UpFront with NGS

Buchenwald and Mittelbau-Dora Victims’ Lists Online

noreply@blogger.com (Diane L Richard) — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 13:00:00 +0000

Researching those “lost” during the Holocaust is very challenging. Fortunately, new resources continue to become available.

Though I am not of Jewish heritage, I can tell you that my visit to Dachau, over 30 years ago, is still etched in my memory as if it was yesterday.

The Buchenwald Memorial Foundation has placed a list of 38,000 confirmed victims of the Buchenwald concentration camp online at http://www.buchenwald.de/totenbuch. The website is in German.

There is also a link to a separate list of Mittelbau-Dora concentration camp victims at http://totenbuch.dora.de.

Editor’s NOTE: The source for this information was Nu? What's New? The E-zine of Jewish Genealogy From Avotaynu, with Gary Mokotoff as the editor. This particular news items was published in Volume 13, Number 1 | January 1, 2012. Past issues of Nu? What's New? are archived at http://www.avotaynu.com/nu.htm. When it becomes available, please read the mentioned issue for more details on accessing and exploring these databases.

As mentioned, I personally do not have any Jewish Ancestry and yet value this newsletter for its timely and valuable information.

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New Season of WDYTYA Premieres Tomorrow Friday, 3 February 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Diane L Richard) — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 13:00:00 +0000

Are you ready to again take an up-close and personal look inside the family history of some of today's most beloved and iconic celebrities when NBC's "Who Do You Think You Are?" returns for its third season tomorrow, February 3 (8-9 p.m. ET). The celebrities who star in the series are Martin Sheen, Marisa Tomei, Blair Underwood, Reba McEntire, Rob Lowe, Helen Hunt, Rita Wilson, Edie Falco, Rashida Jones, Jerome Bettis, Jason Sudeikis and Paula Deen.

Read the full press release for more details.

Which program from the 1^st two seasons have you liked best or found most helpful to your own research by suggesting a great research strategy or resource?

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So Many Holidays ... so Little Time!

noreply@blogger.com (Diane L Richard) — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 13:00:00 +0000

Though this document was posted as a source of prompts for genealogy bloggers by Thomas MacEntee of Geneabloggers, I want to share it with you because I just found it a fascinating read! It lists a bunch of famous, infamous and obscure holidays so that when someone is desperate for a blog topic, they might find a worthy suggestion!

I just found it fun to read ... some of the ones I found funny (based just on the name and having NO idea what the event/celebration is about) are:

· Something on a stick day

· National open an umbrellas indoor day

· For Pete’s sake day

Which ones caught your eye? Are there any good "genealogical" ones we need to celebrate?

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Select Rootstech Sessions to be Broadcast Live and for Free Starting Thursday!

noreply@blogger.com (Diane L Richard) — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 19:55:00 +0000

SALT LAKE CITY—RootsTech, a leading family history and technology conference held in Salt Lake City, Utah, February 2-4, 2012, announced 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

Also check out the downloads page for the Syllabi, Conference Guide and Expo Hall Map.

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Adoptee Requests for IL Birth Certificates Exceeds 4000 in First Month

noreply@blogger.com (Diane L Richard) — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 13:00:00 +0000

Example of an IL Birth Certificate -- My Husband's Maternal Grandmother

In an age when much of the news is about limiting our access to vital records, IL in November of last year made it so that adoptees age 21 and older and born after Jan. 1, 1946, can get access to their original birth certificates as long as their birth parents have not filed a form to prevent the information from being released.

Read the articles “4,000 adoptees seek Ill. birth certificates” and “Hundreds of IL adoptees born before 1946 get birth certificate for first time” to learn more about the IL law and it’s significance to those impacted.

Do you know someone who has taken advantage of this change in the IL law?

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RPAC Prevented From Presenting Information to Ways and Means Subcommittee on Social Security

noreply@blogger.com (Diane L Richard) — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 17:01:00 +0000

There will be a hearing on Thursday, 2 February 2012 at 9:00 a.m. of the Ways and Means Subcommittee on Social Security. The hearing will focus on the history, accuracy, use, and impacts of the Death Master File.

