan. 

As a conference attendee, planning your days at an event like the Federation of Genealogical Societies Annual Conference can be quite rewarding. It's quite helpful to know in advance which sessions are on your "must-see" list and which special events and luncheons to look forward to. As a conference vendor, volunteer, speaker, ambassador, and attendee, the planning becomes a bit more... complicated. 

Of course, I also want some time for networking, visiting with friends, and toss in the live #genchat that will be done from the venue. All of this pretty much means it's going to be a long week, I'm going to be exhausted when it's done, but I'm going to have a grand time. 

My planning actually started a while ago when I settled on my dates. I'll be in San Antonio the Monday before the conference, and I'll stay through the week, leaving the Monday after. Yes, it's an entire week of heat-filled fun in Texas for me, but I'm going to need it. I'm going to need the time to settle in a bit, get myself organized, and ensure that I have everything I need. That's what Monday is all about. Travel - set up - change of mindset from regular life to conference life. 

The Paid Gigs

As my role with Findmypast will keep me quite busy, I'll use the time on Tuesday to preset some Tweets and other social media from my personal accounts, and to get all those "on site" tasks started as I wait for my team members to arrive. There is always just one more thing to do, and that includes making sure our area in the Expo Hall looks amazing, grabbing some early pictures to tweet out during the show, and confirming hotel reservations for late arrivals.

I'll take some time to go over my session, "Embracing Technology: Tools You Can Use Today to Move Your Society Into Virtual Space," one last time. This is a panel, which I'm co-presenting with D. Joshua Taylor, on behalf of the NextGen Genealogy Network. I'm excited for it, and I hope that the attendees will walk away with new, practical tools to assist their organizations, that they can implement immediately. That's the goal. 

Volunteer - Ambassador - Attendee

This conference is certainly not going to be boring! As a volunteer for the Preserve the Pensions War of 1812 effort, I'm planning on spending some time with that team, working to spread the message of our goals to digitize the pension files from the War of 1812. I'm planning on working my social media network as an FGS Ambassador. And I even get to attend a session or two! I'm looking forward to attending the FGS Society Luncheon on Wednesday, "The State of Our Societies," and "Volunteering From A Distance" with Paula Stewart-Warren. 

I'll be honest, the rest of the sessions on my list are questionable. I'll likely get to one or two, but the paid gig comes first, so it all depends on how busy we are over in the Expo Hall. One thing I do enjoy about these events is working with my fellow team members at Findmypast, and how we all try to look out for each other. Yes, we are there to represent the company and our product, but we also encourage each other to get to sessions and continue our own education. 

How is it possible? 

In discussion with a colleague the other day, I listed out all of my roles during #FGS2014. The question that came was, "how do you do it?" How do I keep it all straight, organized, and be where I'm supposed to be? 

The answer is focused preparation in advance of the event and the use of Excel. I started using Excel a lot more about 12 months ago in all facets of genealogy, and the trend has only continued - in fact - exploded! I now have spreadsheets for everything (I've written about this before), and that includes conferences. I have one for Findmypast and Preserve the Pensions, and each includes daily schedules, people I want to connect with, blogging ideas and social media prompts for myself, and more. 

I also get a lot of material from the FGS Conference website and the conference blog. Both are loaded with great material, that you can access in advance. Of course, that all transitions to the FGS app when I'm on site, so I can stay current on what is happening and have it all at my fingertips. 

Let's go to Texas! 

I've only been to Texas once before, spending a few days in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. I got to meet Troy Aikman on that trip (his hands are huge - woah!) but I am absolutely positive that San Antonio in August will top that! 

I'll be there - with my boots on! Will you? 

FGS Announces Upcoming Events

For Immediate Release
May 14, 2014

FEDERATION OF GENEALOGICAL SOCIETIES ANNOUNCES UPCOMING EVENTS

FGS Hosts 2015 Alaskan Cruise, 2015 New York Regional Conference, and Celebrates Its 40^th Anniversary in Springfield, Illinois in 2016

May 14, 2014 – Austin, TX. The Federation of Genealogical Societies (FGS) is excited to announce its upcoming events lineup, which includes a 2015 FGS Alaskan Cruise, August 28^th - September 4th; a 2015 New York Regional Conference in Syracuse in conjunction with the New York State Family History Conference, September 17th-19th; and the 2016 FGS National Conference in Springfield, Illinois, August 31st – September 3^rd.

2015 Alaskan Cruise

Join your friends and fellow genealogists on the first FGS Cruise in the fall of 2015. This event promises to deliver a memorable vacation and education from leading genealogists on a variety of topics. Watch for additional information in late 2014. 

2015 New York Regional Conference

The New York State Family History Conference returns to Syracuse, New York September 17-19, 2015. Organized  by the New York Genealogical and Biographical Society and the Central New York Genealogical Society, the second biennial conference has expanded to include three tracks of lectures, a significant increase in attendance, and an enlarged space that will accommodate many more exhibitors and societies of interest to attendees. One of the conference focal points is researching New York families, a pursuit that offers unique challenges and requires special techniques and knowledge; the other focal point is building general research skills. In 2015, the event will be hosted as a regional conference of the Federation of Genealogical Societies (FGS) who will provide topics and events for genealogical society leaders and volunteers as part of the conference's activities. 

2016 National Conference

Celebrate the 40th Anniversary of the Federation of Genealogical Societies as we return to Illinois in 2016. Hosted in the Land of Lincoln, the 2016 conference will feature the latest news and updates from the family history community, a full exhibit hall, the popular Society Showcase, and sessions related to the Midwestern states, research methods, and other topics.

FGS President D. Joshua Taylor states, “As we watch our organizations meet the needs of today's genealogists, we are delighted to offer a variety of activities for 2015 and our return to Springfield for our 40th Anniversary in 2016.”

Currently, registration is open for the Federation’s 2014 National Conference, “Gone to Texas,” to be held in San Antonio, Texas, August 27th-30th. Further, the Federation has a Call for Papers for its 2015 National Conference, “Connect. Explore. Refresh.” to be held concurrently with Rootstech in Salt Lake City, Utah, February, 11th-14th.

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.

Follow us on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/FGSgenealogy), Twitter (http://www.facebook.com/FGSgenealogy) and on our blog at (http://voice.fgs.org).

#####

Contact:       

Federation of Genealogical Societies
PO Box 200940
Austin, TX 78720-0940
phone: +1 (888) 347-1500
fax: +1 (866) 347-1350
office@fgs.org

12 Months of Extraordinary… or Why Genealogy Conferences are Awesome

With J. Mark Lowe and
Terri O'Connell, NGS 2013
©Jen Baldwin, 2013-2014

Almost exactly twelve months ago today I was getting ready to depart for Las Vegas, NV and the 2013 Family History Conference hosted by the National Genealogical Society (NGS). 

It was my first major genealogy conference, and there was no point in trying to hide my excitement. I was thrilled to be attending, I was thrilled to be part of a team of Official Bloggers along with with Terri O’Connell and Jennifer Alford of the In-Depth Genealogist. I was thrilled to be meeting so many people that I had come to respect from their online presence. I was simply thrilled.


During the event, I did whatever I could to ensure that I got to the people I wanted to get to. As someone trying desperately to break into the genealogy profession, I knew that I needed to network – big time. I needed to cover every inch of that conference center, and I was ready for it. Business cards: check. Social media ready: check. Blog post drafts: check. Interviews with the big guns scheduled: check. I had it all together… I thought.

Great friendships were born! We were
"the fun table!" NGS2013
©Jen Baldwin, 2013-2014

 When the day finally came and I arrived in Las Vegas, I was standing in baggage claim at the airport and saw a familiar face walk by. It took me a minute to realize it was one of the “big gun” speakers I had hoped to meet… and I just stood there as he disappeared into the crowd. “Plenty of time for that,” I thought. I had all my lists, schedules and had allowed my Type A traits to run amok in preparation; I couldn’t be any more confident that I had it all together. The one thing I forgot to plan for ultimately became one of the most important: spontaneity.


Over the course of the week, I did manage to let myself relax… not too much, but enough. I had one interview in particular I was very anxious for. I had weeks to prep for it, I knew that far ahead that it was going to happen. But I was still unprepared for a scheduled 30 minute session to run into two hours of great conversation and unmasked laughter; I laughed so much during that interview, I was crying. And those two hours are impressed into my memory, they are moments I treasure that grew into an ongoing friendship.


The business networking was incredibly successful for me. I swallowed the advice of J. Mark Lowe, CG, when he talked of really capitalizing on your specialty - your niche - and making sure you know it inside and out. Then shout to the world that you know it inside and out. (Ok, not exactly Mark’s words, but that was the general message, and hey, it works! And yes, Mark was absolutely on that list of genealogy rock stars.)

With Josh Taylor, NGS 2013
©Jen Baldwin, 2013-2014

I had the pleasure of sitting down with Megan Smolenyak Smolenyak, D. Joshua Taylor, Warren Bittner, CG, and many, many more people that have continued to play a role in my life. I made some great friends who I continue to share a special bond with today, like Barry Kline, Julie Jones and Mary Jane Bennett. Some of these were planned, some were random meetings; like sitting down for dinner the first night with Julie and Mary simply because we were all waiting for a table at the same time. That’s another moment imprinted into my brain; sharing a great meal – albeit rushed – and great stories over dinner on day 1, and having these two dear ladies become a part of my life, become friends.

Barry, Mary Jane and Julie: laughter and
friendship in Las Vegas
©Jen Baldwin, 2013-2014

And that is one of the joys of conferences. Pretty much everyone you pass in the hall has a mutual interest, a starting point for conversation. You can jump into conversation with just about anybody and connect in some way. You learn together, you make memories together, and you plan the next conference together.
I've had twelve months of great moments, opportunity, and incredible challenges, and many are a direct result of my attendance at NGS2013. I wouldn't trade the last 12 months for anything.


Since then I've had the pleasure to represent Findmypast at the New York Family History Conference in Syracuse (Nov 2013), and RootsTech 2014. I also spoke at RootsTech, and will be happily presenting again at FGS in August. I'll be there at NGS and Jamboree, and even get to squeeze in a trip to the Ontario Genealogical Society Conference the first weekend of May; and although I'm "working," I'm really not. I love every minute of it.