RPAC worked for several days on preparing information for the subcommittee and lining up noted genealogists who could be available to testify. Yesterday we received the news that no one from the genealogical community is being invited to testify. Congressman Sam Johnson from Texas is the person who has proposed bill H.R. 3475 "Keeping ID's Safe Act of 2011" which would close the SSDI to genealogists.

Anyone can present written testimony which we are preparing on behalf of RPAC and several of the genealogical organizations which is due by 16 February 2012. We encourage genealogists in the Washington, DC area to attend the hearing. For details on the proposed legislation see http://www.fgs.org/RPAC.

RPAC is in the process of organizing an initiative throughout the genealogical community which will be announced on 14 February 2012. Watch for further information. In the meantime, read about the issues on the RPAC website.

Editor’s Note: You can access the details of the proposed bill and its progress via govtrack.us

Editor’s Note: Do check out the RPAC document “RPAC Talking Points on Why Genealogists Need the Social Security Death Index (SSDI)”

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MA Genealogical Council Call for Papers -- Ethnicity and Genealogy

noreply@blogger.com (Diane L Richard) — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 13:00:00 +0000

The Massachusetts Genealogical Council (MGC) is calling for papers for its 21 July 2012 Seminar with the theme "Ethnicity and Genealogy." The deadline for submissions is tomorrow on the 31 January 2012.

The MGC is an umbrella organization representing genealogists, historical researchers, and all those concerned about records preservation and open access to public records. You can also sign up for MGC bulletins at www.massgencouncil.org (left column) or directly at http://tinyurl.com/6sp4usf.

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National Genealogical Society Announces Voices of Genealogy Video Series

noreply@blogger.com (Diane L Richard) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 13:36:00 +0000

Arlington, VA, 27 January 2012: 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 1971-1986. 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.

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Ulster History & Genealogy Summer School 2012

noreply@blogger.com (Diane L Richard) — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 13:00:00 +0000

Have

Ulster

Irish Heritage? If so, you might consider attending summer school! The Ulster Historical Foundation in partnership with the University of Ulster is presenting such a summer school opportunity.

Last year's summer school attracted a number of overseas visitors including a very welcome group from the East Tennessee Historical Society.

Learn more about this summer school opportunity at www.ancestryireland.com/summerschool.

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About the Ulster Historical Foundation -- is a charity, founded in 1956, with the mission to tell the world the story of the people of Ulster, encourage an interest in the history of the Province, broaden access to historical records and documents on Irish and Scots-Irish genealogy and to inspire pride in Irish and Ulster heritage and culture.

In pursuit of these aims the Foundation engages in a variety of activities including the provision of a range of genealogical research services, the publication of high quality genealogical, educational and historical books and the organisation of cultural/heritage tours.

Further information on the Foundation and our work is available on our website, www.ancestryireland.com.

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National Genealogical Society Introduces New Events Calendar

noreply@blogger.com (Diane L Richard) — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 13:00:00 +0000

In January 2012, the National Genealogical Society (NGS) introduced a new format for their genealogical Events Calendar at the NGS website. The Events Calendar will now be presented in a table format that is easier to read and will allow the reader to scroll quickly down the list to find events of interest. The format, prioritized by date then event and location, will help make sure genealogists don’t miss an event that is important to them. NGS subscriber organizations will now have an easy-to-use “form” at the website that standardizes the information submitted for the Events Calendar so important details for an event are included in each submission. Now subscriber organizations have a more timely and flexible alternative to publicize their local, regional, and national events to the thousands of daily visitors to the NGS website. The online form that subscribing organizations submit can be processed very quickly and the Events Calendar can be updated within days, an advantage to organizations and to our members who want to stay current.

The new Events Calendar can be viewed at http://www.ngsgenealogy.org/cs/event_calendar .

If you want to publicize your genealogical event and become an NGS subscriber organization, please visit http://www.ngsgenealogy.org/cs/organizational_subscriptions.

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Copyright Issues for the 21st Century -- Genealogical Community

noreply@blogger.com (Diane L Richard) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 13:00:00 +0000

The California State Genealogical Alliance (CSGA) has started a blog to discuss copyright issues as they impact genealogists. The blog does contain resource links.

There is also an older “Copyright for Genealogical Societies” webpage with a lot of useful information.

Often, it’s not the use of material which is the issue, it’s not getting permission from the “source” and/or “not crediting” the creator of the material. As genealogists, just like for our research, it’s critical that we document and credit our resources for everything we use and reference.

With regard to copyright issues, do you have any words of wisdom for your fellow genealogists?

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DAR's Publication Forgotten Patriots is Now ONLINE!

noreply@blogger.com (Diane L Richard) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 13:00:00 +0000

The DAR’s Forgotten Patriots Project focuses on the important contributions made by African American and American Indian patriots of the American Revolution. To date, thousands of Forgotten Patriots have been identified, and DAR researchers continue to uncover these individuals and their unique stories.

NOW you can download both the 2008 version of this publication and a 2008-2012 supplement from the DAR website.

· Forgotten Patriots Project

· Forgotten Patriots 2008 Publication

· Download 2008 Publication

· Download Supplement 2008-2012

Did your African American or American Indian ancestor serve during the Revolutionary War? If so, we’d love to hear about it!

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National Personnel Records Center -- St. Louis Facility Restores Burned or Otherwise Damaged Records

noreply@blogger.com (Diane L Richard) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 13:00:00 +0000

The St. Louis Beacon published an article a couple of weeks ago titled “Lazarus archive: St. Louis facility restores burned or otherwise damaged records.”

Many of you are familiar with the 1973 fire which destroyed the records of many of those who served in the military. Well, the effort to restore these documents is still underway.

Read the article to learn more about the efforts to preserve and restore documents burned, eaten by insects, harmed by mold and destroyed via other methods at this facility.

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To Use White Gloves or Not?

noreply@blogger.com (Diane L Richard) — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 13:00:00 +0000

Some archives require you to use “white gloves” when you handle older documents and other’s don’t! I have been to both kinds.

The Medieval and earlier Manuscripts Blog of the British Library has weighed in on this topic.

The International Preservation News published in December 2005 an article titled “Misperceptions about White Gloves.” I found this an interesting read.

What are your experiences and thoughts?

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SOPA and PIPA Blackout -- TODAY -- Learn more ...

noreply@blogger.com (Diane L Richard) — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 16:56:00 +0000

What ... no Wikipedia today, no blogs ... what’s going on! Did you see the graphic on Google today?

Check out the information provided by Wikipedia regarding SOPA and PIPA and why there is an across-the-internet “blackout” in effect for today in protest of these two pieces of legislation!

Don’t think this affects genealogists? Check out the “blackened” Internet Archive – a repository for so much information directly relevant to our genealogical research!

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NARA -- Know Your Records Voting -- ends tomorrow!

noreply@blogger.com (Diane L Richard) — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 15:17:00 +0000

Like to vote? Well here’s another chance. Through tomorrow, 19 January 2012, NARA is seeking your input on which of their “Know Your Records” Programs held from 2009-2011 and that are on video, you would like to see posted!

As the website says ...

The National Archives and Records Administration hosted more than 370 Know Your Records talks on topics including genealogy, ethnic heritage, declassified records, Civil War, social media, and more over the past two years. We want to make them available to a wider audience by posting the videos online, and need your help to figure out where to start: which talks are you most eager to see posted to YouTube and iTunes U? Read through the list of program summaries, vote on your favorites, and let us know what you think. This is just the start of an ongoing project, so we’re looking forward to hearing what you have to say!

I have voted. Have you? If not do so now by clicking VOTE.

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Certificate of Irish Heritage is now available for Americans of Irish ancestry

noreply@blogger.com (Diane L Richard) — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 13:00:00 +0000

A sample of a certificate of Irish heritage

Photo by www.heritagecertificate.ie

Irish government seeks to honor the Irish roots of close to 40 million Americans

The Certificate of Irish Heritage is now available in the United States and around the world. The certificate honors those ancestors who sacrificed so much by leaving Ireland and who created opportunities for later generations.

Up to 40 million Americans, 35 million with Irish ancestry and five million with Northern Irish roots are eligible to apply...

Read the full story at: http://www.irishcentral.com/news/Certificate-of-Irish-Heritage-is-now-available-for--Americans-of-Irish-ancestry-135312133.html#ixzz1ibzcSWhA

Have Irish ancestors – share a story about them with us.