So won’t you join me? Come be a part of it all, whether you choose NGS in Richmond, FGS in San Antonio, Jamboree in California or some other event close to you, you are cordially invited to be a part of this amazing family.


Here’s a few links if you are on the fence:

• National Genealogical Society 2014 Family History Conference, Richmond, VA
• Federation of Genealogical Societies 2014 Annual Conference, San Antonio, TX
• Southern California Genealogical Society 2014 Jamboree, Burbank, CA
• Conference Keeper: a site for all genealogy events!

Press Release: Registration for Conference and Events Closes 22 Apr 2014

I received this press release this morning from the National Genealogical Society.

Press Release

Contact: Erin Shifflett

Phone: 703-525-0050                                                                                                                                 

eshifflett@ngsgenealogy.org                                                                                                             

For Release: 16 April 2014

Registration for the NGS Conference

and All Ticketed Events

Closes 22 April 2014

arlington, va, 16 APRIL 2014: Have you registered for the NGS Family History Conference in Richmond? The deadline for pre-conference registration is 22 April 2014. Registration will be available on-site beginning at 12:00 noon, 6 May 2014, in the Greater Richmond Convention Center.

Registration for all meals, social events, and workshops closes on 22 April 2014. No ticket purchases will be available on-site at the conference for meals, social events, or workshops. Likewise, registration for Librarians’ Day also closes on 22 April 2014. For conference information and to register, go to http://conference.ngsgenealogy.org/attend/.

Breakfast, Luncheons, and the NGS Banquet

Participating organizations sponsor several luncheons during the conference. Seats are still available for several of the luncheons, the NGS First-Timers Breakfast, and the NGS Banquet. Make your reservations now at http://conference.ngsgenealogy.org/attend/. The NGS First-Timers Breakfast is $24, luncheons are $32, and the banquet is $51. Menus are in the registration brochure at http://conference.ngsgenealogy.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/Registration-Brochure-Final-Rev-11.pdf.

Live Streaming

If you are unable to attend the NGS 2014 Family History Conference, ten lectures featuring some of the most popular topics and nationally known speakers will be available to you via live streaming.  Details about viewing the live streaming program and the costs can be found athttp://conference.ngsgenealogy.org/attend/live-streaming-at-ngs2014gen/. Registration for the live streaming program closes on 30 April 2014.

Society Night

On Wednesday evening 7 May 2014, many Virginia genealogical and historical societies will be available in the Richmond Marriott from5:15 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. to answer questions about local repositories and resources, discuss their group’s activities, and sell their publications.

Richmond Area Tours

There are a few seats left on the historical tours prior to the NGS 2014 Family History Conference through Richmond Discoveries’ Tours onTuesday, 6 May 2014. To register go to http://www.richmonddiscoveries.com/ngs.php.  The password is NGS2014 and is case sensitive.

Add Items to an Existing Registration

To add meals to your current registration, log on at http://www.ngsgenealogy.org, click on My Account, select My Events, and then click to Add Sessions. To add pre-conference events, click on My Account and then select Upcoming Events.

You really don’t want to miss this year’s exciting conference program from 7–10 May at the Greater Richmond Convention Center and Richmond Marriott.

Founded in 1903, the National Genealogical Society is dedicated to genealogy education, high research standards, and the preservation of genealogical records.  The Arlington, Virginia, 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.  Please visit the NGS Pressroom for further information.

-End-

RT 1082

“RT 1082.”

Gibberish?

Hardly.


RT1082 is the code assigned to my presentation at RootsTech 2014. I like it. It has an R2D2 ring to it, and that makes me smile.

R2D2. Would't he be cool to have at RootsTech?

Image: Jan SOLO, Wikimedia Commons

I have been looking forward to this adventure for months, and as we get within just days of departure, my anticipation only grows. I have so many people to meet, research to do (yippee!), friends to see again and spend time with, and an entire week of genealogy immersion to enjoy. Without further ado, I would like to take this opportunity to introduce you to my session and those that have agreed to participate in it with me.

“Online Trees: The Root of All Evil?”

This session is a panel discussion, focused on the merits of online trees. It melds together a little bit of me, five panelists, and hopefully an engaged audience that will all come together to create a lively, but also beneficial, conversation regarding the issue of whether or not to place your genealogical research online.


It’s a bit of a hot bed, and I cannot wait to get the discussion going.


After careful planning and consideration, I have invited five people to be on the panel, and I am proud to present them now. In no particular order…

• D. Joshua Taylor, Data Strategy Manager – North America, findmypast.com and President of the Federation of Genealogical Societies.
• Anne Gillespie Mitchell, Senior Producet Manager at Ancestry.com. She is fondly known as "Ancestry Anne"
• Chris Whitten, CEO & Founder of WikiTree
• Laurie Desmarias, Genealogist, Geneablogger at Confusethedead.com and #genchat participant.
• Elissa Scallisse Powell, CG, CGL, Co-Director at GRIP and President of the Board Certification of Genealogists

The session will be conducted on Thursday, February 6, at 2:30 pm in Ballroom A.


I am incredibly pleased to be bringing together a dynamic group of innovators, forward thinkers and leaders in our community for this session. Each of these individuals provides an alternative thought process, a different perspective, and obviously, various backgrounds and experience levels for the conversation to draw from.

I would be remiss if I did not take a moment to thank those that have helped me to get to this point. Speaking at RootsTech has been a goal of mine for some time, and I have had more than one cheerleader on this road.  My wonderful family, my amazing mentor, Kassie Nelson, Rorey Cathcart and Pat Richley-Erickson have been especially helpful, encouraging and are deserving of recognition. 

For those of you who are also attending, I'll see you there! Be sure to connect with me, I love meeting new people. You can tweet me at @ancestryjourney or seek me out some other way. Just be sure to do it! I'm the short girl, with the coffee.

The Countdown Begins

Two years ago, I watched live streamed sessions from RootsTech 2012. I promised myself, less than 15 minutes into the keynote, that I would go. I would go to that conference, attend those sessions, meet those people. More than any other webinar, conference, hangout, or anything else I have ever seen, RootsTech was it. 

And now? 

Not only have I kept that promise to myself by attending RootsTech 2014, I am presenting a session, too. 

Sweaty palms? Check.

Butterflies? Check.

Anxious wake-up-in-the-middle-of-the-night panic moments? Check. 

(Ok, this last one is pushing it a bit. I'm not that nervous!)

What I have more of, though, is friendship and support. 

My mentor will be there. My #genchat friends will be there. Folks that I respect will be speaking, blogging, and otherwise networking (and maybe one or two will even come to listen!). People that I have never met before will be there; thousands of them. 

I always get a little nervous before public speaking, but within five minutes or so, I settle into my topic, and I'm good after that. I enjoy it! Engaging with people, bringing new information to them, sharing something I am passionate about; that is a part of my job I truly enjoy. It fits in so nicely with my three words for 2014, too, doesn't it? 

NGS 2013

While attending the National Genealogical Society Conference last May in Las Vegas, I met some really incredible people. Made some truly lasting friendships, and learned a great deal. Not just about genealogy (that's a given, right?), but about myself as well. I cannot wait to see what happens in Salt Lake City. 

I still have quite a bit to do before we head west, and I'm sure I'll be blogging as I go. If you are planning on attending, please leave a comment so we can connect in person! 

Beyond the conference, the session, and the great folks, I get to spend some time at the Family History Library, too... bliss. 

Headed South

The first weekend of August will bring another first for me in the world of genealogy: I will be presenting at the Colorado Springs Family History Expo. Held at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Colorado Springs, the roughly two and half hour drive south of my current location should bring me some exciting moments.

First, and most obviously, I am excited to be presenting my session on "Blogging: Telling the Stories Behind Your Research." The piece I love about this prezy is that it really serves as an eye opener to many attendees; they link of a blog as a confusing, somewhat overwhelming thing to do. When you really break it down, however, and define it in personal terms, it becomes a much more approachable idea. I hope that somebody comes to hear about it. This is the first time I will be presenting in a setting where attendees have options of which session to go to; and I'm a little concerned no one will want to listen to me! It does fit in nicely however with this year's theme, "Top 10 Techniques for Fishing for Ancestors & Other Persons of Interest."

Secondly, I will finally be able to meet some of my "local" Colorado friends that I know well from Facebook and Twitter, but have never actually met in person. There are a few people on that list, and some of us have tried - and failed - to meet at other events. Somehow, it just has not worked out. This time, however, will be different, and I'm looking forward to the opportunity.

Lastly, the chance to attend a more regionally focused event like this one will be good for me. I've seen small workshops (up to maybe 50 people or so), and I've seen large events such as the National Genealogical Society Annual Conference, held this past May in Las Vegas. I'm looking forward to seeing what happens "in the middle."

If you happen to be in the area, please join us! And if you join us, please say hi if you see me! And if you say hi, please do so after you've attended my session! (Just kidding; you can say hi anytime...)

You can get all the information you need by visiting the Family History Expos website.

NGS 2013: The Sessions

Although most of my NGS 2013 Conference blogging is taking place on The In-Depth Genealogist, I thought I would share a bit, here, too.

First, it was amazing. If you ever get the chance to attend a conference like this: do it.

We had wonderful opportunities to meet with other people, network, attend sessions, participate in un-conferencing discussions, and much, much more. My colleague and friend at IDG, Terri O'Connell, even won a registration for next year's conference in Virginia!

Terri O'Connell at Opening Session right after
winning a 2014 registration!

I was able to attend several sessions, some of which held local interest for me, which was great. Here's the list of what I was able to see:

• People, Policy, and Records: The Importance of Historical Background (Opening Session), Marian Smith
• Rough Riders in the Spanish-American War, Mary Penner
• The Genealogical Proof Standard in Action! Case Building When No Record States An Answer!, Elizabeth Shown Mills
• Birdie Monk Holsclaw Memorial Lecture. Impossible Immigrant! I Know Everything About teh Man Except Where He Came From, F. Warren Bittner
• Maximizing Your Use of Evidence, Thomas W. Jones
• The Civil War in the American West, Rick Sayre
• Borders and Boundaries: Creating Locaility Profiles for Research, D. Joshua Taylor
• ProGen Study Groups Breakfast, Angela Packer McGhie
• To See the Elephant: The Lure of Riches, Jean Wilcox Hibben
• Solving Historical and Family Mysteries with DNA, Megan Smolenyak Smolenyak
• Baker's Dozen to Writing Research Reports, Elizza Scalise Powell
• Striking it "Rich" with a Great Genealogical Career: A Guide For Professional Researchers, J. Mark Lowe.