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Copyright Matters: Digitization and Public Access

noreply@blogger.com (Diane L Richard) — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 13:00:00 +0000

Came across this post about digital preservation on the Library of Congress blog ...

Providing Access to 70 Million Copyright Records

The U.S. Copyright Office has a comprehensive set of records about books, periodicals, music, motion pictures and other works that were registered with the Office between 1870 and 1977. The records include transfers and assignments of rights reported to the Office. Until now these records have existed only in paper and microfilm form, but the Office has an exciting project underway to convert these non-digital records and make them available via the web. Over 13 million catalog cards have already been digitized as well as more than half of the Catalogs of Copyright Entries published since 1891. This latter set is available for searching through the Internet Archive.

Attention now has turned to making the full set of records available via the web. The Copyright Office has launched Copyright Matters: Digitization and Public Access, a blog to publicize the project’s goals, objectives and progress as well as to elicit input from interested parties. If you have interest in the ownership records for intellectual property or in using them to learn more about the cultural history of the United States, please visit the blog and feel free to submit your thoughts and ideas about getting the most out of these records.

As a person who just two years ago visited the Library of Congress to look at the volumes on Copyrights for Musical Compositions in the early 1900s – how nice and easy it would have been to just sit at home and see these same volumes! Well, now I can!

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The December 2011 edition of the NGS Quarterly is now available under the Members Only Section

noreply@blogger.com (Diane L Richard) — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 13:00:00 +0000

The December 2011 edition of the NGS Quarterly is now available under the Members Only Section at http://www.ngsgenealogy.org/cs/members_only/publications_archive/ngsq_online/ngsq_disclaimer. Please be sure to log in under the User Login area to the right of the screen.

Please note that access to the NGS Quarterly online is available only as long as your membership is active.

Feature Articles

o Using Indirect Evidence and Linguistic Analysis to Trace Polin Ries of New Orleans, Teri D. Tillman, CG

o Nathan W. Dowd of Ohio: Whose Child was He?, Linda Dowd Vivian

o Using Indirect Evidence to Find In-Laws for Conrad Peters of Monroe County, New York, Nancy A. Peters, CG

Notes & Documents

o French Spoliation Awards: Heirs of Seth Russell of New Bedford, Massachusetts, Georgy Ely Russell, CG, FASG, FNGS

o The Usefulness of School Records: Uncovering Roberta Dyer Howard’s Withheld Story, Mary L. Mall

Update

o ‘Tout le Monde’ Revisited: The William Moyse Family in Saint John, New Brunswick, Ronald A. Hill, Ph.D., CG, FASG

Sidelights

o May They Rest in Peace, Separately

o An Illegal Vote for Lincoln

o Early Signs of Trouble—The French Won’t Pay

o Agency at Washington City

o The French Spoliation Claimants

o The French Spoliation Claims—The Causten Papers

o Divorce Unacceptable in Nineteenth-Century Canada

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Special Discount for RootsTech 2012 Ends January 13th! Register Now!

noreply@blogger.com (Diane L Richard) — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 13:00:00 +0000

If you haven’t registered for RootsTech 2012 yet, you will want to do so by January 13^th to take advantage of the special discount price of $149. The RootsTech 2012 Conference in Salt Lake City, Utah, February 2-4, is a dynamic, one-of-a-kind event.

It is designed to bring technologists together with genealogists of all skill levels, so they can learn from each other and find solutions to the challenges faced in family history research today; hence the lineup of speakers this year from Google, Instructure, Ancestry.com, and FamilySearch!

Check out these exciting evening events:

Thursday, February 2: Exercise your Funny Bone with Comedian Ryan Hamilton

Friday, February 3: Late Night at the Family History Library

Of course, attending RootsTech 2012 is a great excuse to spend some productive research time at the Family History Library any time you want. The RootsTech 2012 Conference venue is practically adjacent to the conference venue in Salt Lake City! Come early, stay late, plan to satisfy your research needs.

Go to RootsTech 2012 to explore the full list of topics, sessions, speakers, and conference offerings.