I've been asked more than once already which was my favorite, and my answer is... well... I just cannot say. They were all good in their own way, all the speaker's brought something completely different to the podium, and the lessons learned varied with each. 

As an Official Blogger for the conference, I am very grateful to F. Warren Bittner, D. Joshua Taylor, Megan Smolenyak Smolenyak and J. Mark Lowe for letting us sit down with them for some one-on-one time. You will be able to read more about those conversations on the IDG site. 

Some truly fantastic ideas came out of the week in Las Vegas, and I'm looking forward to being a part of some new projects and taking advantage of all that networking to move closer to reaching my professional goals. 

I made several new friends in the industry, and we had some very good times, enjoying each other's company and talking about dead people. We raised a glass to Uncle Boone. I have so much more to write about, I really don't expect my "job" as an Official Blogger to be over any time soon. I might be able to get it all done before NGS 2014.... 

Imagine This: A List of All Genealogy Conferences

Have you imagined it? What would it look like? There might be a page for "national" conferences, perhaps another to list conferences and workshops by state. Maybe a tab or two devoted to Canada, Ireland, or Australia.

And that, all for free.

I tried to find it. Last week I spent two days searching the internet, then messaged folks on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn. Only to find, it didn't exist. There were some great options to use; certain organizations posted calendar pages; there is a Facebook page dedicated to the idea of a comprehensive list. But, they all required me to do extra work to find what I was looking for, and it just was not coming together for me.

What do to?

Everybody I asked left comments like, "wow, that would be great", or "awesome idea!"


Enter: Conference Keeper.

It took me all of fifteen minutes to make a decision, create a name, pick a theme and start putting the site together. I have a feeling it will consume a great deal of time moving forward, as I work to stay on top of the variety of functions that are hosted world wide on the topics of genealogy, family history, story telling, technology, small business and more. However, I am going to try.

It's a very simple concept. I've started by focusing on scheduled events around the United States, though I do have a short list of international events currently. It gives just the basics: name, date, city/state, and a link to the website for either the conference or the host organization.

You can easily contribute to the list, just use the "Contact Us" tab on the website, or message me through Facebook on the Conference Keepers page. Assuming I don't already have it on there, I'll add your event.

Time will tell where this will go, but in the end, the genealogy community now has a one stop shop style website to find the conference, seminar, workshop of interest in your area. No more wasted hours spent searching for each individual event, taking notes, comparing dates and "re-finding" the website you had an hour ago to make a decision on what to attend, when and where.

I hope it is helpful, and I hope you utilize it over and over.

Tweets from 2012 Jamboree: Day 3

The last and final installment of my favorite tweets coming out of the SCGS Jamboree, 2012. Please make sure to look over Day 1 and Day 2, as well!

• @ironhide781: "So sad to leave Jamboree, it's the best genealogy conference I've ever attended." [Figured we'd start with a nice compliment.]
• @terrifraser: "Takeaways: Blogger summit 2 #scgs12 Thomas MacEntee always moderates comments. Anonymous uses Microsoft Live Writer to compose blog posts."
• @baysideresearch: "Decided on What's New with RootsMagic 5 for my first #scgs12 session of the day."
• @demascot54321: "Genealogy research and Trip planning."
• @FamilyStories: "Will be attending Warren Bittner's Complex Evidence ~ Will be streamed. Who's joining me?"
• @AuntJill: "Best mindmapping tool I've seen yet is bubbl.us. Thanks to Ancestral Breezes for @scgs12 tweets." [You are most welcome. This has become a "thing" for me. It allows me to follow the conference from home, and also keeps everything in one place. If I'm going to make the list anyway, I might as well share.]
• @ACoffin: "Attending 'Mapping Madness' with @ronarons. I'm a sucker for anything maps."
• @terrifraser: "Attending 'Using the 1880 DDD Census' at #scgs12 with Jana Sloan Broiling CG."

(I included the above tweets so you would know which session the information was coming from. The twitter stream was very active Sunday morning, and it could be easy to get lost.)

• @toniasroots: "According to @megansmolenyak there are things in newspapers other than obituaries. Who knew?"
• @ACoffin: "Some free map sites: NYPL, David Rumsey, LOC, Perry Casteneda at UTexas."
• @ACoffin: "Don't forget Cyndi's List map page."
• @toniasroots: "All newspaper sites have some content everyone has and some content no one else has."
• @ACoffin: "Arons: search Google Images for maps, too. #scgs12 Use place name."
• @a3Genealogy: "@toniasroots LOL... This is a hard concept for some researchers. Slow down, take your time, and peruse the whole newspaper!"
• @ACoffin: "Arons showing different results between Google Maps and Bing Maps. He uses both. So do I."
• @toniasroots: "GenealogyBank has a great collection for people with New England and New York colonial roots."
• @toniasroots: "NewsLibrary.com can be used a la carte - no subscription necessary. Contemporary content, not historical."
• @ACoffin: "Bing maps:can only save 10 places in your collection. We all know Google lets you save more on your map."
• @toniasroots: "Newspaper search tip. Put in surname and keyword 'died'." [Also, death, buried, burial, grave, ceremony, etc.]
• @toniasroots: "Archives.com limits you to 10 newspaper searches per day."
• @FamilyStories: "This is EXACTLY why I wish census occupations were indexed. Bonus Points to the company who does that. @findmypastUS"
• @baysideresearch: "The CountyCheck feature in RM5 is great!"
• @rjseaver: "I like sequence of Bittner's slides. Document, discussion, source type, info type, evidence type, source citation. Logical."
• @toniasroots: "Elsewhere Around the World - a curated site with links to international newspaper sites."
• @rjseaver: "Bittner finally get to the evidence conflict stage-two direct pieces from original sources don't match. Indirect evidence proves."

ilovecoffeebook.com

• @rjseaver: "Bittner's talk is excellent tutorial on doing research in New York City."
• @toniasroots: "Major papers, like ATL Constitution, LA Times, etc. look for PQ in menu - this is their historical archives done with ProQuest."
• @ACoffin: "Arons: see if  your library has ProQuest Sanborn Maps Geo Edition."
• @toniasroots: "Ancestry.com obituary collection crawls sites of lots of smaller newspapers."
• @toniasroots: "Obitsarchive.com another a la carte site. Has contemporary obits."
• @rjseaver: "Bittner says software wants conclusions and limits evidence analysis. People lead complex lives."
• @ACoffin: "Hmmm.... LinkedIn Maps. Interesting." [Care to elaborate here?]
• @ACoffin: "Maps aren't just about places. Arons is discussing mind maps now."
• @baysideresearch: "RM reader for iPad/iPhone later this summer!"
• @amycrow: "Not correct. Limit is 10 views, not 10 searches RT @toniasroots Archives.com limit 10 newspaper searches/day @megansmolenyak" [Thanks for the clarification.]
• @baysideresearch: "Looks like @geneabloggers may have a full room for his Illinois session!"
• @rjseaver: "#scgs12 Lisa has her 10 Golden Rules of Genealogy on her website for free gotgenealogy.com."
• @ACoffin: "Take away from Hovorka's session: we need to allow new genealogists to be new." [Amen.]
• @toniasroots: "Be committed to ANALYZING your data."
• @amycrow: "That's the key: 'If I look at your citation, can I get back to the original?' - C Witcher (The comma doesn't matter! <g>)"
• @rjseaver: "Jana says to look for court cases associated with land deeds. Federal land records are largest pre 1900 set of records."
• @ACoffin: "Bertillon cards= predecessor to fingerprints. Incl. photos, measurements, etc of the subject."
• @rjseaver: "really need to check American State Papers for cases concerning my ancestors. Jana rocks!"
• @toniasroots: "Create timelines whenever you can."
• @baysideresearch: "It's expensive inheriting stuff from people. How to preserve?" [Ain't that the truth.]
• @baysideresearch: "Resolve to DO NO HARM to your inherited items. @familycurator"
• @susankitchens: "Frugal curation. Because we don't have budget n staff."
• @baysideresearch: "Archival cardboard storage boxes are acid-free, etc. #scgs12 they are layered to help protect docs, etc."
• @susankitchens: "First, do no harm. Temp swings not good. Moisture, pests, human handling, oils."
• @baysideresearch: "Newsprint is so inherently acidic it will break down."
• @baysideresearch: "Look for lignin-free boxes."
• @baysideresearch: "@familycurator showing damage to doll stored in china cabinet."
• @susankitchens: "Layered protection. The idea of the day for #stuff #preservation"
• @baysideresearch: "@familycurator has a curator's first aid kit w/tissue paper, sheet, tape, etc. all acid free!"
• @baysideresearch: "Make-it-yourself 4-flap-enclosure = most useful archival tool."
• @toniasroots: "Make your own archival container to fit any size item. @familycurator is showing us how." [Jealous.]
• @baysideresearch: "More DIY: custom cotton bag for multiple items."
• @ACoffin: "If you're into frugal curating, @familycurator has a book coming out about it in a few months."
• @baysideresearch: "Wash purchased muslin to remove all the sizing chemicals. No fabric softener!"
• @susankitchens: "Reversible is key for whatever you use to encapsulate it. Plastic is good for the foto to hand around @ family reunion. #preservation"
• @baysideresearch: "Put buffered paper behind newspaper to prevent acid build-up."
• @susankitchens: "Buffered paper - acid free, lignin free next to, say newspaper, in archival sleeve."
• @baysideresearch: "Avery sheet protectors are good option."
• @baysideresearch: "Also, funnily enough, ziplock sandwich bags are fine too!"
• @susankitchens: "Ziplock bags. GLAD are polypropylene. (good) @familycurator researched. Passed light test. #preservation"
• @susankitchens: "Who knew? Zip loc bags. Used by archaeologists, n for Police evidence bags."
• @baysideresearch: "Encapsulation not the best option for photos - image may stick to the plastic if you remove."
• @susankitchens: "Time capsule. Purpose, plan. AWESOME. Mama's got a milestone bay coming up."
• @baysideresearch: "Use a pretzel container. Seriously!"
• @susankitchens: "This presentation TOTALLY needs to go into #Maker magazine."
• @baysideresearch: "'just say no' to anything that will require a player 50 years from now. No good."
• @susankitchens: "Register your time capsule: International Time Capsule society, Oglethorpe Univ, Atlanta, GA"
• @baysideresearch: "@familycurator's book How to Archive Family Keepsakes coming out in August!" [You can pre-order on Amazon:  http://www.amazon.com/How-Archive-Family-Keepsakes-Memorabilia/dp/1440322236/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_nC?ie=UTF8&colid=11ED8PIUYXZ2E&coliid=I30W1VQPVAQ2VA]
• @familycurator: "Caugt @acivory showing how to make genealogy Mac Dashboard #scgs12 - my take-away #1"
• @JanetHovorka: "What I learned at #scgs12 RT @susankitchens: XLNT question-how can we build more mentoring it's all about respect. Be it, act it. U got it."
• @JanetHovorka: "Nailed it. RT @susankitchens: The FEAR of doing it wrong gets in the way. Yes. You MUST make mistakes. Gatekeeping comes frm fear."