Take advantage of the special registration rate now. We look forward to seeing you at RootsTech!

Don’t Miss the Final $149 Discount Rate for RootsTech 2012 in Salt Lake City!

· A new family history and technology conference

· February 2-4, 2012

· Salt Palace Convention Center, Salt Lake City, Utah

· The special discount ends January 13, 2012.

RootsTech is sponsored by Microsoft, Dell, FamilySearch, Oracle, the National Genealogical Society, brightsolid, Ancestry.com, the Federation of Genealogical Societies, the New England Historic Genealogical Society, Archives.com, Brigham Young University, and the Association of Professional Genealogists.

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National Genealogical Society Announces Partnership with Pharos Teaching and Tutoring Ltd

noreply@blogger.com (Diane L Richard) — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 20:00:00 +0000

Arlington, VA, 9 January 2012: The National Genealogical Society proudly announces a strategic partnership with Pharos Teaching and Tutoring Ltd of the UK to present My British Isles Origins: Where and How Do I Cross the Pond? This four-week online learning course begins 1 March 2012 and is designed to show genealogists with British ancestry how to “leap the pond” and discover their roots in the British Isles.

The presenter is Sherry Irvine, BA (History), MSc, CG^sm, of Courtenay, British Columbia, Canada. Sherry, a favorite lecturer across the United States, is an established teacher and lecturer of family history with over twenty-five years of experience. Further biographical information is available at either NGS website at http://www.ngsgenealogy.org/or the Pharos Teaching and Tutoring Ltd website at http://www.pharostutors.com/ .

Pharos Teaching and Tutoring Ltd was founded in 2005 by Sherry Irvine and Helen Osborn, two professional genealogists who share enthusiasm for helping others journey into the past. Their goal is to teach others the most rewarding ways to search for ancestors in England, Scotland, Wales, and Ireland.

My British Isles Origins: Where and How Do I Cross the Pond? offers students a mixture of history, population study, sources, and research strategies. Its primary objectives are to present practical guidance for launching research into the British origins of immigrant ancestors and to offer help on building contextual knowledge of migration patterns and history, at national and local levels. For more information on the course or to view course visit the course webpage on the NGS website at http://www.ngsgenealogy.org/cs/pharos_public.

For NGS members who register through the NGS member’s only site, the course is $55.25, a savings of 15% from the full, non-member price of $65.00

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 at http://www.ngsgenealogy.org/cs/pressroom for further information.

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Colonial Williamsburg Digital Library

noreply@blogger.com (Diane L Richard) — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 13:00:00 +0000

There are just so many hidden research gems. I was just looking around and stumbled across references to the Virginia Gazette being available online for 1730-1786, either by browsing or searching. How had I missed that?

When I learned that it was available on the Colonial Williamsburg website, http://research.history.org/DigitalLibrary.cfm, I just had to check out what other gems might be there and learned there are also Manuscripts, York County Probate Inventories and other documents, digitized and waiting for eager researchers to discover!

Have you made a great discovery in these collections?

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Elizabeth Shown Mills Has a New Website!

noreply@blogger.com (Diane L Richard) — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 13:00:00 +0000

I, like many, have learned so much from hearing Elizabeth Shown Mills talk at national conferences and via reading her various publications!

Now, at the click of a finger you can access select articles, case studies and research reports and other materials, http://historicpathways.com/. It’s like having Elizabeth privately sharing some of her knowledge with you in the comfort of your own home! I have enjoyed sitting in my bathrobe and slippers as I sip coffee and “learn” from one of the genealogical greats!

As she states ...

“For a lifetime, I have pursued those whom history has forgotten. Many have teased me through trails of burned-out courthouses and decades in which no census takers found their cabins. Most have challenged me to separate their identities from hordes of other same-name people. Many have rewarded me. Some of their stories I have told already—as tales, as essays in scholarly journals, or in books of various ilk. At this site, as time allows, I hope to share their stories with those of you who might care to follow them down the pathways these men and women quietly blazed through our nation's past.”

Does any article, case study or research report particularly resonate with you? If so, please tell us which one and why!

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NARA Citizen Archivist Dashboard Live!

noreply@blogger.com (Diane L Richard) — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 13:00:00 +0000

Check out this new interactive NARA feature!