yogainthedragonsden.blogspot.com

And with that, it all comes to an end. I love the last two: 

Mentoring is all about respect.

You must make mistakes.

Well said, everyone, well said. 

Tweets from 2012 Jamboree: Day 2

Welcome to the world of tweets! As mentioned yesterday, follow the SCGS Jamboree event online using #scgs12.

Enjoy today's selections!

• @Toniasroots: "Pass judgement on each piece of family lore: true, false, exaggerated - all are possible."
• @a3Genealogy: "Mark Schaeffer says optimize social media apps/tools to improve Return On Influence. Ok!"
• @Ghyxion: "Only an hour until Genealogy Idol is streamed to the comfort of my recliner." [Yes! Enjoying from home thanks to the power of social media and streaming sessions.]
• @FamilyStories: all of the following...  
• "There is no correct way to organize your research. ~ @GenealogistEyls"
• "There is no magic pill  to become organized. It's a process that needs to be executed repeatedly. @GenealoigstElys"
• "And? @GenealogistElys is a NATURAL at this. Seriously. You should BE HERE listening & watching. #rockingit"
• "Tagging photos is suggested for photo organization. Picasa is gr8 for this. ~ @GenealogistElys"
• @toniasroots: "How do you think categorize your ancestors in  your mind? By surname, by couple, etc? Use that style for your organization system."
• @toniasroots: "Use consistent file naming, so that when you see the file name, you instantly know what the file contains. @GenealogistElys"
• @KinfoLit: "'Read broadly' to understand your ancestors' value system and priorities. -- Warren Bittner"
• @littlebyteslife: "Daughters of 1812 database of ancestors online - check it out!"
• @baysideresearch: "Unsubscribe from the email lists and newsletters you don't read."
• @KinfoLit: "Bittner recommends Laurel Thatcher Ulrich's A Midwife's Tail: The Life of Martha Ballard, Based on Her Diary, 1785-1812."
• @baysideresearch: "Schedule time every 6 mos or so to organize your bookmarks." [Love this.]
• @toniasroots: "Every so often, go through your website "Favorites" and delete broken links."
• @Kimmyvon: "Elyse D. Tames the digital monster at #SCGS12 she's teaching what all these new fangeled things are."
• @baysideresearch: "@genealogistelys is demoing OneNote."
• @toniasroots: "Create a list of books/resources you want to access in your favorite note-taking software."

Random picture. Wild "high mountain" flowers in my back yard.
Copyright Jen Baldwin, Breckenridge, CO 2012.

• @KinfoLit: "Reading history is essential for 'understanding the way life was lived for the common man.' -- Warren Bittner at #scgs12"
• @FamilyStories: "Elyse has knocked it outta the park. Excellent. @GenealogyElys" [Love the support for this presentor from the audience.]
• @Kimmyvon: "Elyse Doerflinger recommends 'Remember the Milk' for your to do list."
• @toniasroots: Lists the following... 
• "Curt Witcher asks: Are you a genealogy researcher or an ancestor collector?"
• "Familiarty with how the military operates will ensure finding & effectively using the widest collection of resources. #Witcher"
• "Look for more than basic BMD info. What were they doing, where? Creates context. #Witcher"
• "Use secondary information (published records). They'll lead you to the primary. #Witcher"
• "Go to any college library or online to look for printed govermnet docs on Service Records. Wealth of information. #Witcher"
• "State archives are good sources of military records. #Witcher"
• "Pension records are golden for genealogists. Proof of service, eligibility & testimony from FANs. #Witcher"
• Confederate pension files are usually found in state archives, rather than NARA, but have some of the best information. #Witcher"
• Documenting the American South. Website with amazing military history information. #Witcher"
• Here's the link. docsouth.unc.edu"
• "Civil War Soldiers & Sailors database lets you download a spreadsheet of search results. Awesome. #Witcher"
• @baysideresearch: "@lisaalso: post -1892 passenger lists much more rich in info. Darn! All my ancestors arrived before that..."
• @baysideresearch: "Who was traveling w/your ancestor? Circumstances? Look for the clues. @lisaalzo."
• @baysideresearch: "Check all versions of ships' lists. Copies were made. Differences?  @lisaalso."
• @baysideresearch: "@lisaalzo: read the instructions for any new-to-you database!"
• @walkingyourtree: "Stunned by CWSS free website w/tons of great Civil War resources #CurtWitcher"
• @susankitchens: "EBay for heirlooms. Use to make shadowbox. Things are in other people's attics. Sve teh search in eBay. - @LisaCooke"
• @KinfoLit: "@SLuxenberg says genealogists are better researchers than historians and journalists. Really?!"
• @KinfoLit: "'We don't live in the times we're researching.' A challenge to overcome, says @SLuxenberg at #scgs12"
• @susankitchens: "SteveLux - we don't live in teh time we're researching. We got to think like the time period we're researching."
• @sooznebr: "Put emotions aside and think about what the document tells you #scgs12 Steve Luxenberg"
• @storybookgen: "My 2 cents: LOOK at the census record - don't just accept the indexed archives. They're incomplete and sometimes wrong."
• @storybookgen: "Memory is falliable, even when photos tells a different story."
• @storybookgen: "Steve Luxenberg welcomes emails asking for advice. Find him at steveluxenberg.com"
• @FamilyStories: From Megan Smolenyak's presentation... 
• "Why Reverse Genealogy? Find kin, heirlooms, etc. @megansmolenyak"
• "Hello?!? Had no idea @megansmolenyak does the heirloom rescue thing. Another reason to LOVE her!"
• "2 approaches to Reverse Genealogy: broadcast & seeking."
• "@megansmolenyak prefers the location-based message boards vs. surname to catch neighbors & family."
• "Zig zagging backwards and forwards thru time gets you to the finish line quicker."
• I love Heritage Quest, personally." [As do I!]
• @rjsearver: tweeting from the Blogger Panel
• "At Blogger Panel, Melissa says blog community is a network of knowledge and very helpful to beginners."
• "Denise says geneablogging has resulted in many cousins contacting her. Cousin bait works!"
• "Melissa says geneablogging is a great marketing tool for the GenealogyCenter at Fort Wayne Library."
• "Thomas talked quite a bit about affiliate programs on geneablogs. Made up to $200 in one month."
• "Ancestry Insider says to write geneablogs for yourself. Ought to use images in every post."
• "Thomas says Wikimedia Commons has copyright free images available for use on blogs."

Random photo #2. This the fox that has marked our yard as his territory.
Copyright Jen Baldwin, Breckenridge, CO 2012.

• @baysideresearch: "Add city directories to @megansmolenyak's list of best reverse #genealogy resources. Helped me unlock the Friends Album's past."
• @FamilyStories: "On genealogybank.com historical & contemporary collections sometimes overlap. Check both. @megansmolenyak"
• @FamilyStories: "Library of Congress website getting more useful. Info availability depends on each state. Keep checking back."
• @KinfoLit: "Explanatory notes at beginning of a compiled #genealogy often contains lots of useful info, so read them! -- @DJoshuaTaylor"
• @KinfoLit: "'Genealogy is a lifelong pursuit, not a five-minute hobby.' -- @DJoshuaTaylor"
• @FamilyStories: "Compiled genealogies are excellent secondary sources to gather clues for further research. @DJoshuaTaylor"
• @FamilyStories: "Sometimes, folks, we may never find anything that proves or disproves compiled genealogies. [hard to accept, no?] @DJoshuaTaylor"
• @toniasroots: "Always pull a hardcopy of compiled genealogies when you visit other libraries. Sometimes ppl WRITE in corrections."
• @FamilyStories: "Basically, u know all that stuff we get told 2 NOT EVEN look at cuz it's NOT 'pure'? Use it w/logic. They're clues. @DJoshuaTaylor"
• @FamilyStories: "Read the FOOTNOTES in published histories. Lots of clues."
• @FamilyStories: "Read peer reviews of comp. genealogies cuz genealogists love to point out corrections to other genealogists. *snort* @DJoshuaTaylor"
• @toniasroots: "Type author's name in Google Books. You may find revisions & corrections of compiled genealogies. @DJoshuaTaylor"
• @amycrow: "What?! A genealogist compiling info and not publishing it?! Say it isn't so! <g> @DJoshuaTaylor."
• @toniasroots: "Contact family associations. They may have a file of corrections to the compiled genealogy."
• @toniasroots: "Family-Association.com -> basic site that lists family associations."
• @KinfoLit: "The author of a compiled #genealogy may have donated research materials to an archive. -- @DJoshuaTaylor."
• @FamilyStories: "'Compiled genealogies - don't know if it's accurate but don't know if it's inaccurate."
• @Kimmyvon: "#SCGS12 I love the idea of giving back or paying it forward... maybe we could pool our money and get on this Grand band wagon."
• @Kimmyvon: "Seton Shields Genealogy Grants Program... pass the word."

More to come tomorrow! Have a great 24 hours!