Now you can tag images and records, transcribe a historical document, contribute to articles, upload your photos, enter competitions and much more!

A nice aspect is that when you choose a “mission” projects are identified as for beginner, intermediate or advanced! Select that level that best suits your experience!

Check out the main page, http://www.archives.gov/citizen-archivist/, click on the various activity links, and spend some time helping “your” National Archives make ever more materials available to researchers!

Editor's Note: An earlier post on Nextgov.com about the impending launch of the Citizen Archivist Dashboard, http://www.nextgov.com/nextgov/ng_20111107_7329.php

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National Genealogical Society Issues Call for Papers for the 2013 Family History Conference in Las Vegas Nevada

noreply@blogger.com (Diane L Richard) — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 18:04:00 +0000

National Genealogical Society Issues Call For Papers for the 2013 Family History Conference

in Las Vegas Nevada

Arlington, VA, 6 January 2012: The National Genealogical Society announces the Call for Papers for the 2013 Family History Conference, Building New Bridges, to be held 8–11 May 2013 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The deadline for submitting proposals is 1 April 2012.

The Mike O’Callaghan-Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge, dedicated in 2010, spans the Colorado River on Native American land in Nevada and Arizona. It symbolically connects the two men it honors as it physically connects the Las Vegas Valley to Route 66 and embodies the West as a placeless, timeless “bridge” where disparate cultures, nations, and technologies connect. The bridge augments the iconic Hoover Dam, which, upon its 1935 dedication, opened the arid Southwest to massive urban and agricultural growth by harnessing the water and power of the Colorado River. We seek lectures that “bridge” perceived divisions: the East and the West; racial and ethnic groups; rural and urban places; traditional and non-traditional families; academia and genealogy; state, local, and national borders; public and private archives; longitudinal studies over multiple time periods, or the effect of war, weather, or technology on the lives of our ancestors.

We also welcome topics on methodology; problem solving; evidence analysis; state, local, and federal records; family history writing; and technological innovation.

Most sessions will be one hour. Syllabus materials in PDF format are required for each lecture or workshop and are due 15 February 2013.

Proposals should be submitted electronically through the NGS website and should include the following information:

speaker’s full name, address, telephone, and e-mail address
speaker’s NGS membership status and member number
lecture title, not to exceed fourteen words, and a brief but comprehensive outline
short summary of the lecture—not to exceed twenty-five words—to be used in the program, if selected
identification of the audience level
brief speaker biography, not to exceed twenty-five words
lecture outline
résumé of recent lectures the speaker has given (Speakers who have not lectured previously at a regional or national conference are encouraged to submit an audio or video tape of a recent lecture.)

To submit a speaker proposal visit: http://www.ngsgenealogy.org/cs/conferences_events/call_for_papers/submit_your_proposals.

Speakers are expected to use an electronic presentation program and provide their own digital projectors. NGS will provide the VGA cable, cart, power strip, and projector support.

Individuals may submit up to eight proposals. NGS members will be given first consideration.

NGS speakers are selected by the conference committee from submitted lecture proposals. NGS speakers selected in this manner receive one complimentary full-conference registration no matter the number of lectures they deliver. However, honoraria, per diem, and travel allowance and hotel accommodation are awarded by NGS based on the number of lectures given. See the Speaker Compensation table at http://www.ngsgenealogy.org/cs/conferences_events/call_for_papers/ngs_2013_conference_speaker_compensation_details.

Organizations wishing to sponsor a lecture or track of lectures at the NGS 2013 Family History Conference in Las Vegas, Nevada, should review the details and sponsor requirements at http://www.ngsgenealogy.org/cs/conferences_events/call_for_papers/sponsored_lectures. The deadline to submit sponsored lectures is also 1 April 2012.

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 at http://www.ngsgenealogy.org/cs/pressroom for further information.

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Think your friends, colleagues, or fellow genealogy researchers would find this blog post interesting? If so, please let them know that anyone can read past UpFront with NGS posts or subscribe!

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Suggestions for topics for future UpFront with NGS posts are always welcome. Please send any suggested topics to UpfrontNGS@mosaicrpm.com.